Experiences of Technical Intern Training #1 “Trust Achieved During Technical Intern Training Lead to Being a President of a Local Company”
Mr. Roy (right) with the president of the company which provided technical intern training
Mr. Lê Văn Lợi (Les Van Roy)
1989: Born in Vietnam
2010: Graduated from university, sending organization (Vietnam)
2011: Started technical intern training at a metalware factory (Osaka)
2014: Completed technical intern training in Japan and worked at the company’s Hanoi Office
2015: Established the company’s local company in Vietnam
After three years of technical intern training at an SME in Osaka, Mr. Roy returned to his home country and was appointed president of the company’s local company. As president, he is busy every day with sales, quality control, and staff development.
What Did You Study before Going to Japan?
Drinking with Japanese seniors(2013)Before I graduated from university, a sending organization in Hanoi held an orientation session on technical intern training at my university. I applied for the technical intern training because I wanted to deepen my knowledge of machinery, which I studied at the university.
There were four hours of Japanese language classes every day at the sending organization, and I also studied for another seven hours on my own. These efforts paid off, and my grades were first or second among 36 students in my class.
I went to Japan in 2011 and continued to study and talked with Japanese people a lot, so I became fluent in Japanese and made friends with Japanese people at work. I also passed the N2 level of the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) in 2014.
There are some people who go to Japan speaking very little Japanese, but they have a hard time in the workplace. Also, if you go to Japan without basic Japanese language skills and study habits, your Japanese will not improve much.
Sending Money to Parents
My monthly salary, after deducting dormitory fees and utilities, was about 150,000JPY, and my monthly expenses were about 50,000JPY. I was able to send about 3.5 million JPY to my parents in 3 years. My parents repaid the debt of 600,000JPY they borrowed to pay for the sending organization, and used the rest of the money to buy me a piece of land.
I Became the President of the Local Company!
Metal products exported to JapanAt the internship, I worked on cutting and processing metal materials with a machine, and my specialized knowledge was useful to operate the machine. The president liked the way I worked and my attitude toward learning Japanese and said, “I want to work with you even after your internship is over”.
During the third year of my internship, the president took me on several trips to Vietnam and opened an office in Hanoi. Then, a new business was launched in which products that had been manufactured only in Osaka were also manufactured in factories of other companies in Vietnam and exported to Japan, and I became the manager of that business upon my return to Vietnam.
Later, two junior trainees also returned to Vietnam and joined the business. In 2015, we established a local company (an export trading company) and I became the president.
Established Our Own Factory
Factory in HanoiIn April 2018, we established another local company (manufacturing company) and opened our own factory in Hanoi, that manufactures stainless steel kitchenware, etc. A total of 42 people work at the two companies, all of which are Vietnamese.
What I Learned in Japan
Through my technical intern training, I learned how Japanese people work.
- People have a strong sense of responsibility. When they make mistakes, they do not make many excuses and try not to make the same mistake again.
- People make plans and strive to achieve their goals.
- People keep time and promises.
I am very glad that I was able to develop this attitude in Japan.
Experiences of Technical Intern Training #2 “How Much Money Can be Saved through Technical Intern Training?”
How much money can be saved through technical intern training? Let’s look at the case of eight senior Vietnamese technical intern trainees and compare their savings amount in three years.
If you want to know more, check here!
