Voices of Interns
2019
Home University: The University of Tokyo (2nd year Master’s student)
Internship company: Scania, Sweden
Internship duration: August-September, 2019
Message to students:
It is highly recommended to take an overseas internship especially at Scania. Understanding the industry needs and being in touch with current happenings and technologies in the industry is definitely something very invaluable. It also gives a great perspective to plan your personal career ahead and of course, it does look good on your CV.
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Home University: MINES ParisTech, France (2nd year Master’s student)
Internship company: IBM Research Tokyo, Japan
Internship duration: January – July, 2019
Message to students:
I encourage students who wish to do an internship in Japan to participate in the internship program. I am sure it will be a positive experience. I recommend that students have the basics in Japanese before starting their internship. Even if it is not a requirement for companies, I think it is important to speak a little bit to interact with people in the everyday life, make friends and have activities after work. What I liked about living in Japan was that I could experience a totally different culture from what I had back home. Japanese lifestyle can be unsettling at first but once you get to know it, it is really fascinating. I loved the cohabitation between modern and traditional Japan in Tokyo. I think everyone will have a different experience of Japan, but I am sure it will be one that is worth living.
2018
Home University: The University of Tokyo (1st year Master’s student)
Internship company: Scania, Sweden
Internship duration: August-September, 2018
Message to students:
Deans Forum Internship is a wonderful opportunity for students. It gives very exposure to student of working in an international environment and different work culture. Students should make the most of this chance and apply for the internships matching their research field. KTH works very closely with Scania. This internship also gives a chance to access the resources of the university as well as of the company. The mentor from KTH guides the interns and help them in every step. The SCARF project at Scania is the work in progress and there is immense learning to be derived out of it. Scania, by means of SCARF project is continuously looking for research students to build its knowledge base in the field of Composites, Artificial Intelligence and Automation. It is also a very good chance for students and researchers to contribute and see their research topics in real life practical applications. KTH supports the students with accommodation and flight expenses to Sweden. Accommodation provided by KTH is often located at International dormitories where one can meet students from other countries and expand their network. I hope many students will take benefit of this opportunity and make this program a success.
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Home University: University of California Berkeley (3rd year undergraduate student)
Internship company: SHIMIZU CORPORATION, Japan
Internship duration: June-July, 2018
Message to students:
This internship is a perfect platform for those who are interested in construction and urban planning industries but yet have an idea of what the actual workplace and field work experience would be like. That being said, since the majority of workers at Shimizu are Japanese, the applicants are expected to have certain degree of Japanese language proficiency. The employees are all really friendly and open to any sorts of questions. So don’t feel hesitant to express any confusions or opinions you hold towards certain matters during the internship. They will always answer those questions with great respect and understanding.
Another attractive point about this internship is that, besides the professional training on major skillsets, the participants also get to experience different facets of Japanese culture such as the food, entertainment, and historical architecture through various social events and field trips the company arranges for them.
In short, this internship would definitely be a good learning opportunity for aspiring architects, civil engineers and anyone in relevant fields to gain solid first-hand experience on the real-life projects of civil construction and urban development in Japan.
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Home University: Mines ParisTech, France (2nd year Master’s student)
Internship company: TOSHIBA Corporation, Japan
Internship duration: January–March, 2018
Message to students:
I would really recommend this experience to other students, especially to foreign students, willing to learn more on Japan and its working culture. For future interns, I would advise them to trust themselves and their abilities to learn and adapt. The beginning of the internship is meant to spend time getting to know more the subject. An internship is a very good opportunity to learn a lot on a given subject. So they should not worry or be ashamed if they think they do not have all the knowledge and skills required for the internship position, as they will always have time to learn. I would also recommend to foreign interns not to hesitate to ask questions to clarify something. As Japanese culture is more high-context than other cultures , it is sometimes a bit challenging to understand what is exactly expected.
2017
Home University: The University of Tokyo, Japan (2nd year Master’s student)
Internship company: Scania, Sweden
Internship duration: August –October, 2017
Message to students:
This internship program is a superb opportunity for the students who are willing to earn industrial experience along with their academics. Through this program, students can develop their skills and personality by working with one of the famous and revered industries and institutions of the world. This program gives the opportunity to students to interact and work with the people who are highly experienced in their respective fields. Working with them can be highly fruitful in terms of shaping your personality and helping you become the best version of yourself. I would definitely recommend this program to other international students who are seeking to gain high quality industrial experience but finding it difficult to get any opportunity in Japan due to language requirements. For Japanese students, it is even more intriguing as it can broaden their perspectives of having their careers or further studies in foreign countries which most of the Japanese students don’t consider as an option. Moreover, travelling a new country and spending one or two months there teaches you a lot of new things. One can learn a new language, the local culture, can make new friends and explore nearby places and get the full benefits of staying in a new country.
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Home university: MINES ParisTech, France ( 2nd year Master’s student)
Internship company: IBM Research Tokyo, Japan
Internship duration: June– September, 2017
Message to students:
I would gladly advise students with the required technical skills and basic knowledge in Japanese to apply. This internship was an exceptional opportunity to work on interesting, cutting-edge projects in a Japan-based company.
However, I’d like to insist on the fact that this very internship requires a certain level of autonomy and operationnality. Good knowledge of the technologies involved (machine-learning theory, Tensorflow, Python, Bash) is necessary for the internship to be a good experience.
Same goes for Japanese: even though English is sufficient to work at IBM Japan, settling in Tokyo requires to conduct a certain amount of administrative tasks. Without minimal knowledge of Japanese, living in Japan might feel very hard to a foreigner and might lead to administrative issues.
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Home university: KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden (3rd year PhD student)
Internship company: IBM Research Tokyo, Japan
Internship duration: January– June, 2017
Message to students:
Apply and go to Japan. It is super fun!