My sales forecasting job is like a "bridge" that maximizes company profits by preventing lost opportunities such as "receiving orders but not being able to prepare the products to sell," and by improving factory performance through the most efficient manufacturing process.

It's often assumed that we only start preparing to manufacture after an order is confirmed, but in reality, that's often too late. Depending on the product, we may need to source materials from overseas, or we may need to hire more people to increase the number of employees at the factory. Therefore, it's crucial to deliver as much information as possible to the factory as early as possible.

To achieve this, we collaborate with the sales team to obtain sales information and quotes, analyze market share and market conditions, and gather data from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives, constantly experimenting and refining our approach each month.

My next goal is to introduce AI into sales forecasting. Currently, many processes are still analog, so I want to use AI to further improve accuracy and contribute to maximizing company-wide profits. My current objective is to create a forecasting system that eliminates losses.

I've loved making things since I was a child, and I studied welding and machine control at a technical high school, so I joined Itoki with the desire to put those skills to good use. For me, WORK-Style is a wonderful thing because it allows you to leave something behind for future generations, whether tangible or intangible. That's why I had a particularly strong desire to gain work experience as soon as possible.

After a first year where I was completely absorbed in the work in front of me, I gradually began to see the structure of the company. The turning point was a meeting with my boss. When I told him, "I want to get promoted because I want a raise," he said, "Are you trying to understand what the higher-ups are doing? You won't get promoted if you think about things from the perspective of someone on the front lines." This completely changed my way of thinking.

Until then, I had only looked at the production plan and thought, "I just need to get this done today," but now I've become much more aware of "what the higher-ups are doing."

Seeing the team leader set goals for each of the factory's six areas (safety, environment, quality, production, cost, and human resource development), I became proactive not only in achieving my own goals but also in achieving the team's goals. I was almost trying to take over the team leader's job (laughs).

As a result, I was gradually entrusted with more and more responsibilities in place of the team leader, and with the support of those around me, I was promoted two years later. I believe that maintaining this "higher perspective" was what led to my promotions to section chief and department head.

As I continued to get promoted, I naturally encountered obstacles. To achieve my own goals, I could act on my own, but when I was in a position to manage subordinates, I needed to change the mindset of each and every member of the team.
I realized that I couldn't accomplish anything unless I thought about how to inspire and motivate everyone.

Up until then, I had only been expressing my own desires, but now I've started focusing on "eliciting" opinions from the members. At first, I was communicating with everyone in the same way, so I made a lot of mistakes.

What we do to create an environment where we can speak openly and honestly with each other is to first acknowledge and respect the other person's opinion, and then to create opportunities for members to express their opinions.

I make a point of having the employee explain their improvement plans themselves, or having them attend meetings, so that evaluators can see their efforts. I want to create the same environment for others because that's how I myself was given opportunities.

When I became a section chief at the youngest age, I felt pressured, wondering, "Can I really handle this?" I was still inexperienced and felt there was still so much to learn. But my boss encouraged me by saying, "Since you've been appointed, the company recommended you for this position, so have absolute confidence in yourself," which really motivated me.

My perspective has changed even more since I got closer to management. Now, I'm constantly thinking about how what I need to do directly contributes to the company's profits. Upstream to achieving our goals are the sales and profits necessary to keep the company afloat. I strongly felt that the subject of my thinking shifted from myself to my team, and finally to the company itself.

Itoki is a company that properly evaluates effort and growth, regardless of age or educational background. I hope that my promotion to section chief, despite being a high school graduate, will motivate younger employees by showing them, "If he can do it, I can too!"

Actually, when I first joined the company, I intended to focus solely on manufacturing and build my career from there. However, my supervisor at the time taught me that "it's important to know more about the pre-manufacturing processes," which led me to recognize the importance of material procurement and production management.

In learning about the pre-manufacturing processes, I've moved between various departments and teams, gaining a wide range of experiences. While transfers can be challenging, they also present opportunities. I believe that personnel decisions are made because they see something in me that suits my abilities and actions, and that I have a unique mission to fulfill.

Furthermore, you can make your current job enjoyable depending on your own efforts. When I was working on-site, in addition to the tasks in front of me, I found immense joy in bringing my own ideas to life, such as welding to make safety covers or creating improvement tools myself. I also built deep relationships with people and enjoyed casual conversations, and I've always found things to enjoy with each transfer, so I've never once found work a chore.

I generally try to view things positively. I want to tell young people who want to succeed early in life to "think positively." Instead of looking for reasons why something can't be done, think about how it can be done and how it can be improved.

Of course, there may be some things that are truly impossible, but I hope you'll think about what you can do before giving up. Positive thinking is surprisingly rare, so I think it will make you stand out.

Furthermore, I would like to say, "Take the initiative and speak up." I want you to tell your superiors what you want to do more often. When I was transferred to a different department, I persistently communicated, saying, "Please let me have another meeting!" until I was satisfied (laughs). I think there were many things that wouldn't have changed if I hadn't spoken up.

Everyone has their own thoughts and feelings, so don't hesitate to express them, and opportunities will surely open up. Itoki is a company that helps you gain not only work experience but also ways of thinking and experiences that can be used in life. Work is there to make a living, so we want you to enjoy gaining experience. I'm sure an interesting view awaits you beyond that.