Employee Interview
The work I was involved in
To be seen as a "shape"
I feel that the job is both rewarding and interesting.
Joined in April 2015Department of Communication and Information
County Harris YukinaYUKINA HARRIS GUMBE
Koriyama Branch / Spatial Information Department
Judging from your name, Mr. Gunbe, is your husband a foreigner?
that's right.
My husband is from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, a city adjacent to Detroit in the United States.
Did you join the company after you got married?
Yes, I joined the company after I got married.
I've been with the company for 10 years now. I'm good at English, and before joining the company I worked in the service industry, where I could use my English skills. After leaving that job I went to Canada. After returning to Japan and working part-time, I got married, had a baby, and had a series of life events (laughs).
When I was looking for a job where I could use my English skills while raising my child, I came across a job posting at Futaba and applied, saying "English skills would be a plus," and here I am today.
Weren't you interested in civil engineering work?
Not at all.
The school I graduated from had a department where I studied surveying, but at the time I wasn't interested in it at all, so I wondered, "Why surveying?" (laughs)
I see. But it was a good coincidence. By the way, what kind of work are you doing now?
I use CAD to create drawings.
I belong to the Surveying Department and occasionally go out to the site, but my main job is creating drawings using CAD. Before joining the Surveying Department, I was in the Spatial Information Department, so I can process three-dimensional (3D) data, but I'm still learning every day.
Has anything changed since you started working at Futaba?
I realized that civil engineering work is deeply connected to our lives.
Repairing roads and building bridges and levees would not be completed without the process of surveying and design. Every process requires experience and skill, and many people are involved in its completion. I, too, have noticed a bend in the river while out shopping, and I have started to wonder, "Maybe this is why it's bent?" (laughs)
I've become able to notice the little things in my daily life, which has made my work more enjoyable. I feel that it's rewarding and interesting to see the work I've been involved in take shape.
You've become a true "civil engineering girl." I'm sure there are women like you who want to work while raising children.
Futaba is a civil engineering company, but we also have many female employees, some of whom are just like me.
I really like the homey atmosphere where I can discuss not only work but also child-rearing and even what to have for dinner. Of course, I have to be able to do my job well.
Perhaps because there are more female employees than when I first joined the company, when I see my colleagues working enthusiastically and with enthusiasm, I feel motivated to do my best as well, which motivates me to work harder.
Also, if you are looking for work that is closely related to your daily life, I think the environment at Futaba is perfect.
Message to job seekers
It is a company that can contribute to its hometown.
It's hard enough to keep up with new technology, but I'm also doing my best to contribute to my hometown. I believe that Fukushima, which has overcome the disaster, has limitless potential. Why not put your technical skills to use in such an exciting field?
