For the second consecutive year, Educational Testing Service (ETS), the creator of the TOEFL(R) test, announced the launch of the TOEFL Scholarship Program in Japan. Created specifically for Japanese students, the 2012 TOEFL Scholarship Program will award five scholarships valued at a total of US$40,000. Scholarship funding can be applied to either undergraduate or graduate study for the 2012 academic year.
"ETS is pleased to announce that we will sponsor the TOEFL Scholarship Program in Japan for the second consecutive year," commented Walt MacDonald, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at ETS. "The TOEFL Scholarship Program stems from ETS's nonprofit mission of advancing education worldwide. The scholarship program seeks to recognize talented Japanese students who have excelled in the classroom and have a strong commitment to meeting their educational aspirations."
TOEFL Scholarships will be awarded to students in Japan who meet the following criteria:
-- must be currently living in Japan
-- must begin undergraduate or graduate study in 2012 at a college or
university listed in the TOEFL(R) Destinations Directory
-- must hold a grade point average (GPA) of 80 or higher on a 100-point
scale or 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
-- must have a valid TOEFL score
-- must return a completed application form which includes a written
essay, TOEFL test scores and an official transcript in a sealed
envelope
Detailed information regarding the 2012 TOEFL Scholarship Program in Japan, including application materials and eligibility requirements, is available at www.ets.org/toefl/scholarships/overview/japan/ . Completed applications must be postmarked by April 13, 2012.
The ETS Scholarship and Recognition Program (SRP) group, which annually administers millions of dollars in new and renewable awards in the United States and abroad, is coordinating the ETS Scholarship Program in Japan. In addition to program consultation, SRP developed application materials and guidelines for the review of the applications.
More information regarding the TOEFL test, including sample questions, study tips and registration is available at www.TOEFLGoAnywhere.org .
About the TOEFL Test For nearly 50 years, the TOEFL test has been the most widely accepted English-language assessment in the world. The TOEFL test is recognized by more than 8,000 institutions in more than 130 countries including Australia, the U.K., Canada, and the United States. Globally, the TOEFL test is available at more than 4,500 testing sites in more than 165 countries. To date, more than 25 million students around the world have taken the TOEFL test.
About ETS At ETS, we advance quality and equity in education for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research. ETS serves individuals, educational institutions and government agencies by providing customized solutions for teacher certification, English language learning, and elementary, secondary and post-secondary education, as well as conducting education research, analysis and policy studies. Founded as a nonprofit in 1947, ETS develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually -- including the TOEFL(R) and TOEIC (R) tests, the GRE (R) tests and The Praxis Series(TM) assessments -- in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide. www.ets.org
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/outstanding-japanese-students-sought-for-second-annual-toeflr-scholarship-program-2011-12-15
Friday, December 16, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Study in Japan, work around the world (part 3): A proud graduate of APU becomes a happy worker at Nissan
For part three of the four-part Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) interview series, the subject is Abdoulaye Ditie from Mali in West Africa. Ditie graduated from APU in 2005 and now works for Nissan in Japan. Let us find out how he found his career path through APU.
News photo
Q: What triggered your interest in Japan, and how did you first come over?
Ditie: When I was a high school student, I learned that Japan was defeated in World War II. The people had no food, no resources, just nothing. But then, I was surprised to find out that within a few decades, the country rebuilt itself and became one of the most powerful nations in the global arena. I became very interested and wanted to learn more about the country. The more I found out about the country, the more I came to like the country. I literally fell in love with Japan.
But Mali used to be a French colony and I had done all my studies in French. There was absolutely no chance for me to study in Japan. A French university accepted me, so I originally planned to go there.
Then, another event occurred, as my older brother was transferred to Japan for work. Concurrently, APU offered me a scholarship covering most of the tuition and supporting my living expenses. On top of that, APU fulfilled my requirements almost 100 percent. Hence, I was able to enter APU in 2001.
Q: Did your impression of Japan change after you arrived?
Ditie: Actually, I came to love the country and its people even more. Japanese people are very friendly. They are hardworking, polite, respectful and always try to understand other people's feelings.
