University Students Go ‘Glocal’ in Niseko

University students from Hokkaido, the Tokyo area and Kansai are working in Niseko to improve their English and professional skills.

 

They are participants in the Shiribeshi General Promotion Bureau’s Glocal Internship Winter Program, ‘glocal’ being a portmanteau of ‘global’ and ‘local’.

As reported in The Hokkaido Shimbun, 31 university students will be working at 14 businesses, including hotels and companies dedicated to outdoor activities.

The point of the work is to provide the students many opportunities to interact with foreigners without having to go abroad.

This year’s program kicked off on 1 February and will last through 5 March.

Although the Niseko area has made progress addressing labour shortages this season, many accommodations and businesses still struggle to find English-speaking staff.

This program will hone the existing English skills of the students, while also familiarising them to the kind of work opportunities found in Niseko.

The Glocal Internship Winter Program has been held every year since 2017, but was cancelled from 2020 through 2022 due to the Covid pandemic.

Source:
The Hokkaido Shimbun – 1 February 2024
Shiribeshi General Promotion Bureau

Image:
Shiribeshi General Promotion Bureau

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