On February 19^th, 2020 (Wed), 67 students and teachers from the eight ILC Promotion Model Schools of Iwate* gathered for a results presentation for the “Developing Future Human Resources for the ILC Project.”

*An explanation of the ILC Promotion Model Schools initiative can be found below.

The “Developing Future Human Resources for the ILC Project”?

Many students from the ILC Promotion Model Schools attended the presentation

This project has been ongoing since FY 2017* to support the schools designated by Iwate Prefecture as ILC Promotion Model Schools. These schools are working hard to train their students to go on to become human resources that can be involved in the ILC in a number of different fields should the project be realized. This year is the third year for the project.

*Japanese fiscal years run from April to March of the next year.

When you think of human resources that can be involved in the ILC in a number of different fields, what kinds of people and fields do you imagine?

If you thought “scientists and engineers related to the ILC”, then you’re not wrong, but that’s not the whole story.

The realization of the ILC will lead to the formation of an international city of research in the Tohoku region of Japan, as we surmise that there will be new companies, factories, and jobs developed because of it. I wouldn’t be able to count all the opportunities, but for example:

○　In the private sector: Business owners and engineers (drafting/design, electrical and electronic precision design, system controls/programming, equipment design, system development, maintenance work, experimental evaluation, production technology, mold design, architecture, civil engineering, etc)

○　At universities: Professors, instructors at international schools (with nternational Baccalaureate certification) etc

○　At laboratories: Physicists, technicians, scientific engineers, skilled workers, administrative workers, science communicators, campus design, etc

○　Other: NGO workers, lawyers, doctors, civil servants, various planners/instructors, etc

These are the types of work you could see involved with the ILC.

This project’s goal is to train human resources and develop Iwate Prefecture in hopes of the realization of the ILC.

Below you’ll find each model school and what they worked on this fiscal year.

Click to embiggen

Seminar on the ILC – Mizusawa Engineering High School
※　Given by a worker at the Iwate Prefecture Bureau of ILC Promotion

Visit to the ILC Open Labo for learning more about the project – Ichinoseki #1 High School

【Reference 1】　We wrote about this project in the March 1^st, 2018 issue of THE KITAKAMI TIMES:

→　“Students at ILC Promotion Model Schools Hope for the ILC”

https://www.iwate-ilc.jp/eng/ktimes/students-at-ilc-promotion-model-schools-hope-for-the-ilc/

【Reference 2】About the Open Labo in THE KITAKAMI TIMES:

→　“Discover how great the ILC is at the Iwate ILC Open Lab!”

https://www.iwate-ilc.jp/eng/ktimes/discover-how-great-the-ilc-is-at-the-iwate-ilc-open-lab/

The Results Presentation – Each School Presents and Shares Information

We started the project in 2017 and each model school pushed forth its own initiatives as you can see above. In 2018, we had one big change.

Thanks to the suggestion and planning of one of the model schools, Morioka #1 High School, once a year all the schools gather to present on their initiatives, as well as to exchange opinions and information.

This was the second time for such a results presentation, and it was held on February 19 (Wed), 2020.

【Venue】

Iwate Prefectural Office 12^th Floor Special Meeting Room (Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture)

【Program】

In the beginning, Ms. Fujisaki Satomi, ILC Lecturer with the Morioka Regional Development Bureau, gave a talk about the project in order for students to learn and brush up their knowledge.

Ms. Fujisaki’s Seminar

Ms. Fujisaki explained the outline of the ILC as well as its impact on the future – ie, the paths open to Iwate high schoolers should the ILC be realized. Students and teachers alike in the audience that day praised her presentation for being easy to understand and with skillfully prepared slides.

Next, in the afternoon was the main event – the results presentations from each ILC Promotion Model School.

Each school carries out initiatives unique to their own curricula, but I’ll talk about some of the presentations that particularly stuck out in my mind.

Ofunato East High School was designated an ILC Promotion Model School this fiscal year. It is a general vocational-type school, with courses in agriculture, industry, commercial business, and home economy. During their presentation, they showcased what each course was doing for the ILC Promotion Model School project. Some of their initiatives include using English to roleplay selling agricultural products (Agricultural Produce Course), and working to learn technology and acquire certification by building parts that would be necessary to construct the ILC (Machinery Course).

Ofunato East High School Presentation

At Mizusawa High School, they were slated to visit SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Silicon Valley in the USA, so they talked about their upcoming visit and resolutions. They had plans to study not only experiments and research presentations, but also urban design and multiculturalism. At the conclusion of their presentation, they inspired a great deal of faith in them by saying, “We will learn a lot, and go on to contribute that to Iwate in the future.”

Hanamaki Agricultural High School has in the past worked to grow ILC Apples and ILC original goods. This time, their presentation was on growing western vegetables and developing an ILC original sausage. The ILC sausage was made with lamb instead of pork so that members of other religions could eat it. They didn’t only develop a sausage, they also raised the lambs and prepared the raw ingredients into the final product, carrying out all stages of production.

Following the presentations, Ms. Fujisaki (who gave the ILC seminar in the morning), teachers from other schools, and civil servants gave their comments. Some of the comments included: “I was really impressed/learned a lot from your full-fledged project.” “You really used what’s unique about your school, so it was very interesting to hear about. I look forward to what you’ll achieve in the future.”

At the end, nine teams of students gathered in small groups for group work, where they discussed their opinions about how Iwate should change should the ILC be realized. From each group there were numerous proposals and opinions: “After the ILC is realized, many researchers and related industry people will come from abroad, so we need to improve the foreign language ability of the Iwate people, especially English.” “We should promote multiculturalism more.” “In order to improve the convenience of public transportation, we should introduce a system where you can use an electronic IC card for payment.”

Groupwork, discussing intently

I think this results presentation was a great opportunity for ILC Promotion Model School students to talk about their own initiative and activities with other Iwate students, as well as learn from each other and strengthen their ties with their peers.

The Bureau of ILC Promotion at the Iwate Prefectural Government will continue to support the many young people of Iwate to gain the skills to be able to get involved with the ILC in a number of varied fields in the future.