Q: What did you study at APU, and how was your campus life?
Ditie: I majored in management. The school was the ideal environment to study and interact with students from around the world. It was also very practical for not only focusing on studies, but also making us think and plan about our career and life after college. There also was a good mix of professors, some from the academic field, and others with a business background. In that way, we became both academic and practical.
I wanted to study in English, and APU provided the perfect setting for that, too. I also wanted to study Japanese. Again, APU allowed me to do so. I had a further quest to learn a third language, so I took some Spanish classes.
We didn't concentrate merely on our studies, either. We also were active in various club activities. I was especially interested in volunteer activities, and my club visited many orphanages and elderly care homes. That was another great learning opportunity for me.
All in all, I am proud of having graduated from APU.
Q: Why did you choose to find work in Japan after graduation?
Ditie: I think everybody at school asks themselves at some stage, whether they want to proceed to a graduate school or start working. I wanted to be practical, so I decided to work. But I knew that finding a job in Japan was very difficult, especially for a foreigner.
The APU Career Office was very helpful in the job-hunting process. First, it provided a lot of support. The career office held job interview rehearsals and guidance on how to write a proper resume, for example. Second, I found the career office's on-campus recruiting system exceptionally good. It held guidance sessions for leading Japanese companies seeking top students just graduating from college. At that time, around 80 companies came to APU to give presentations. I hear that figure has risen to over 400 today.
On-campus recruitment is also meaningful because it helps reduce the students' costs. It becomes pretty expensive and time-consuming if you have to travel to Tokyo or Osaka and stay there for some time during your job-hunting activities.
Q: What made you decide to work for Nissan, and how do you like it?
Ditie: I was fortunate to receive job offers from three different companies. Among them, Nissan was most specific on what I would be doing after entering the company. That perfectly matched with what I wanted to do. In addition, the company allows you to shift careers at any time.
Another point that urged me to join the company was that the Nissan Patrol (known as the Safari in Japan) was the car I liked best when I was in Mali. Hence, I felt as though it was my destiny to join Nissan.
Nissan is fantastic. Inside, you find the true greatness of the company. Everybody works very, very hard, and the workers never give up. People are friendly, and there is a good human relationship.
During my first three years, I was involved in global logistics planning. Then I wanted to be closer to the field and, upon my request, I was transferred to the Oppama plant. It is known for making the Nissan electric car Leaf. Now I am in charge of production control. We plan the vehicle production and procure high-quality parts from all over the world.
I am putting into practice what I learned at APU. You collaborate with all departments within the company, as well as numerous people around the world.
Q: What would you like to do next and in the future?
Ditie: First, I want to go to other emerging countries and start up the Nissan business from scratch. I want to use the knowledge I acquired in Japan and apply it to a different environment.
Eventually in the future, I want to work in Africa and be a role model. To be a role model, mostly you have to become either a politician or a successful businessman. I would go for the latter because I believe that if I work very hard and never give up, I can do it.
Ultimately, in whatever condition or environment, you always should be yourself, while being respectful of others. After all, everything depends on you.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/global-career-viewpoint.html?date=20111128
News photo
Q: What triggered your interest in Japan, and how did you first come over?
Ditie: When I was a high school student, I learned that Japan was defeated in World War II. The people had no food, no resources, just nothing. But then, I was surprised to find out that within a few decades, the country rebuilt itself and became one of the most powerful nations in the global arena. I became very interested and wanted to learn more about the country. The more I found out about the country, the more I came to like the country. I literally fell in love with Japan.
But Mali used to be a French colony and I had done all my studies in French. There was absolutely no chance for me to study in Japan. A French university accepted me, so I originally planned to go there.
Then, another event occurred, as my older brother was transferred to Japan for work. Concurrently, APU offered me a scholarship covering most of the tuition and supporting my living expenses. On top of that, APU fulfilled my requirements almost 100 percent. Hence, I was able to enter APU in 2001.
Q: Did your impression of Japan change after you arrived?
