Five high school students from Tokyo public high schools hold certificates while posing for a group photo with TUJ faculty and staff on the final day of the internship program.
Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ) recently welcomed students from Tokyo metropolitan public high schools for a two-day internship program. This program was part of the Tokyo metropolitan government’s “English Job Shadowing 2024” initiative, which aims to provide high school students with practical English usage and career exploration opportunities. The goal of this initiative aimed to inspire them to consider their future roles in an international workplace and to bolster their motivation to learn English.
TUJ was one of the 21 organizations, including IBM Japan Ltd, Bank of America Corp and Kubota Corp, that participated in this program. On August 6 and 7, 2024, Temple hosted five students on its Tokyo campus, assigning them to work with the social media team at the Dean’s Office, serve as teaching assistants in the Academic English Program and assist at the Office of Student Services and Engagement.
Students expressed satisfaction with their decision to intern at TUJ, noting that the experience went beyond improving their English skills. Through the two-day program, they engaged with TUJ students, faculty, and staff. “I adapted quickly because everyone was so friendly,” said Takaya Nagai, a first-year student* from Tokyo Metropolitan Suginami High School. “I learned a lot because everyone communicated with us professionally, like learning business English.”
Nagai, who worked with the social media team, added, “I hadn’t used social media to post information before, but I had a valuable experience learning something beyond English. I learned about working, communicating, planning, and many other aspects of executing tasks.” Miyu Iimoto, a third-year student* at Tokyo Metropolitan Denenchofu High School, shared that she gained confidence in speaking English since all conversations at TUJ were conducted in English. “I also learned that what interests people abroad differs from interests in Japan, highlighting cultural differences through the activities at TUJ,” she said.
*In Japan, high school spans three years, starting from the equivalent of 10th grade in the U.S. and Europe.
High school students, Takaya Nagai (center left) and Miyu Iimoto (center right) take part in the social media activities.
Photo by Rie Nakajima (TUJ student)
Kokoro Otsuka (right) receives a certificate from TUJ Dean Matthew Wilson after the completion of the internship program.
Photo by Rie Nakajima (TUJ student)
High school students, Kotoha Sasaki (left) and Fuuka Aso (right) respond to an interview by the Tokyo metropolitan government.
Photo by Rie Nakajima (TUJ student)
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