[Employee Interview #4] Resonating with the vision, I applied right after giving birth, thinking 'This is the place.' Shaping a new form of career at CAN!P that goes beyond the 'back office' framework.
Hello, this is Morimoto from CAN!P.
I am here to bring you an interview with an employee working at CAN!P.
This time, I would like to introduce Makiko Takeuchi, who joined the company in fiscal year 2025. While primarily handling back-office operations, she is active in various fields, not limited by her role.
I asked Ms. Takeuchi about what led her to join CAN!P, her work after joining, and her daily thoughts.
Please take a look.
#1 From sales at a medical device manufacturer to a junior high school English teacher. Joining CAN!P after a unique career path
Q. Please tell us about your career so far.
I joined a medical device manufacturer as a new graduate and started working in sales. After about three years of sales experience, I changed my job to a clinical specialist, where I attended surgeries. During that time, my first child was born, and although there was a period when I worried about my career, I spent busy days traveling nationwide after returning to work.
After that, I participated in the Teach For Japan program and taught English at a junior high school for two years. Through those experiences, I have now joined CAN!P.
During my university days, I took a teacher training course and even studied abroad in Finland to learn about education. I have always had a strong passion for education and have always held the feeling that 'someday I want to work in the field of education.'
Q. Please tell us how you encountered CAN!P.
After giving birth to my second child, when I was thinking about returning to work again, I happened to see a job posting for CAN!P in an SNS group used by Teach For Japan members.
I applied for a casual interview through Wantedly, and after that, I was allowed to proceed to the selection process. In addition to my child being small, I had also decided to move in the future, so I was very anxious about how well I could balance my family and work.
Even so, because CAN!P's vision overlapped with the thoughts I hold dear, and because I was touched by the warmth of the staff and their sincere attitude toward education, I thought 'This is the place' and took the plunge.
I am truly grateful for the flexible response, such as allowing me to work shorter hours, so that I can balance my family and work.
#2 Not just behind the scenes. The job of a CAN!P back office staff member who also interacts with children
Q. Please tell us about your role at CAN!P.
I am currently working as a back-office staff member, playing a role in supporting everyone working on-site. Since CAN!P operates four after-school programs and CAN!P School (an alternative school), the scope of my work is very broad.
I feel rewarded when I am told that by taking on tasks that were previously handled individually by staff at each school, I am helping the on-site staff think more about the children and increase the time they can spend facing them.
Going beyond the back-office role to interact with children on-site
On the other hand, the back office at CAN!P is a little different from general 'clerical work.' A major appeal is that there are opportunities to interact directly with children, and I can work while valuing the sense of being on-site.
For example, taking advantage of my previous experience, I am in charge of one English class per week at CAN!P School (alternative school). In addition, I am sometimes in charge of planning and operating events during long holidays such as summer vacation.
As I match faces to names of the children through my daily tasks, even work that might seem purely administrative starts to feel warm, and I find joy in that. Having worked as a teacher in my previous job, I am truly happy to be in an environment where I can still be involved with children, even while working in the back office.
Also, “What kind of interaction is necessary for the children?” “What is an ideal environment?” “What kind of strengths do we want to nurture?”Seeing the staff seriously engage with these questions every day is a secret joy for me.
I am secretly moved as I listen to such dialogues naturally taking place in the same office. I am happy to have colleagues who share the same thoughts, and I respect them from the bottom of my heart.
#3 Psychological safety is not a 'given.' That is precisely why I want to contribute to this team.
Q. Do you have any thoughts about the CAN!P team?
For me, CAN!P is an environment with a high level of satisfaction in every aspect—not only because I resonate with the vision of 'creating a society filled with people who can continue to make choices and decisions of their own will,' but also because of the staff I work with, my own role in the back office, and the flexible working style.
Above all, if I were to name one thing about the CAN!P team, it might sound a bit cliché, but it is the openness and the high level of psychological safety. Being able to speak up without worrying excessively about being judged by others is something that might seem like a given, but I believe it is never a given.
It also means that I can work as myself without pushing myself too hard, and I feel very comfortable. I think it is truly a happy thing to be able to say that I enjoy my work and love my workplace.
Looking back at my career history, I have experienced workplaces where such an environment was not the norm, so perhaps that is why I feel this way even more strongly.
Regardless of seniority, there is an atmosphere where everyone tries to deliver better education for the children, and I feel joy in being a part of that.
#4 From 'intuition' to 'verbalization.' The personal growth I feel at CAN!P
Q. Since joining CAN!P, do you feel any personal growth or changes in yourself?
At CAN!P, there are many situations where I feel that we verbalize everything and value the 'why' behind things. I was originally the type to grasp things intuitively, so thinking logically and putting that into words feels like a new challenge for me.
The training sessions held several times a year are also designed so that we can learn based on the theories we value, and then convey and practice them in our own words, making them very educational opportunities.
Also, as a team, there are still many venture-like aspects, and there are quite a few things that are not yet organized. That is precisely why there are times when we are required to just try things out first and dive in headfirst. I was originally the type who wanted to prepare thoroughly before starting, so jumping into the unknown is not my forte.
Even so, I feel that such experiences are helping me grow, and I am grateful for the opportunities to take on new challenges.
Q. Is there anyone you would like to see join CAN!P?
Rather than whether or not they have experience in the education industry, I think people who have a passion for the field of education are well-suited for CAN!P. At CAN!P, people with various backgrounds but a common passion have gathered.
Also, rather than an environment like a large corporation where you perform fixed tasks, CAN!P is a team in a phase of changing and expanding. That is why I think it is the perfect environment for someone who can find fun in such changes and challenges.
#5 Finally, an announcement
Like Ms. Takeuchi, staff members who create their own unique roles by combining their 'past experience' with 'what I can do now' are thriving at CAN!P.
Whether in a back-office role or as on-site staff, the goal is the same: 'To deliver better education for the children.'
'I want to be involved in the field of education, even while struggling to balance it with my family life.' 'I want to use my skills in a place with a human touch.'
If you have such thoughts, why not have a casual chat with us?
▼ Click here for recruitment information and casual interviews