Ditie: Actually, I came to love the country and its people even more. Japanese people are very friendly. They are hardworking, polite, respectful and always try to understand other people's feelings.
Q: What did you study at APU, and how was your campus life?
Ditie: I majored in management. The school was the ideal environment to study and interact with students from around the world. It was also very practical for not only focusing on studies, but also making us think and plan about our career and life after college. There also was a good mix of professors, some from the academic field, and others with a business background. In that way, we became both academic and practical.
I wanted to study in English, and APU provided the perfect setting for that, too. I also wanted to study Japanese. Again, APU allowed me to do so. I had a further quest to learn a third language, so I took some Spanish classes.
We didn't concentrate merely on our studies, either. We also were active in various club activities. I was especially interested in volunteer activities, and my club visited many orphanages and elderly care homes. That was another great learning opportunity for me.
All in all, I am proud of having graduated from APU.
Q: Why did you choose to find work in Japan after graduation?
Ditie: I think everybody at school asks themselves at some stage, whether they want to proceed to a graduate school or start working. I wanted to be practical, so I decided to work. But I knew that finding a job in Japan was very difficult, especially for a foreigner.
The APU Career Office was very helpful in the job-hunting process. First, it provided a lot of support. The career office held job interview rehearsals and guidance on how to write a proper resume, for example. Second, I found the career office's on-campus recruiting system exceptionally good. It held guidance sessions for leading Japanese companies seeking top students just graduating from college. At that time, around 80 companies came to APU to give presentations. I hear that figure has risen to over 400 today.
On-campus recruitment is also meaningful because it helps reduce the students' costs. It becomes pretty expensive and time-consuming if you have to travel to Tokyo or Osaka and stay there for some time during your job-hunting activities.
Q: What made you decide to work for Nissan, and how do you like it?
Ditie: I was fortunate to receive job offers from three different companies. Among them, Nissan was most specific on what I would be doing after entering the company. That perfectly matched with what I wanted to do. In addition, the company allows you to shift careers at any time.
Another point that urged me to join the company was that the Nissan Patrol (known as the Safari in Japan) was the car I liked best when I was in Mali. Hence, I felt as though it was my destiny to join Nissan.
Nissan is fantastic. Inside, you find the true greatness of the company. Everybody works very, very hard, and the workers never give up. People are friendly, and there is a good human relationship.
During my first three years, I was involved in global logistics planning. Then I wanted to be closer to the field and, upon my request, I was transferred to the Oppama plant. It is known for making the Nissan electric car Leaf. Now I am in charge of production control. We plan the vehicle production and procure high-quality parts from all over the world.
I am putting into practice what I learned at APU. You collaborate with all departments within the company, as well as numerous people around the world.
Q: What would you like to do next and in the future?
Ditie: First, I want to go to other emerging countries and start up the Nissan business from scratch. I want to use the knowledge I acquired in Japan and apply it to a different environment.
Eventually in the future, I want to work in Africa and be a role model. To be a role model, mostly you have to become either a politician or a successful businessman. I would go for the latter because I believe that if I work very hard and never give up, I can do it.
Ultimately, in whatever condition or environment, you always should be yourself, while being respectful of others. After all, everything depends on you.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/global-career-viewpoint.html?date=20111128
Study in Japan, work around the world (part 4): APU helps to navigate uncharted waters
For the last part of the four-part Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) interview series, the subject is Md Moin from Bangladesh, who graduated from the school in 2005. Moin revealed his thoughts on APU and Japan, together with his aspirations in life and work.
News photo
Q: Why did you choose to come to Japan and study at APU?
Moin: Originally, it was my father who recommended me to come over. Working as a researcher, he had visited many countries. But he was most impressed by Japan for the kindness of its people, as well as for its safety and cleanliness, despite being the second largest economy in the world.
After becoming a university student in my country attempting to do overseas studies, I found APU posters at the Japanese Cultural Institute, as well as at the Japanese Embassy. I found the multicultural character of APU very impressive. It was very different from other universities.
