And

When I was at Honda R&D, I was in charge of power unit development for Honda's F1. Specifically, this involves the control development of units such as engines, motors, and batteries. Races are a tough world where ``1000/1th of a second'' is the limit, and even a single mistake cannot be tolerated. Hundreds of millions of yen are invested in each car, and billions to tens of billions of yen is invested in the team as a whole, but it was a harsh world where if you made one mistake, it would all go to waste.
The environment for control development was ``model-based development,'' which allowed us to reproduce almost everything in simulation without the need for an actual machine, so it was an easy workplace for me as an engineer. However, that was just a story at the factory, and in the actual race, the team members were multinational, including British, Italian, Spanish, and French, so it was easy to progress due to differences in work methods and ways of thinking. There were many things that weren't there.
At the race site, I have had the experience of coordinating multinational team members to run a race under pressure to make decisions within seconds when trouble occurs. In order to make the "1000/1th of a second" even faster, there is the game-like fun of finding the optimal energy distribution and performance, communicating with the race engineer and driver, and deciding how fast to set it. It was a truly valuable experience for me to experience the sense of responsibility that prevents me from failing, and I believe it led to my personal growth.

shore

Iris Ohyama not only manufactures and sells consumer products such as home appliances, interior storage products, pet products, DIY products, and healthcare products, but also operates a wide range of businesses, including BtoB businesses. The biggest hit product in my life was a mask. We have spent a precious year dedicated to our mission of manufacturing and supplying masks in response to the new coronavirus.
Our company uses a development method called ``user-in,'' which creates demand by finding needs that consumers are not aware of. Among these, I am good at creating products that have never existed in the world by combining consumer needs with the seeds of material manufacturers. There are many failures, but our company values ​​taking on challenges. Since June of this year, I have been a member of the New Business Development Office, which reports directly to the president, and is a dedicated department that proposes new businesses that leverage our company's strengths, such as the medical equipment business and the consumables business.

Mizutani

For example, I am conducting research to see in high definition the surfaces of infrastructure such as tunnels and roads, as well as the interiors of structures that cannot be seen directly with the naked eye. Data measured using electromagnetic wave technology such as radar and laser is analyzed using advanced mathematics, and we are trying to see through the interior in 3D, similar to MRI used in medical treatment.
About three years ago, I became an associate professor and started my own laboratory. I conduct research together with talented students of different nationalities, languages, and backgrounds. I can't help but enjoy the current environment where everyone is serious about their research and the team works together as one.

Sand mountain

Fuji Electric is a company whose main products are power generation plants, train door opening/closing devices, and power semiconductors for electric vehicles. The food distribution department I belong to is responsible for the vending machines you often see on the streets, the juice machines you see at family restaurants, and the showcases at supermarkets and convenience stores.I am also in charge of sales and planning for 10-Eleven. I'm here. About 300 years ago, I was in charge of XNUMX-Eleven's ``Seven Cafe'' from the equipment testing stage to its nationwide rollout, and ``XNUMX Cafe'' has been introduced not only in Japan but also in XNUMX-Eleven stores in Korea. Currently, they are working to spread the use of smoothie machines with the advertising slogan, ``You can buy freshly made smoothies for XNUMX yen at a convenience store.''

And

When dealing with technical problems, I always kept in mind that ``theoretically, things should be the way they should be'' in order to solve the real cause, rather than resorting to makeshift measures. This is the same in human relationships; Japanese people tend to have their ideas overtaken by foreigners, but in order to overcome this, I think it's important to visualize the ``ideal image'' within yourself.
Racing in a different country every week is affected by the time difference and can be physically exhausting, but in motorsports, what you do shows immediate results. In normal work, it takes several years to see results, but the results of input items and new technology can be seen in one to two weeks. I think the fact that I could see results quickly was the reason I was able to keep my motivation high.

shore

Most of the Japanese market is said to be a "red ocean," but it is also an interesting market that can be transformed into a "blue ocean" by incorporating just one idea. Based on the idea that ``it's not a good product that sells, but a product that sells is a good product,'' we strive to keep our antennas open and introduce new ideas, not only focusing on our own preferences but also recognizing that ``there will always be consumer dissatisfaction.'' I'm trying to. I also try not to reject ideas that come from people around me. I don't know where the Columbus egg is. There are cases where what was thought to be an impossible idea becomes a huge hit. Our company values ​​ideas, so I think my role now is to draw out everyone's ideas and help them materialize.

