The ITASIA Homecoming Day 2023 was held on Friday, October 20 in the Open Studio of the Main Building of the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies. Our featured alumni speakers were Fernanda BRANZ (MA, 2017), Lian CASTILLO (MA, 2017), and Alexander STANKOV (MA, 2014). All three are non-Japanese working in Japan after graduating from the ITASIA Program.
In a roundtable discussion, they discussed their work lives and offered advice about how to find jobs in Japan. The panelists’ discussion highlighted the opportunities and challenges of working in Japan. Lian, who works as an infrastucture engineer at CEL Ltd., talked about working for companies focused on specific skills, such as computer programming; Fernanda, who works as a marketing manager at Yonex Co., emphasized the importance of understanding global or foreign markets; and Alexander, who now works as a tourism consultant after many years at Japanese companies, talked about the importance of finding jobs that are aimed at foreign nationals.
In addition to our three featured speakers, several other recent graduates of the program joined the event. Prior to the roundtable discussion, a reception was held for alumni and students to meet and chat informally. This opportunity to connect with past graduates is important for sharing information and building connections as alumni of the ITASIA Program. We look forward to next year’s homecoming event, when we plan to feature more of the distinguished alumni of the ITASIA Program.