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Promoting Practical IT and Career Education: paiza Welcomes Fukuoka Women's Commercial High School

In a significant initiative aimed at bridging the gap between education and the IT industry, paiza Inc., based in Minato-ku, Tokyo, has welcomed students from Fukuoka Women's Commercial High School during their school trip for a corporate visit. This event provided the students not only an engaging platform to interact with current IT engineers but also an opportunity to explore what working in an IT company entails.

Background of the Corporate Visit: Deepening Educational Partnerships and Social Contributions

At the core of paiza's mission is the belief in "maximizing human potential." With a strong commitment to nurturing and empowering IT talent, the company is actively working to tackle severe challenges facing the industry, including a projected shortage of up to 790,000 IT professionals by 2030. Furthermore, the stark gender imbalance in the sector, where only 20% of IT engineers are women, poses critical challenges including a lack of role models for female engineers and disparities between school education and industry careers.

Recognizing these issues, paiza believes that addressing the gender gap will significantly help reduce the IT talent shortage. The visit to Fukuoka Women's Commercial High School, part of a broader educational collaboration that includes providing access to paiza Learning, aims to present students with insights into real-world IT roles and engage their interest in pursuing careers in this field. The primary goals of this initiative were:

1. Enhancing Career Awareness: To help students concretize their understanding of "working" and "IT companies," thus providing practical information that can assist in future career choices.
2. Connecting Classroom Learning to Real-World Application: Showcasing how programming and IT skills are implemented in society and how knowledge gained in commercial high school can be applicable in the IT industry.
3. Addressing the Gender Gap in IT: Facilitating discussions primarily with female engineers to reinforce that the IT profession is inclusive and full of diverse opportunities for women.

Details of the Program: Sharing the "Real" Experience of Working in IT

On the day of the visit, 11 students participated in interactive discussions with paiza employees. Notably, female employees from diverse roles—including engineers—engaged in a roundtable discussion, highlighting the variety of career paths available within the IT field. The agenda included:

• - Overview of the Company and Its Mission: Led by CEO Ryohei Katayama, this talk focused on the societal significance of the IT engineer role.

• - Office Tour: Students toured various offices, conference rooms, and experienced the vibrant, open atmosphere of working in an IT company firsthand.

• - Roundtable Discussion with Female Employees: Featuring representatives from product planning, sales, and public relations, the discussion tackled themes like motivation for entering the field, job satisfaction, and insights into what high school students should focus on to prepare.

• - paiza Quiz: A fun yet challenging quiz focused on the company's services and products, encouraging teamwork and engagement while deepening the understanding of the business model.

Student Testimonials

Students expressed a wide range of experiences and emotions during their visit. One student noted, "Hearing the passion and vision for future technologies from the CEO and during the roundtable was incredibly inspiring. It provided the perfect impetus for me to seriously consider what I want to do in the future."

Another student commented, "The office atmosphere felt really supportive of the employees; it seems like a great place to work. I felt a real pull towards wanting to be part of such an environment."

CEO Ryohei Katayama's Remarks

Reflecting on this initiative, Katayama emphasized the importance of engaging female students with the IT industry, stating, "By allowing more students, especially girls, to discover the opportunities within IT, we can cultivate greater interest in this field. Many misconceptions about the industry persist, such as the stereotype of engineers being confined to rigid, traditional roles. We aim to reveal the creativity and openness that characterize modern IT workplaces."

Paiza's commitment to fostering diverse talent and transforming the perception of IT careers among young women is pivotal for the future growth of the industry. Through initiatives like this corporate visit, paiza is building a bridge towards a more inclusive and vibrant IT landscape, demonstrating that the tech world is indeed for everyone.

About paiza

Established in 2012, paiza operates a unique job matching and learning platform for IT professionals, leveraging online programming skills verification to enhance employment opportunities. With about 920,000 registered users and over 4,800 companies utilizing the platform for hiring, paiza’s goal is to nurture talented IT engineers and create a flourishing ecosystem that inspires individuals to reach their fullest potential.

For more information, visit paiza's official website.