In 2001, I applied as a transfer to APU, passed the exam, and obtained a scholarship to study international financing and accounting. This happened when I was in my first year at Dhaka University, and I transferred to APU as a sophomore.
Q: How was your campus life at APU?
Moin: To be honest, studies at APU were not as strict as Dhaka University. There, you had to literally immerse yourself in academic studies. I had done enough of that, so the practical, business-oriented studies offered at APU were a good match for me.
APU was wonderful for being multicultural. There were students from a total of 61 countries during my time. Out of the 900 students or so, 50 percent were from overseas. Case studies involving discussions were really exciting. In my course, there were students from 20 countries, and we had debates just as if you were in a global business setting. The school inspired you to be independent, too, and you could build a huge network of colleagues spanning the entire globe. And since I had a vision to become independent in the future, I found the setting perfect.
As for my living situation, I originally checked in at the APU House, the school's dormitory. After one year, I moved to downtown Beppu to share a flat with my mates from Tonga, Canada, Japan and Korea. In my private time, I was also a vocalist in a band. I also started up a fair trade business selling traditional ornaments, original musical instruments and so on. Over the years, I mastered Japanese and Spanish, in addition to originally speaking Bengali, Arabic, Hindi and English.
Q: You stayed on in Japan after graduating from APU. You are currently working for a prominent global company, but you are now starting up your own company. Why?
Moin: First, I wanted to be connected to my dear friends in Japan. Second, I didn't want to forget Japanese, which was a very difficult language for me to learn. I wanted to utilize the language in real life, so that I eventually could build a relationship between Japan and Bangladesh in the future. Those are the main reasons as to why I stayed on.
I got married in 2006 with my wife, who was originally my schoolmate in Bangladesh. I called her over to Japan, and we started up our family here. We now have a 1-year-old son.
I have been working for a German company at its office in Tokyo since 2007. But after the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the resulting global economic crisis, I decided to further my studies and enrolled in an MBA program at Tsukuba University in 2009. Those two years were very tough, but I finally completed my studies in July this year.
While obtaining my MBA, I started a company called Pikt (Pick & Talk) in 2010 that offers one-on-one online English conversation courses at strikingly cheap prices. All the core members of Pikt are actually my close friends from APU, and I do the directing, financing and planning. Although Pikt operates in Japan, it has full-time, high-quality English tutors in the Philippines. It adopts what I define as an ﾒintellectual fair trade communicationﾓ business model. It is a ﾒsocial businessﾓ that sets its first priority on social contribution. It helps to provide full-time job opportunities to highly qualified Filipinos who graduated from the University of the Philippines, while offering top-quality English learning opportunities for the Japanese. I came up with the idea of establishing Pikt after discovering from my Filipino APU ex-pat friends that their country had an exceptionally high unemployment rate of 25 percent, even if you graduated from the very top university.
I am setting the foundations toward my future goal to establish a consulting company that will ultimately offer business consulting services that enhance the relationship between Japan and Bangladesh.
Q: How do you define the role of APU, and would you recommend the school to others?
Moin: Oh, absolutely. It is an exceptional existence. I often ask if there are three kinds of people in the world. The first is the cool, the second is the fool, and the third is the cool and the fool. Which one of the three are you? If you answer that you want to be the third kind of person, APU is the place to be.
What I mean by being ﾒcool and a foolﾓ is to be smart, but dare to be different from others by enjoying being creative and original. APU prepares you to be that kind of person.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/global-career-viewpoint.html?date=20111205
News photo
Q: Why did you choose to come to Japan and study at APU?
Moin: Originally, it was my father who recommended me to come over. Working as a researcher, he had visited many countries. But he was most impressed by Japan for the kindness of its people, as well as for its safety and cleanliness, despite being the second largest economy in the world.
After becoming a university student in my country attempting to do overseas studies, I found APU posters at the Japanese Cultural Institute, as well as at the Japanese Embassy. I found the multicultural character of APU very impressive. It was very different from other universities.
