Doan Son, who works in the Control Design Team of the Project Design Department at the Shiga Plant, has been in Japan for a year since coming from his native Vietnam. He is honing his skills through designing electrical control circuits for the shuttle-type automated warehouse system "SAS-R" (a new model of the shuttle-type automated warehouse system "SystemaStreamer" that pursues high speed and compactness), and is steadily aiming to advance his career alongside his colleagues. We will share how he overcomes cultural and linguistic differences to understand business operations and work to improve efficiency.

When I attended a job fair held locally while I was enrolled at Hanoi University of Technology, I was impressed by the high level of the "SAS-R." I wondered where this product was made... When I looked at the company name, it was written as "ITOKI." That was my first encounter with ITOKI.

When I visited, I was struck by the beautiful office and the lively people working there. I thought, "I want to work for this company," and decided without hesitation to take the company entrance exam.

Since being assigned to my current department, I have been involved in the design of the "SAS-R," which was also the reason I joined the company. My main job is modifying drawings to match customer specifications. Whenever additional parts or shape changes occur, I create drawings and deploy them to the site.

It's been a year since I came to Japan. My Japanese is still not perfect, but I try to actively communicate with my colleagues. By looking up technical terms I don't understand, translating them into Vietnamese, and reviewing them, I feel that my understanding of industry terminology has improved little by little, and the scope of my work has expanded.

On my days off, I attend local Japanese language study groups to improve my Japanese. I also participate in speech contests and local festivals, which increases my opportunities to interact with people outside of work.

While working at Itoki, I have developed the habit of asking myself questions such as "Why is this part needed now?" and "Why does this task occur?" This is largely due to the influence of my senior colleagues. Senior colleagues with extensive product knowledge are able to make appropriate decisions when working.

I want to reach that level as soon as possible. I think it's important to first understand the content of the work. For example, if you understand the use and purpose of even a single part used in the SAS-R, you will have a higher level of understanding when you are taught, and it will reduce the burden on your senior colleagues. Ultimately, this will lead to improved work quality.

Another big lesson I learned was that in Japan, work is managed based on work hours and man-hours. Even if you spend five hours on a task that should take two hours, the resulting product will only be equivalent to two hours. Completing work within the allotted time also helps to keep to the schedule for the entire manufacturing process. I feel that this awareness will help me speed up and improve my skills, so I am working hard at my job.

The most memorable job I've ever had was when my boss entrusted me with creating blueprints for a certain project. Up until then, I'd mainly been in support roles, so this was the first project I was entrusted with as the main project.
It was my first time working on a project from the beginning, and I faced a series of difficult situations, but with the enthusiastic support of my seniors and superiors, I was able to complete the project successfully.

My dream is to improve my skills, learn new knowledge, and become a skilled designer. To achieve this, I need to learn about products and carry out many experiments. Only through experience can I know whether a part will work as expected or function as expected after replacing it. That experience will help me improve.

I also want to help my Vietnamese colleagues who work at the Shiga factory like me. Since coming to Japan, I have had many difficulties in my daily life, such as opening a bank account and finding a doctor's appointment. If any of my colleagues want to come to Japan in the future, I would like to act as an intermediary and support them.

Furthermore, there are many reliable senior colleagues at the Shiga Plant. I would like to repay the kindness of everyone who kindly supports me when I don't understand something about my work. To that end, I would be very happy if I could live and work in Japan for a long time and, as a result, have the opportunity to advance my career. I will continue to hone my skills in order to contribute to the development of Itoki and Japan.