In the so-called “centenarian era,” a time in which people are living longer, the way we progress through our careers is increasingly important. Nagoya University offers a course for second-year students and above called “Introduction to Career Development Theory,” where they can learn about different occupations and styles of working. The course is taught by alumni who are active in a wide variety of fields; they explain how they chose their career paths while sharing insights about both their specific industries and society at large, providing students with an opportunity to reflect on their own plans for the future.
Applying academic research skills in a startup environment
Takuya Shibayama (PhD 2019, Graduate School of Science), who works at a startup in Switzerland, taught one of the course sessions in June 2025. He talked about how to apply skills developed at university outside an academic context. As a graduate student at Nagoya University, Shibayama immersed himself in the study of solar flares and wanted to become a researcher. However, he shifted gears during the second year of his PhD, when he became interested in artificial intelligence (AI).
Shibayama began seeking employment at an AI-related company, saying that “I thought doing so would definitely be to my advantage, no matter what path I ended up taking—researcher or not.” Leveraging his experience with supercomputers, he joined a startup that develops products utilizing AI and is now in charge of developing a system for underground resource exploration that integrates machine learning. Even from his first year at the company, he took on lead roles in projects; his work uses not only his subject-matter expertise but also the team-building and project management skills that he developed during his graduate studies. In May 2025, Shibayama started a new job at a startup in Switzerland that uses AI to design airplanes and cars, as he was interested in exploring physics simulations and the practical applications of AI technology.
On the topic of living abroad and working at a non-Japanese company, Shibayama explained that what qualifies as a skill is context-specific, stating that “being able to speak Japanese is not an advantage in Japan, but in Switzerland it is an asset.” He advised students that “it is difficult to master any one thing and become the very best at it, but by developing various skills, you will acquire your own unique strength. In order to be valuable at any company, it is important to continue learning every day.”
Kento, a student in the School of Engineering who attended the lecture, said that he is considering applying for graduate school and that “he learned that the skills acquired through research can be useful for job hunting and work.” Kanna, a student in the School of Humanities who has started thinking seriously about job hunting, said she was impacted by Shibayama’s comment that “given how weak the yen is currently, only being able to work domestically could put you at a disadvantage,” and realized the significance of being able to work abroad.
The first step is thinking about one’s own career
The course serves as an opportunity for students to learn about the experiences of alumni who have embarked on various career paths, while also providing an impetus for students to think about how to spend their time at university and what they will do after graduation. It is offered in both the spring and fall semesters (each with a capacity of 110 students), and each session is taught by a different alumnus or alumna. The lecturers vary in age, the school they graduated from, and the industry they work in; they represent a range of professions, including researchers at large corporations, entrepreneurs, people working abroad, and people who have children and taken childcare leave.
Nagoya University Designated Associate Professor Norika Mori (Doctoral Education Consortium), the course coordinator, revealed the reason for selecting a diverse range of alumni, stating that “not all our alumni had a clear vision of the path their career would take when they were still students. I am grateful to the alumni for sharing their stories so candidly.” By hearing honest stories—including stories of failure—students can find something relatable in the experiences of alumni.
Group work is an exercise in communicating your thoughts
After a 45-minute lecture by that week’s speaker, time is allocated for group discussion where four to six students are matched randomly. “Japanese people have few opportunities to talk about their own impressions or about careers in their own words, so some people find it difficult,” said Designated Associate Professor Mori. “The aim is to get them used to expressing their own thoughts while also learning about their classmates’ opinions.” Students commented, “At first, I could not speak well, but gradually I became able to express my opinions” and “It was stimulating to talk to people from other schools whom I normally do not interact with.”
Many hands went up during the Q&A session after the group work following Shibayama’s lecture. Even after the session ended, some students were seen approaching him directly to seek personal advice.
After taking the course, many students begin thinking actively about their careers, deciding to study abroad or participate in extracurricular activities, and become interested in further education. “I hope this becomes an opportunity for them to challenge themselves in various ways,” says Designated Associate Professor Mori, encouraging the students’ proactive stances toward their futures.
This course is made possible through a donation by the Nagoya University Alumni Association.
Originally published in Japanese on July 23, 2025.