In 2001, I applied as a transfer to APU, passed the exam, and obtained a scholarship to study international financing and accounting. This happened when I was in my first year at Dhaka University, and I transferred to APU as a sophomore.
Q: How was your campus life at APU?
Moin: To be honest, studies at APU were not as strict as Dhaka University. There, you had to literally immerse yourself in academic studies. I had done enough of that, so the practical, business-oriented studies offered at APU were a good match for me.
APU was wonderful for being multicultural. There were students from a total of 61 countries during my time. Out of the 900 students or so, 50 percent were from overseas. Case studies involving discussions were really exciting. In my course, there were students from 20 countries, and we had debates just as if you were in a global business setting. The school inspired you to be independent, too, and you could build a huge network of colleagues spanning the entire globe. And since I had a vision to become independent in the future, I found the setting perfect.
As for my living situation, I originally checked in at the APU House, the school's dormitory. After one year, I moved to downtown Beppu to share a flat with my mates from Tonga, Canada, Japan and Korea. In my private time, I was also a vocalist in a band. I also started up a fair trade business selling traditional ornaments, original musical instruments and so on. Over the years, I mastered Japanese and Spanish, in addition to originally speaking Bengali, Arabic, Hindi and English.
Q: You stayed on in Japan after graduating from APU. You are currently working for a prominent global company, but you are now starting up your own company. Why?
Moin: First, I wanted to be connected to my dear friends in Japan. Second, I didn't want to forget Japanese, which was a very difficult language for me to learn. I wanted to utilize the language in real life, so that I eventually could build a relationship between Japan and Bangladesh in the future. Those are the main reasons as to why I stayed on.
I got married in 2006 with my wife, who was originally my schoolmate in Bangladesh. I called her over to Japan, and we started up our family here. We now have a 1-year-old son.
I have been working for a German company at its office in Tokyo since 2007. But after the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the resulting global economic crisis, I decided to further my studies and enrolled in an MBA program at Tsukuba University in 2009. Those two years were very tough, but I finally completed my studies in July this year.
While obtaining my MBA, I started a company called Pikt (Pick & Talk) in 2010 that offers one-on-one online English conversation courses at strikingly cheap prices. All the core members of Pikt are actually my close friends from APU, and I do the directing, financing and planning. Although Pikt operates in Japan, it has full-time, high-quality English tutors in the Philippines. It adopts what I define as an ﾒintellectual fair trade communicationﾓ business model. It is a ﾒsocial businessﾓ that sets its first priority on social contribution. It helps to provide full-time job opportunities to highly qualified Filipinos who graduated from the University of the Philippines, while offering top-quality English learning opportunities for the Japanese. I came up with the idea of establishing Pikt after discovering from my Filipino APU ex-pat friends that their country had an exceptionally high unemployment rate of 25 percent, even if you graduated from the very top university.
I am setting the foundations toward my future goal to establish a consulting company that will ultimately offer business consulting services that enhance the relationship between Japan and Bangladesh.
Q: How do you define the role of APU, and would you recommend the school to others?
Moin: Oh, absolutely. It is an exceptional existence. I often ask if there are three kinds of people in the world. The first is the cool, the second is the fool, and the third is the cool and the fool. Which one of the three are you? If you answer that you want to be the third kind of person, APU is the place to be.
What I mean by being ﾒcool and a foolﾓ is to be smart, but dare to be different from others by enjoying being creative and original. APU prepares you to be that kind of person.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/global-career-viewpoint.html?date=20111205
Study in Japan, work around the world (part 2) : There's no place like APU, a home away from home
For part two of the four-part Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) interview series, the subject is Mengmeng Cui from Beijing. After obtaining her Bachelor of Social Science in environment and society at APU in 2004, Cui went to graduate schools in Europe, worked for private companies and non-governmental organizations, started her own business, and now works in Singapore. Continuing to take steady steps forward, Cui looked back on her time at APU.
News photo
Q: You were one of the very first students at APU. Why did you decide to study in Japan?
Cui: I entered APU in 2000, when the school had just been established. But this was more by chance, so to speak.
