“Expanding minds, building dreams”
To provide an opportunity for students to gain experience in real-world contexts, KIST runs a Career Experience Program for students in June at the end of their Grade 9 year, an opportune time for students to start thinking about career options that may interest them, and to start planning for the course selections they will make during Grade 10 prior to commencing the IB Diploma Programme in Grade 11.
In this program, which was introduced during the 2015–16 school year, all Grade 9s participate in a two-day placement at Tokyo-based companies ranging from multinational corporations, government departments, banks, universities and schools, and other business organizations and associations. During the placement, students spend time working directly with employees in order to gain firsthand knowledge of how the company contributes to society. Through this experience, we aim to expand students’ knowledge of career options and to foster their ability to choose an appropriate career for themselves in the future.
We hope that through the experiences students have in this program, company visits will expand the minds of students and build dreams for the future; dreams which influence our students’ university and career choices. We also hope that the program provides the host companies and organizations with an opportunity to share their globalization intent with our students and plant seeds which may develop into long-term relationships for further opportunities such as internships or future employment.
Student reflection
For the first half of the 2-day program placement, I was able to review and apply content learned at school during the economics unit of my Individuals and Societies class in an activity where we learned how to increase profits of specific companies. We worked collaboratively in groups to learn what effects the increase or decrease of profits has on companies. As a group, we were given five rounds, and the results of each round showed who had the highest profit. Although my group was second throughout, and finished third overall, this experience taught me how minor increases or decreases of production or unit prices can increase or decrease profits and worth of companies.
Seeking partner companies!
We are always seeking new partner companies interested in hosting KIST students through the Career Experience Program. Company representatives are welcome to contact our Development Office at info@kist.ed.jp for more information. We look forward to hearing from you.
