Fostering human resources needed to support reconstruction

Ishinomaki Senshu University ICT Open College was inaugurated on August 21 in the city of Inishomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, one of the cities severely destroyed by the Great East Japan Disaster in March 2011. This Open College is jointly organized by BHN Association and Ishinomaki Senshu University, and is aimed at supporting the recovery of small and medium-sized enterprises in the area as well as enabling the disaster victims improve their computer skills so that they can take advantage of their skills in finding new jobs.

In the opening ceremony, welcome speeches were delivered by Prof. Takashi Sakata, President of Ishinomaki Senshu University, and Dr. Moriji Kuwabara, Chairman of BHN Association.

  

Professor Sakata gave a speech with humour introducing hints about how one can enjoy learning without giving up halfway: ”don’t try to learn more than one thing a day; praise yourself when you acquired it; then boast it to your family and friends, so that it is imperative for you to remember what you boasted about.” Dr. Kuwabara talked about the joy of learning how to use PCs by referring to his wife who is now using a PC to find recipes.

There will be two lectures each week until November 13: two hours each time on Tuesdays and Thursdays making it a total of 25 lectures. The first three lectures are introductory where the students will familiarize themselves with tablet PCs by playing piano, etc. on the tablet. Each of the next ten lectures, in a self-contained manner, is intended to get used to PCs by sending e-mails, Net surfing and drawing pictures. The next ten lectures are devoted to acquiring PC skills necessary for business, where students, based on textbooks, will learn how to use Microsoft Word and Excel from the basics.

   

Since August 2011, BHN Association has been supporting the disaster victims by way of launching PC classes in the cities such as Ishinomaki, Tome and Onagawa, and has learned that the biggest challenge in the disaster stricken areas now is the creation of jobs and employment. We will continue to contribute to the reconstruction of the areas by mobilizing our resources and experience through fostering human resources necessary in the reconstruction work, supporting the recovery of the local industry and creating jobs.

The next Open College will open in February and March 2013.

Creation of this college has become possible thanks to the support of many organizations. The funds have been given by Mitsubishi Corporation Disaster Relief Foundation: PC software (Microsoft Office) and the textbooks are provided by Microsoft Japan Co., Ltd.: volunteers from NTT Data Corp. are acting as assisting lecturers: Ishinomaki-shinkin Bank and Ishinomaki Chamber of Commerce & Industry are also supporting the college by providing the venue.

 

Shinji Abe, staff of Miyagi Office

 

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