During my high school days, I became interested in environmental science after reading a book on the environmental crisis. I was shocked and thought that should never happen, not on the globe, not in my country. So I thought of studying environmental issues at a college perhaps in Australia. But then my friend told me about APU, a new university that was just starting in Japan. It had the subjects that I wanted to study. The school also provided courses in English. Since I spoke English, that was another attractive point of the new school. The environment was there, so I came over.
Q: How was your life in Japan, especially your campus life?
Cui: On campus, the first year was very tough. For many students, including myself, English was not our native tongue. We didn't speak Japanese, either. We had to study in two foreign languages, which was a big challenge for us. As for Japanese, we had four hours of lessons, four days a week. That is how we learned the language.
The good point of APU, especially in those days, was that since there were only 600 of us in total, we knew each other almost like a big family. Everybody was open and you made great friends. There also were and still are many good professors, and I would often drop by to chat with a professor not only on the subject he taught, but also on culture, art and so on. I have studied at other colleges in different parts of the world, but the openness and frankness of APU is exceptional, and I value the distinctive character of the school very much.
Q: Would you recommend APU to others?
Cui: Yes, definitely. APU is multicultural and really international. You learn so much, and people are integrated. Other universities are often very dominating. You don't find that at all at APU.
The school is also very inviting, even for the graduates, by holding various events. That is why I keep coming back to visit the campus whenever I can.
News photo
But the school is still relatively unknown, and it is not in the mainstream. So I think it should enhance its global PR activities more on a continual basis. For example, the European Union organizes a committee for the graduates of the EU-funded universities. They pay to send the committee members to various places so that they can recruit new students in the respective countries. Perhaps that is one possible way of getting APU's name out.
Another area APU should consider seriously is the reinforcement of its information dissemination activities over the Internet.
Q: Over the years, you have accumulated much experience through your studies and work. What is your next step?
Cui: For me, things have turned out this way more by chance rather than through meticulous planning. Each time I was contemplating the next step to take, a friend or an acquaintance would come up with a suggestion or an offer. That was what happened with APU, the graduate school in Hungary, and now my job at Accenture in Singapore, which I like so much.
Toward the future, I am pondering the probability of finding a job at the United Nations. Working for the public interest and the environment on a global scale is enticing. Another possibility is to come back and teach at APU. Because I learned so much at APU, I would love to give back.
Q: What do you miss about APU?
Cui: People in Beppu, Oita Prefecture, the hometown of APU, are really very good. I have been in constant touch with my host family there, too. They are so close to my heart that they are like my real family. Even at Fukuoka Airport, people would give a nodding smile of approval when you say that you are a graduate of APU.
Honestly, there really is no place like APU.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/global-career-viewpoint.html?date=20111121
News photo
Q: You were one of the very first students at APU. Why did you decide to study in Japan?
Cui: I entered APU in 2000, when the school had just been established. But this was more by chance, so to speak.
During my high school days, I became interested in environmental science after reading a book on the environmental crisis. I was shocked and thought that should never happen, not on the globe, not in my country. So I thought of studying environmental issues at a college perhaps in Australia. But then my friend told me about APU, a new university that was just starting in Japan. It had the subjects that I wanted to study. The school also provided courses in English. Since I spoke English, that was another attractive point of the new school. The environment was there, so I came over.
Q: How was your life in Japan, especially your campus life?
Cui: On campus, the first year was very tough. For many students, including myself, English was not our native tongue. We didn't speak Japanese, either. We had to study in two foreign languages, which was a big challenge for us. As for Japanese, we had four hours of lessons, four days a week. That is how we learned the language.
The good point of APU, especially in those days, was that since there were only 600 of us in total, we knew each other almost like a big family. Everybody was open and you made great friends. There also were and still are many good professors, and I would often drop by to chat with a professor not only on the subject he taught, but also on culture, art and so on. I have studied at other colleges in different parts of the world, but the openness and frankness of APU is exceptional, and I value the distinctive character of the school very much.
Q: Would you recommend APU to others?
