Students from our university participated in “Engineers' Retreat 2nd,” a networking event with female engineers active in the manufacturing industry.

September 26-27, Female students (fourth year) from our university participated in the "Engineers' Retreat 2nd" (hosted by EmEco co., President: Tokiko Shimizu), a retreat and networking event for female engineers active in industry.

(Retreat Report)

On the first day, approximately 40 participants gathered at Haneda Innovation City. This group included female engineers and HR personnel from companies at the forefront of Japan's manufacturing industry, as well as female university students majoring in science and engineering fields. Held for the second time, this retreat took place at KAWARUBA, a social innovation hub fitting for the concept of a cross-company/university engineer retreat. Discussions centered on challenges related to the education and employment of engineering talent.

During the plenary session, participants reflected on the engineering experience event for elementary and junior high school students held in August. As a next action to expand the pool of female STEM students, they discussed approaches to increase female enrollment in technical colleges. Group discussions delved deeper into workplace challenges for engineers, focusing on themes like cultivating relationship-building and communication skills to contribute more effectively to organizations and teams, and methods to enhance team strength while embracing diverse work styles.

The final event of Day 1 was a relaxed networking session over dinner. Our student, preparing to enter the workforce, brought business cards and actively mingled with the engineers. They received valuable advice from their seniors, such as: "For your first three years after joining, it's better to commute to the office rather than work from home," and "Initially, it's important to build relationships while learning about the company."

Day 2 focused on discussions about engineers' career development as managerial talent within companies. "When aiming for 'technical capability + management capability,' what challenges exist in corporate skill development systems and promotion systems?" and "What skills are lacking as individuals?" We explored these questions while deepening our understanding of each issue. Listening to discussions on these complex themes, the student began to see it as something relevant to themselves, thinking, "In the future, many engineers may become involved in company management."

Our university continues its efforts to foster understanding and support for such activities. See the previous event here.