[New Future Session NEO] Persian cat represents young experts in Tokushima Prefecture

Hello!
This is Inoue, a Persian cat from Beyond Shikoku Office.

On Friday, November 5th,
a dialogue meeting called "New Future Session NEO 2020" was held
, and I participated as a young expert representing Tokushima Prefecture.

In addition to Joto High School, Tsurugi High School, Kaifu High School, and university students from within the prefecture also participated, and
in light of COVID-19 countermeasures, participation for Tsurugi High School and Kaifu High School was online.

What is the New Future Session NEO?

This is a forum for the exchange of opinions between young people, including high school students, and people active on the front lines of the local community, organized by Tokushima Prefecture. The aim is to provide
an opportunity for high school students to think about the present and future of Tokushima, and
the flexible opinions and ideas of young people proposed through this free exchange into
Tokushima Prefecture's policies.

■Objective of the event
Tokushima Prefecture is working to overcome population decline and correct the over-concentration of population in Tokyo, and
is promoting various initiatives to encourage young people to "return to Tokushima" under the common concept of "vs Tokyo.
This dialogue meeting will provide an opportunity for high school students to exchange opinions with people who have moved to the region and those active on the front lines, and to think about
"Tokushima's present and future."
be attended by a diverse group of participants, including students from other schools, and will involve a free exchange of opinions,
with the hope of incorporating "flexible opinions and ideas of young people" into Tokushima Prefecture's policies.

Two young experts from within the prefecture participated:
one was born in Tokushima Prefecture and is still working there,
and the other moved to Tokushima Prefecture and is still working there.

Why Persian cats insist on finding employment locally

After graduating from high school, I wanted to find employment, and first got a job in Tokushima City.
After working
there for about two and a half years, I decided I wanted to work in my hometown of Miyoshi City. My hometown is Higashiiya in Miyoshi City, and I
started living in a dormitory when I entered junior high school, so I only lived with my parents for 12 years.
For these reasons, I had always dreamed of living with my family, and I wanted to cherish the time I spent with them, so
I returned to my hometown of Higashiiya in Miyoshi City and got a job.

Higashi-Iya is located deep in the mountains, so there are few jobs where women can thrive.
When I was thinking about how to advance my career, I found out that there was a satellite office in Ikeda-cho, Miyoshi City.

I was attracted to the satellite office because it allows me to work at the same speed as in the city while still being in my hometown.
Our company's head office is in Osaka,
and we also have four other locations: the Yokohama office, the Shikoku office in Ikeda-cho, Miyoshi City, and the Canada office.
The work I do at the Shikoku office involves building, operating, and maintaining servers,
as well as customer support for our company's web reservation system.
The work is the same as at the Osaka head office, and
I can work in my hometown while still having the IT skills needed to work anywhere in Japan.

This job requires very advanced IT skills, but any job requires study.
Even so, there are many things I don't understand while working, but
since the locations are always connected online, it's not particularly inconvenient.

I joined the company as one of the opening members of the Shikoku office with no prior IT experience, but
I was able to find work as an engineer, regardless of location or IT skills.
When I was considering changing jobs, I chose a job based on what I "can't do," rather than what I "can do.
" By looking for work based on what I "can't do," my job options increased, and
I was able to take on a profession as an engineer, something I had never done before, and
I feel that I have gained more experience in life.

At satellite offices, other companies are also located in the same building,
and there are many colleagues of the same generation, so there is a lot of interaction and stimulation.
I believe that this stimulation I receive from my peers has a big impact on my personal growth.
At Nishi-Awa, "Next Leader Development Seminars" are held four times a year for people working at satellite offices
, and they are able to maintain high motivation while feeling the growth of others.

Also, currently I live alone because it is difficult for me to commute from my parents' house to work every day, but
the advantage for me is that I can spend time with my family on the weekends.

I think that most people have only one or two places they can call home.
Of course, I was raised by my family, but I have
always felt that I was raised by my hometown. I think

is the kindness of being considerate and caring towards others, from basic things like greetings and saying "thank you" and "sorry."

When I wanted to give back to my one and only hometown,
the first thing that came to mind was to live and work there.

My current goal is for

Beyond , our satellite office, to become a company that can contribute to the local community through the efforts of myself and the members of our Shikoku office

What a Persian cat wants to tell high school students

High school students who want to move outside the prefecture expressed the following opinions:
"I want to work for a large company."
"There aren't many big events in Tokushima."
"I want to go outside the prefecture or to a city and learn a lot."
I agree with all of these.
Everyone has the same amount of time, so I want you to enjoy the present and live it.
No matter what path you choose, you'll probably have regrets.
But if you can always enjoy and live fulfillingly in the present, your memories of the past will always be fond memories.
Whether you live and work within or outside the prefecture, I want you to be proud of having been born and raised in Tokushima.
Because the individuality and strengths you possess are undoubtedly the result of your environment.
That's why Tokushima will always be your home.

Finally

I'm extremely bad at speaking in front of people, so I was so nervous that I was shaking when I participated in this event, but
I feel that it was a great experience that I don't get to have very often.

with Governor Iizumi Kamon, who I
would rarely have the opportunity to speak to up close in my everyday life for Tokushima, and to be able to participate in this event on behalf of Tokushima Prefecture. I would like
to thank everyone involved for making this experience possible.

I think this was a good opportunity for people in Tokushima to learn that there are companies with this kind of working style

I knew there were many students out there who wanted to look fashionable while still working, so
I put my all into bleaching my hair and dyeing it pink for the first time in my life for this special day.
Taking care of my hair afterwards was a real pain...(*_*)

Growing every day, moving forward every day.
I have to update myself every day! ! !
Thank you for reading to the end.