IHI Employees Give Presentation at “Industry-Academia-Government Joint Symposium on Employment of University Graduates who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing” Hosted by Tsukuba University of Technology
IHI took part in the “Industry-Academia-Government Joint Symposium on Employment of University Graduates who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing” hosted by Tsukuba University of Technology in Tokyo on February 13. This symposium is held annually to provide information to companies and to foster a greater understanding of inclusive employment practices. The topics discussed included challenges faced by Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals in the workplace, possible solutions, and what students can do during their university years to prepare for the future. The theme for the 2025 symposium was “Practical Examples of Promoting Diversity for the Success of People with Disabilities: Toward Realizing a Society Where We Work Together.” The event was attended by 42 people, including university staff and corporate human resource personnel.
IHI has established a head office organization (the Human Resources Division’s Headquarters HR Group operational support team) that specializes in promoting the active participation of employees with disabilities. Since fiscal year 2018, dedicated support staff have provided support tailored to individual circumstances, and IHI has improved its support systems to encompass all types of matters related to work and company life. There are now similar organizations in IHI’s Yokohama, Akishima, and Soma sites.
On the day of the symposium, Rie Sekine, a support staff member from the IHI head office, gave a presentation on IHI’s support for the active participation of people with disabilities. In her presentation, she discussed the roles of the operational support team, how IHI engages with employees with disabilities, and the importance of providing support so that employees with disabilities can work to develop their own careers and achieve autonomy. Sekine emphasized how important it is, when working with employees with disabilities as a support staff member, to always keep in mind that the things one takes for granted may not always apply to others, to bridge the gap and seek common ground, and to make reasonable accommodations* on an individual basis, because hearing difficulties aren’t the only work-related hurdle faced by employees with hearing impairments.
- Reasonable accommodation: Taking necessary and reasonable action to eliminate obstacles that people with disabilities face in their lives
The IHI Group will continue to actively support the hiring, human resource development, and career development of employees with disabilities and will work to create workplace environments in which each and every employee can thrive.