Cui: Yes, definitely. APU is multicultural and really international. You learn so much, and people are integrated. Other universities are often very dominating. You don't find that at all at APU.
The school is also very inviting, even for the graduates, by holding various events. That is why I keep coming back to visit the campus whenever I can.
News photo
But the school is still relatively unknown, and it is not in the mainstream. So I think it should enhance its global PR activities more on a continual basis. For example, the European Union organizes a committee for the graduates of the EU-funded universities. They pay to send the committee members to various places so that they can recruit new students in the respective countries. Perhaps that is one possible way of getting APU's name out.
Another area APU should consider seriously is the reinforcement of its information dissemination activities over the Internet.
Q: Over the years, you have accumulated much experience through your studies and work. What is your next step?
Cui: For me, things have turned out this way more by chance rather than through meticulous planning. Each time I was contemplating the next step to take, a friend or an acquaintance would come up with a suggestion or an offer. That was what happened with APU, the graduate school in Hungary, and now my job at Accenture in Singapore, which I like so much.
Toward the future, I am pondering the probability of finding a job at the United Nations. Working for the public interest and the environment on a global scale is enticing. Another possibility is to come back and teach at APU. Because I learned so much at APU, I would love to give back.
Q: What do you miss about APU?
Cui: People in Beppu, Oita Prefecture, the hometown of APU, are really very good. I have been in constant touch with my host family there, too. They are so close to my heart that they are like my real family. Even at Fukuoka Airport, people would give a nodding smile of approval when you say that you are a graduate of APU.
Honestly, there really is no place like APU.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/global-career-viewpoint.html?date=20111121
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Job-hunting students face new challenges
As the job-hunting season for university students due to graduate in spring 2013 kicked off Thursday--two months later than previous years--students and companies are struggling to find their way in this shortened recruitment season.
With more companies hiring new employees from overseas, the job market for university students--which has been described as being stuck in an "ice age" due to the protracted recession--looks set to get even tougher.
At the Ikebukuro campus of Rikkyo University, third-year students dressed in the suits they wear for job interviews packed a seminar on successful job hunting last week.
One participant, Takayuki Ida, 21, said confidently, "I've already visited five graduates from my university [to get their advice on job hunting], and today I finished sending preliminary job applications to nearly 30 companies."
Many others, however, looked anxious about their prospects.
"I've been busy working on a report for my seminar, so I'm not sure if I can make up for lost time on my job hunting in such a short period," a third-year Komazawa University student said.
Many companies are set to increase the number of recruitment briefing sessions to deal with the shortened job-hunting season.
Lawson Inc., a convenience store chain, will hold about 40 briefing sessions between now and the end of February, an increase of about 10 from last year.
Nippon Steel Corp. says it will send officials from its personnel department to university-hosted industry briefing sessions about 60 times next year, a 1.5-fold increase on the previous year.
===
Foreign rivals formidable
Meanwhile, the number of firms using online recruiting is on the rise. One of them is electronics giant Sony Corp., which will broadcast its corporate profile briefing session over the Internet. Using an online chat function, applicants will be able to ask questions and get answers directly from members of Sony's personnel department.
Many companies have set up recruitment pages on social networking sites such as Facebook.
Making the challenging job market even tougher are the growing numbers of new graduates from overseas. Japanese companies are hiring such employees to help with their plans to expand overseas.
Fast Retailing Co., the parent company that runs the Uniqlo clothing chain, plans to increase the percentage of total sales from its overseas outlets from the current 15 percent to more than 50 percent by 2015. Of about 1,200 new recruits the company will take on in 2012, 900 to 1,000 will be non-Japanese, according to Fast Retailing.
Rakuten, a major IT company, will employ about 120 non-Japanese new graduates next year, out of about 410 new recruits.
Hitachi Ltd. says it will boost the percentage of new non-Japanese recruits from 4 percent in spring 2011 to up to 6 percent of all recruits next spring.
===
More schedule changes?
Not everyone has supported the move to delay the start of the job-hunting season so students can focus more on their studies.
"The later the recruitment season starts, the more anxious students become [about job hunting]," said Hiromasa Yonekura, president of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren).