Mizutani

Due to the novel coronavirus, international students have not been able to enter the country for the past two years, and face-to-face research has finally begun at the beginning of this year. There are two things I keep in mind.
The first step is to attract students' interest and avoid boredom. Even if you give them a job or research topic that they are not interested in, it will not lead to voluntary action.
Second, always be aware that your experience is already outdated for the next generation. For example, program code that once required hundreds of lines may now take just a few lines. I don't force people to use the same old methods that they used to do just because they had a hard time, but instead I ask them to thoroughly streamline things that can be done rationally using cutting-edge tools.

Sand mountain

Convenience store equipment is operated by part-time workers, foreigners, and others, so we had to make major changes to the specifications of the equipment, which was initially intended for professionals. Additionally, because convenience store products require speedy development, it is also necessary to acquire the knowledge to be able to immediately answer user questions. We became good friends with the store owner and his wife, received their opinions, and improved the equipment to make it easier for on-site workers to operate. I believe that such hardships were behind the scenes of ``Seven Cafe'' and led to it becoming a hit. Now, we are continuing to make minor changes to our machines while keeping an eye on the needs of the field, and are always trying to ``always serve delicious food'' and ``make products that are easy to handle.''

Sand mountain

Perhaps because I lived in a boarding house, my range of interactions expanded considerably. I remember that even though I was a student at the same technical college, I had the impression that someone five years older than me was much more mature.
In terms of studies, I was taught the basics in the electronic engineering department. This has been very useful since I started working, so I'm glad I chose this technical college.

Mizutani

What I particularly remember are the impressions made by the teachers. The teachers are academics and researchers, so they can provide incredibly in-depth answers to your questions. When I asked my teacher about a difficult math problem, the next day he showed me a piece of paper that was completely blackened with mathematical formulas. I think it was great that I was able to grow up surrounded by teachers who showed me the attitude of a scholar and researcher who would solve interesting problems, not out of obligation as a teacher.

shore

It was a very intense five years, but one of the most memorable moments was being a member of the executive committee for the National College of Technology Festival. At the event, we brainstormed ways to get surrounding students and local people to come to campus within our limited budget, including inviting talent and making the most of the Ferrari we had on display to attract customers. The teachers left everything from planning to budget management to me, so I realized how fun it was to take responsibility as a team to make a profit. I think this was the event that made me interested in management, even though I am a research buff.

And

I think that technical colleges, where you learn using your hands, are stronger than universities in terms of the skills you can use. Nowadays, even in Japan, we have entered an age where children learn programming from an early age, and even back then, teachers at technical colleges were actively incorporating self-produced curriculum using mechatronics and programming. Also, during my graduation research on artificial knee joints, I witnessed the actual surgery and measured the affected area using a sensor I had made, and I was surprised at the time, thinking, ``They would let a student do this much.'' I think it was a valuable experience.

Sand mountain

I think we can utilize the elemental technology of vending machines, which is the strength of our food distribution division, to make convenience stores self-checkout and unmanned stores. I also want to meet new people and machines, satisfy my desire to improve, and constantly communicate with people both inside and outside the company.
As for the most recent issue, many electronics manufacturers have fewer employees in their 30s, so I would like to support the training of people in their 20s.

