Internships are now an essential part of job hunting. Many Waseda students participated in internships during the summer vacation this year. Career Center offers three types of internship programs to support Waseda students' career development: the Waseda Partnership Program, the University-Based Program, and the Direct Application Program. In the Waseda Partnership Program, the university decides on the host organization and conducts preparatory and reflection courses before and after the work experience, so students can be fully prepared. The program is characterized by the ability to reflect on the work experience using self- and peer-evaluation sheets after the work experience, and host organizations include not only private companies but also local governments, and students of all grades can participate. In this article, we will introduce the voices of students who participated in the Waseda Partnership Program in August 2024.
What did you do in the Waseda Partnership Program and what experiences did you gain from it?
Internships have been categorized into types 1 to 4 from 2023 (Note 1). Type 1 "Open Company" and Type 2 "Career Education" can be used by students of all years. Through industry and company research, students can think about "what it means to go out into society and work," "what the actual work is like," and "how they want to design their career." For students in their third year or above, it is important to "assess your own abilities" by using Type 3 "General Ability/Specialty Utilization Internship." A feature of this type of internship is that companies can also use student information for recruitment activities. Type 4 is the "Highly Specialized Internship," which is mainly for master's and doctoral students in graduate school.
(Note 1): What will change? Future internships
Host organization: Shinano Mainichi Newspapers (Type 3: Internship)
Acceptance period: August 19th to August 23rd, 2024
Graduate Graduate School of Letters, Arts and Sciences Master's Program 1st year
I accompanied the reporters to interview people on the street and wrote articles. I was able to get a realistic experience of what it is like to be a newspaper reporter while receiving advice. I was able to broaden my horizons and gain new perspectives on how to develop my career and my future job hunting. By listening to the stories of the people who actually work there, rather than just learning about the content of the work, I was able to learn about career development in a real way.
Students working on creating a newspaper
Host organization: Uchida Yoko Co., Ltd. (Type 2: Career Development)
Acceptance period: August 26th to August 30th, 2024
2nd year, School of Commerce
We did group work, from interviewing customers to creating PowerPoint presentations. I was able to learn how to work together with other members, and by working in various departments, I was able to broaden my values and reconsider the social problems that are prevalent in modern times. Through this work experience, I realized how different my self-evaluation is in my private life and in the working world, and how much I had overestimated myself.
A work experience session at Uchida Yoko Co., Ltd. An employee explained the program to the students.
Host organization: Nippon Otis Elevator Co., Ltd. (Type 2: Career Development)
Acceptance period: August 22nd to August 30th, 2024
First year student School of Advanced Science and Engineering
Looking back on my work experience, I think working is a good thing. Until now, I had vague fears and anxieties about working, but the senior employees spoke about their work with such enthusiasm that I began to have a more positive outlook on working. I think it's important to know yourself and properly research the information you need, even for the future. What I learned in this internship also clarified what I want to challenge myself to do in the future.
Work experience at Nippon Otis Elevator Co., Ltd. A group discussion was also held.
What internships and work experiences should you be aware of?
If you apply directly to participate in an internship or work experience, beware of "black part-time jobs disguised as internships"! Many people have reported troubles with internships that were supposed to help them think about their future careers, but in reality they were made to work long hours to make up for labor shortages.
Actual trouble cases
- I was told it was an internship, but I was forced to sign a "service contract" (Note 2)
- Under the guise of a long-term internship, students are forced to work long hours, which is interfering with their studies.
- Although they are unpaid, they work directly under the direction of the company and all the benefits are enjoyed by the company.
- (In the case of paid internships) There is no contract, only a verbal agreement. Salary/remuneration is unpaid or is below the minimum wage.
(Note 2): Internship programs do not generally involve the conclusion of a "contract for services." In a "contract for services," remuneration is paid for the performance and completion of the commissioned work. Normally, in a "contract for services," the outsourcing company does not give instructions to the contractor (student) regarding the work, so in principle, there is no need to follow instructions regarding work location, hours, etc.
If you think this might apply to you, first consult with Career Center. Career Center supports you in taking the initiative in your career development.
キャリアセンター：戸山キャンパス学生会館3階、月～金曜日 10時～16時
C-space：早稲田キャンパス6号館1階、月～金曜日 9時30分～17時（予約不要で15分間の個別相談ができます）
Career Center (left), located on the 3rd floor of Waseda University Student Center (Building 30) on Toyama Campus, and C-space (right), located on the 1st floor Building 6 Waseda Campus
<26th Graduation> Autumn/Winter Internship & Industry Research Fair
Every spring and fall, Career Center holds a company invitation event to introduce internship and work experience programs. In addition to receiving direct company and internship introductions from over 100 companies offering internships, the center also holds a related job hunting event aimed mainly at third-year undergraduate students. If you weren't able to participate in an internship in the summer, or would like to start researching the industry, please come along!
■Monday, October 14th, 2024 to Friday, October 18th, 2024 17:00-18:40 (scheduled)
International Conference Center (Masaru Ibuka Auditorium)
*For more information, click here.
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