However, Mitsui & Co. Chairman Shoei Utsuda, head of the Japan Foreign Trade Council, which took the initiative in putting back the start of the job hunting season, said reform of the starting date is "still insufficient."
To enable students to concentrate on their studies longer, the starting date for job hunting should be delayed further, according to Utsuda.
He proposes that corporate briefing sessions not start until at least February or March for third-year students, and that job interviews start in August or later for seniors.
This uncertainty is causing anxiety among students preparing to enter the job market.
"It's going to be tough for us if they keep changing the date when the job-hunting season starts," a female second-year student at Meiji University said.
Yasuchika Hasegawa, chairman of the Association of Corporate Executives, has acknowledged that differences in views among business organizations and industrial groups about when to start recruitment have caused confusion among students.
(Dec. 7, 2011)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T111206004548.htm
With more companies hiring new employees from overseas, the job market for university students--which has been described as being stuck in an "ice age" due to the protracted recession--looks set to get even tougher.
At the Ikebukuro campus of Rikkyo University, third-year students dressed in the suits they wear for job interviews packed a seminar on successful job hunting last week.
One participant, Takayuki Ida, 21, said confidently, "I've already visited five graduates from my university [to get their advice on job hunting], and today I finished sending preliminary job applications to nearly 30 companies."
Many others, however, looked anxious about their prospects.
"I've been busy working on a report for my seminar, so I'm not sure if I can make up for lost time on my job hunting in such a short period," a third-year Komazawa University student said.
Many companies are set to increase the number of recruitment briefing sessions to deal with the shortened job-hunting season.
Lawson Inc., a convenience store chain, will hold about 40 briefing sessions between now and the end of February, an increase of about 10 from last year.
Nippon Steel Corp. says it will send officials from its personnel department to university-hosted industry briefing sessions about 60 times next year, a 1.5-fold increase on the previous year.
===
Foreign rivals formidable
Meanwhile, the number of firms using online recruiting is on the rise. One of them is electronics giant Sony Corp., which will broadcast its corporate profile briefing session over the Internet. Using an online chat function, applicants will be able to ask questions and get answers directly from members of Sony's personnel department.
Many companies have set up recruitment pages on social networking sites such as Facebook.
Making the challenging job market even tougher are the growing numbers of new graduates from overseas. Japanese companies are hiring such employees to help with their plans to expand overseas.
Fast Retailing Co., the parent company that runs the Uniqlo clothing chain, plans to increase the percentage of total sales from its overseas outlets from the current 15 percent to more than 50 percent by 2015. Of about 1,200 new recruits the company will take on in 2012, 900 to 1,000 will be non-Japanese, according to Fast Retailing.
Rakuten, a major IT company, will employ about 120 non-Japanese new graduates next year, out of about 410 new recruits.
Hitachi Ltd. says it will boost the percentage of new non-Japanese recruits from 4 percent in spring 2011 to up to 6 percent of all recruits next spring.
===
More schedule changes?
Not everyone has supported the move to delay the start of the job-hunting season so students can focus more on their studies.
"The later the recruitment season starts, the more anxious students become [about job hunting]," said Hiromasa Yonekura, president of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren).
However, Mitsui & Co. Chairman Shoei Utsuda, head of the Japan Foreign Trade Council, which took the initiative in putting back the start of the job hunting season, said reform of the starting date is "still insufficient."
To enable students to concentrate on their studies longer, the starting date for job hunting should be delayed further, according to Utsuda.
He proposes that corporate briefing sessions not start until at least February or March for third-year students, and that job interviews start in August or later for seniors.
This uncertainty is causing anxiety among students preparing to enter the job market.
"It's going to be tough for us if they keep changing the date when the job-hunting season starts," a female second-year student at Meiji University said.
Yasuchika Hasegawa, chairman of the Association of Corporate Executives, has acknowledged that differences in views among business organizations and industrial groups about when to start recruitment have caused confusion among students.
(Dec. 7, 2011)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T111206004548.htm
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