Mizutani

Since the beginning of civilization, talented people have thought and changed a lot, and it is difficult to innovate further. Knowing that, I still want to innovate over the next few years.
For example, in the case of roads, the hardware technology for measuring the inside of the earth using vehicle-mounted underground radar is nearing completion, but damage inside bridges, buried pipes, cavities, etc. can be detected fully automatically from the large amount of data collected. The software technology that can do this has not yet been established. In the next few years, I would like to establish this technology to make things that cannot be seen inside structures visible, and even create a technology that can build a 3D underground map in real time while driving in a car.

shore

When manufacturing and selling masks, I realized that it was important not only to make money but also to contribute to society, that is, to create a "win-win" situation for everyone. Young people in particular have a strong sense of contributing to society, and they have a strong sense of wanting to be useful to society rather than simply wanting a salary or getting promoted, so I can enjoy working with such people. I would like to do so. We would like to develop new products that will contribute to society while creating hit products.

And

I felt that my only experience was in the niche field of F1. So now I am pursuing a completely different career in management and management in the medical industry. If I ever return to technical work in the future, I would like to challenge myself in various fields without setting any barriers.

And

What I actually felt while traveling around the world was my ability to speak English. I think it varies depending on the technical college, but I feel it would be better if they strengthened their language education. I believe that the fields in which technical college students can play an active role will further expand if they have the skills and abilities and the language skills to make use of them.

shore

I'm also talking about language skills. Companies evaluate technical college graduates highly in terms of technical ability and immediate work ability, but I think their general education is somewhat weak. I had also avoided subjects such as Japanese and social studies, so I started studying again after entering the workforce. I think it would be good if there was more motivation to learn more about general education, especially about history.

Mizutani

This may be difficult, but I think we need to change the mindset of incoming students. People who enroll in technical colleges may unconsciously think that they are learning specialized knowledge. However, that alone is "mania". I think it is important to change the mindset that ``learning at a technical college is only meaningful if you learn general knowledge while you are young, in addition to specialized knowledge.'' I think the difference between enthusiasts and experts is that enthusiasts tend to be able to think about things only from that perspective, whereas experts understand things in a systematic way. During the period of high economic growth, I think that anything other than the direct knowledge needed to train engineers who could work immediately took a backseat. However, Japan is already a mature society, so I think it can be said that all knowledge is the most important, with no prioritization. I think it is extremely important for future students to realize the importance of having a wide range of knowledge so that they can adapt to the new era.

shore

I believe that technical college students have learned the basics well and have applied skills. Companies value them more highly than science graduates, so I hope they continue to maintain that position.
In my era, there were few opportunities to visit companies or hear directly from companies, but I think that if technical college students had more opportunities to visit companies, their horizons would further expand.

And

If you want to work as an engineer, you need basic knowledge. You learn at university, but I think the good thing about technical colleges is that they teach you the process of making things and teach you how to put those skills to use. Technical college students have a lot of free time from the time they are in the lower grades, so I hope they can learn more about what they like and develop what they want to do.

shore

When I failed in my one-choice transfer application to the former Imperial University, I was depressed and thought my life was over, but luckily I was able to meet a company that evaluated me based on my ability rather than my academic background, and here I am today. Rather than focusing on company names or educational backgrounds, I would like students to find their own vision of what they want to become in the future and go out into society.

Mizutani

We live in an era where it is difficult to survive only with specific specialized knowledge. The specialized knowledge you learn at a technical college is just the gateway to a variety of learning throughout your long life. General education is useful for looking at knowledge from a cross-sectional and bird's-eye view during the long study that follows. Please trust your teacher and acquire general knowledge.
Also, I think there are some people who are not fortunate in their environment and have a hard time studying, but because of the hardships students have had, they have a sharp intuition to sense the ``right moment'' in life and a potential that can be demonstrated at that moment. I think. This is a unique strength, so I hope you never give up and do your best.

Sand mountain

This may be the opposite of Mr. Kishi, but I went to university because I wanted to get a job rather than because I wanted to do something, partly because I was in a glacial period when it came to finding employment. If you don't have a particular purpose, I think it's a good idea to think about it after you graduate from technical college and work at a company. Even if you don't have a big goal, the basic skills you learned at technical college will definitely come in handy when you enter the workforce, so I want you to tackle everything with confidence.