NEWS

On Friday, June 16, 2017, four APU graduates who are currently working for Japanese companies gave lectures to Japanese language classes, discussing how they enhanced their Japanese language skills, how they selected the company they work for, what their current job entails, the fun parts and difficulties accompanying the use of Japanese while working at a Japanese company, and many other topics. Their comments provided motivation and inspiration for the audience of international students, who are in the process of developing their Japanese language skills.

The graduates who gave the lectures were FUNGATIRA Yankho Joy (College of International Management, Spring 2012, Malawi), currently working in the education-related sector; HOANG Khanh Mai (College of International Management, Fall 2012, Vietnam), currently working in the finance IT consulting sector; BALICA Alexandra (College of International Management, Spring 2014, Romania), who is currently working in the electrical equipment manufacturing sector; and KHALID Talha (College of International Management, Spring 2014, Pakistan), currently working in the construction and mining equipment manufacturing sector.

In the Career Japanese class in particular, the graduates received a wide range of questions from students who intend to eventually work for a Japanese company. When asked about areas they had struggled with, Mr. KHALID Talha explained that “you do not get any special consideration in terms of Japanese language use because you are an employee of foreign nationality.” This was followed by an encouragement: “Once you have been accepted by a company, you will find that the industry the company operates in uses specialized Japanese vocabulary. Do not let your guard down and continue studying Japanese, especially such specialized vocabulary.” In response to a question on the positive aspects of Japanese companies, Mr. FUNGATIRA Yankho pointed to “the practice of constantly seeking improvement and strictly adhering to the PDCA cycle”, referring to the plan-do-check-act model for continuous improvement. Ms. BALICA Alexandra mentioned that “even though your work may not yield major results, Japanese companies will value the effort you put in.”

These lectures are part of the GOAL program. GOAL, or Global Alumni Lecture, is a program where graduates from all over the world are connected with students on the APU campus, to speak about and share their knowledge, experiences, and careers. Through both regular curriculum courses and extra-curricular events, the program highlights graduates who are playing an active role in the world as a role model for members of the APU community. By doing so, the program aims to encourage students to think about how learning at APU connects to their careers after graduation, supports students as they develop their career visions, and increases their motivation for learning while in school.

Graduates of APU who are playing an active role around the world are valuable assets of the APU community. The University will continue to provide and enhance activities that connect graduates, students, and faculty from all over the world.