High School Students Have Arrived! The Reality of 'Manufacturing' Seen Through a 3-Day Internship
About the author of this article
Honestly, what is an 'internship' like?
When you hear the word 'internship,' what comes to mind?
A workplace tour? Being treated like a guest? Or—a serious work experience?
This winter, MONOVATE welcomed two high school students as interns. The period was three days, from December 2nd to the 4th. The location was the Tsukuba factory.
This time, we will share how they spent those three days, along with voices from the field.
Day 1—A nervous first day, but 'everyone is so kind'
The morning of the first day started with a company orientation.
According to the HR representative, 'As expected for the first day, they seemed nervous.' When they tried to have them choose their lunch, they said 'anything is fine,' which was a bit of a dilemma (laughs).
However, the atmosphere changed during the factory tour.
Even though it was hard to hear over the work noise, they leaned in to listen to the explanations and peered at the machines and products—they were observing with genuine interest.
After the tour, they immediately moved on to practical training. They worked with automatic washers and ultrasonic cleaners.
Setting stainless steel containers and parts into the washer and wiping down the items that came out. It looks simple, but it is actually a deep task.
The staff in charge of guidance had this to say:
'They proceeded with the work smoothly after being taught just once, which was a huge help! Thank you for checking carefully to make sure there were no spots left unwashed!'
The intern's journal had this written:
'I was very nervous and anxious at first, but there were many kind people, so I was able to get used to it quickly. I think I was able to engage in the training in a fun and safe way.'
Day 2—'I want to do more' won't stop
On the second day, they moved on to internal/external polishing machines and order shipping tasks.
An internal/external polishing machine is a device that automatically polishes the areas where container parts have been welded together. You set the container and finish it until it's shiny—it may look plain, but it's an important process that determines the quality of the product.
In order fulfillment, they also experienced assembling carts and laser marking work.
Comments from the supervising staff:
“They worked carefully and reliably, so I felt very comfortable leaving tasks to them. I was happy that they proactively asked questions like, ‘What should I do when this happens?’”
During the lunch break, there was even a moment where a senior employee who graduated from the same high school came over to talk to them.
From the intern's journal:
“At lunch, a senior who graduated from the same school talked to me and answered my questions, which helped me learn many things. I was almost sad that the internship time was ending.”
It seems that senior employees were there for them throughout the lunch break as well. It’s nice to see that kind of 'human warmth' being conveyed, isn't it?
Day 3—Making a One-of-a-Kind Bottle
The main event on the final day is the production of an original bottle.
Welding, polishing, laser engraving—they performed the entire series of processes with their own hands and took home the finished bottle. It is a one-of-a-kind stainless steel bottle they made themselves.
At first, there were moments where they struggled because the polishing didn't go well. But, after trying again and again with advice from the staff—
“It became so shiny, I was moved! I was relieved that the bottle finished beautifully in the end.”
The supervising staff also looks back on it like this:
“They understood immediately when I explained things, which was a big help. Their work was very careful, and they were good at mirror polishing, too!”
Throughout the three days, their self-evaluation was almost all 5s. They received high marks from their instructors as well, and it seems it was a fulfilling internship.
The Factory Manager Talks About 'These 3 Days'
On the final day, the factory manager had some time to talk with the two of them.
“I was nervous at first, but everyone was kind, and senior employees were there for us throughout the lunch break, so it was a lot of fun.”
That is what the two of them reportedly said.
They also said the work itself was "fun." Perhaps it fit one of the "4Cs" that MONOVATE values: Curiosity.
"I was able to have an experience I've never had before, and it was very good. The time was short, and I wish I could have done it for a few more days."
—Hearing that is truly a pleasure for us on the receiving end as well.
The HR Representative's Honest Opinion
Here are a few thoughts from the HR representative who was in charge of hosting them this time.
"It was difficult to make small talk with the students. I was confused about what to do when I tried to talk to them and got a weak reaction."
That's honest (laughs). But they continued with this:
"When I asked for their impressions after the first day, I was relieved because both of them immediately replied that it was 'fun'."
Even if they are nervous at first, they say it was "fun" by the end. We want to continue providing internships like that.
Letters Received After the Internship
After the internship ended, we received polite thank-you letters from both of them.
We would like to share a part of them here.
"I was able to experience practical work that I cannot learn in my daily school life. Despite being busy, everyone on-site guided me carefully and taught me the intentions behind the work and the key points of each process in an easy-to-understand way."
"This experience has become extremely valuable for my future studies and for thinking about my future career."
It was a short period of three days, but if they were able to feel something, that is the greatest achievement.
Conclusion—We Are Waiting at the "Monozukuri" Site
An internship is an opportunity for students to get to know the company, and at the same time, it is an opportunity for us to learn from the "perspective of the younger generation."
Their serious attitude while being nervous, their words saying honestly that it was "fun," and the carefully written thank-you letters—all of that was stimulating for us as well.
"What kind of work is 'monozukuri' (manufacturing)?"
To all the students who have such questions, please come and see the site at least once!
If you are even a little bit interested in MONOVATE, please take a look at our recruitment information. It might become one of your future options.
