The Sony Group holds "Career Start Dash Seminars” for university students preparing for job hunting, focusing on how students can utilize their own experiences, knowledge, and skills to play an active role in society, regardless of disability.

The experiences and skills of students with disabilities should not be limited to jobs and tasks specifically targeted at individuals with disabilities. It is essential to create environments where their unique strengths as individuals can be fully utilized. To help individuals thrive in such environments, we have been offering programs for over 10 years that provide opportunities for discussions with other people with disabilities—experiences that are said to be rare during their student years—as well as programs that help them understand their own strengths and weaknesses.

This annual seminar is held around three times over a period of approximately six months. Through a combination of individual work done independently and group work where participants share their thoughts with one another, the seminar begins by focusing on communicating one's own feelings and situations. Ultimately, participants develop their own personal action plans for job hunting and future employment.

Here is some feedback we have received from past participants:

• I realized that the goal of job hunting is not to find a place to work, but that it is important to be mindful of why I want to work, what I want to do and where, and how I perceive my own disability.
• I now understand that, regardless of disability, my own feelings are important, and it is essential to take initiative in my efforts.
• Through the group work, I learned that there were others who had the same concerns and questions that I did, and I felt motivated knowing that there are others who are working hard to find a job despite their disabilities.
• I had many anxieties about job hunting and was filled with uncertainty, but this event provided me with valuable insights into my future job search and life path, making it a very meaningful experience. I had a hard time asking others for advice, but I realized that I need to have the courage to ask without hiding anything. From now on, I will try to see every situation as something personal that I can learn from. Thank you so much.
• I am very grateful to the Sony Group after participating these programs. Honestly, during the first session, I had a lot of anxieties and was unsure if I could do it, but as the sessions progressed, I became more positive and felt a strong desire to challenge myself and expand what I can do. All three sessions were very meaningful and I learned a lot.

Students are encouraged to not set finding a job as their final goal, but to use these seminars as a starting point for becoming employed and thriving in their careers. Regardless of whether they end up working for the Sony Group or not, we support the career development of many students with disabilities.

Carrying on the vision of our founders, the Sony Group will continue its efforts to ensure that each student, regardless of their disability status, can take on challenges and build their careers.