ICCAUni is a groundbreaking programme designed to provide a pathway for success for students interested in pursuing a career in international business meetings and events. ICCA is committed to cultivating the next generation of business events professionals by creating avenues for upward mobility and career opportunities for younger members of the meetings and events community.
ICCA spoke to Yui Furuya, an MBA student at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan. Yui is working as an intern in the Human Resources department at the Sabah International Convention Center in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, as part of the ICCAUni programme. She outlined her positive experience with the programme, describing how she's able to access internship and other career opportunities that have helped guide her ambitions and goals.
What has your experience been like interning at the Sabah International Convention Center?
Although it was only four days, it was a valuable experience. I had heard that working in Japan and working abroad are different, and I felt it was true through this experience. I realized the strengths of the Japanese work environment, such as its organization and attention to the details. At the same time, I realized how important it is to have openness and cross-cultural understanding when working with people from different backgrounds.
Because Malaysia wasn't an English-speaking country, it was also a fresh experience not being able to understand what was being said when conversations were held in the local language.
How did the ICCAUni Programme help connect you with your internship?
Meeting the CEO of SICC at the ICCA Congress in Abu Dhabi played a significant role in leading to my internship. I was introduced to SICC CEO Datuk Dr. Hajah Rosmawati Haji Lasuki, J.P by my teacher, Professor Nishimoto, an ICCA member. This meeting directly led to my internship.
What's your favourite part of working in HR?
I'm part of the recruiting team of HR. I often go to schools or job fairs to explain about my company to many students, due to Japan’s practice of hiring all new graduates at the same time. My favourite part of recruiting is when students become interested after listening to my explanation about the company. It's fun to talk with students who are aiming to work in the hospitality or tourism industry. I find it rewarding when students listen to me eagerly and they end up applying for the job.
Would you recommend the internship programme to friends and colleagues?
If I were working at international convention centres or other sites in Japan, I would definitely recommend this program to my colleagues. I believe international exchange within the same industry is essential through my experience in Abu Dhabi and Sabah.
I would also recommend this program to students. If I had participated in this internship before starting my career, I probably would have aimed to work in the business events industry. For those who are interested in this field, I think this experience allows them to concretely envision their future career plan.
I felt that a stay of a week or two weeks would have been even better. That’s because my participation was limited to a four-day program to match the BE in Sabah event (link). I want to learn about work that takes place beyond just the event preparation period.
How has the programme helped you in your career goals?
During this internship, I had the opportunity to experience everything from event preparation to actual operations. It made me realize that this is exactly the kind of work I truly want to do. It is because I like working at event sites. I enjoyed organizing events like school festivals in my university, and I especially liked working in the banquet halls among the various departments in a hotel.
Since I was hired for a position mainly based at the head office, I had always thought I wanted to continue working there—at least until I started attending Ritsumeikan University business school. However, through what I’ve learned at business school and this internship experience, I’ve come to feel that I want to work in the hotel operations. This experience has been a turning point in redefining my career goals.
What's your next step in your hospitality journey?
After gaining a few years of experience in HR, I hope to move on to managing expenses or accounting department to gain a practical understanding of financial flow within a hotel. Then I want to eventually work in the hotel’s back office. Since I only have about two years of on-site experience in a hotel, I would like to return to working there.