The practical internship is a part of the great experience of doing an MBA program at Vietnam – Japan University (VJU). Due to the current situation of Covid -19, students and schools have not had any chance to conduct an internship in Japan. Instead of being in Japan, I decided to take a six-week internship at a Japanese enterprise named “Koike-ya Vietnam Co. Ltd” in Ho Chi Minh, which is one of the most dynamic and rapidly developing cities in Asia.
The internship helped me develop professional skills in a hands-on environment. Because an internship is a learning opportunity, it is important to evaluate the skills that I could develop in time with the company. The six-week internship at “Koike-ya Vietnam Co. Ltd.” as a Sales administration staff helped me gain new skills and experience that I did not have before. It brought me not only knowing how to proceed with the jobs of a sale administration smoothly but also other soft skills. I improved a better understanding of the food manufacturing industry, made a new network and references for the future. But most importantly, I developed a new sense of professionalism and a clearer view of what it meant to be in the professional world. Especially, I also was able to go to work at the factory in Dong Nai province. This opportunity gave me time to observe how products are produced through many different processes, how employees and managers manage their works effectively.
I was not able to have this great experience without supports. I would like to show my gratitude to JICA organization and Vietnam – Japan University for the financial grant during the internship period. Thank you, Dr. Yoshifumi Hino- JICA expert; Ms. Huong and Ms. Trang – Assistants of the MBA program, for your advice and supports. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Mr. Naoji Ishii, Mr. Atsushi Inoue, Ms. Phuong, and the other Koikeya Company staff for guiding me, teaching me many new things. I am grateful for being a part of your clusters.