We are pleased to report the launch of the GifTs’ official LinkedIn account, as well as our visit to LinkedIn Japan's headquarters, and participation in a LinkedIn-hosted event.
Karuizawa Community Revitalization Project – 3rd Season
GifTs is excited to launch the Karuizawa Community Revitalization Project – 3rd Season in 2025. We received an overwhelming 45 applications from students across various universities, including the University of Tokyo and Chuo University, for just 15 available spots.
The Karuizawa Community Revitalization Project unites students and working professionals to address challenges in Karuizawa across three key areas: agriculture, inbound tourism, and healthcare. Starting from the 3rd season, we are introducing a shared program for both students and professionals. This new initiative will feature sessions led by professionals with diverse experiences as well as instructors actively engaged in the Karuizawa community. This approach aims to enhance the overall experiential value for all participants, especially the professional ones.
Through this project, participants will gain invaluable experiences that contribute to their personal and professional growth:
- Develop a deep understanding of regional challenges in Karuizawa and collaborate with local residents to explore sustainable solutions.
- Build leadership and management skills by working in teams that span different generations and diverse backgrounds.
- Propose innovative regional revitalization ideas from global perspectives, incorporating insights from emerging regions like the Middle East and Asia.
- Learn from seasoned professionals and instructors with a wealth of experience, helping to advance your career both within and beyond your current organization.
For more details about the program and the latest updates, please visit the official GifTs website.
Visit to LinkedIn Japan Headquarters
On November 14, 2024, Takehiro Ishida, founder and CEO of GifTs, along with Nanaho Ito (a 3rd-year student at Chuo University and a student leader of GifTs) visited LinkedIn Japan's Tokyo headquarters. They met with Mr. Makoto Ishizaka, Partnership Lead & Strategist at LinkedIn Japan.
During the meeting, they discussed GifTs initiatives in Karuizawa and the development of global talent. The discussion highlighted the alignment between GifTs’ vision of fostering global talent and LinkedIn’s mission. It was evident that utilizing LinkedIn’s platform would greatly contribute to achieving this shared vision. Mr. Ishizaka introduced several key benefits of using LinkedIn, providing valuable insights that deepened GifTs’ understanding of the platform. Moving forward, GifTs plans to actively use LinkedIn to promote its activities worldwide.
After the meeting, the group enjoyed a dinner buffet at Cascade Café in the ANA InterContinental Tokyo.
Group photo from the dinner buffet at Crab Club!
Reflecting on this opportunity, Nanaho Ito shared:
"I am truly honored to have visited LinkedIn's headquarters in Tokyo. As a powerful platform widely used in professional settings, LinkedIn is invaluable for recruiting professionals for GifTs and regularly sharing our initiatives. I aim to promote the use of LinkedIn among both students and professionals through GifTs’ activities."
A plate with "GifTs × LinkedIn" written on it
LinkedIn Career Night
On November 20, 2024, GifTs student members attended "LinkedIn Career Night," a career-focused event held at LinkedIn's Roppongi office. The event aimed to foster career ownership among students, providing opportunities to interact with HR professionals from various companies.
GifTs participants included Cocona Yonekawa (3rd year, Chuo University), Mirai Sakaki (3rd year, Chuo University), and Satoshi Yamaguchi (1st-year master’s student, Institute of Science Tokyo).
Photo from the event: GifTs operation members (3 from the left) with participating students (4th from the left)
Event Highlights:
・ LinkedIn for Students: A free lecture conducted by a LinkedIn employee
・ Panel Discussion: Insights shared by HR professionals from diverse industries
・ Group Roundtable Discussions: Small group interactions to exchange ideas
・ Networking Session: Opportunities for free networking with participants and professionals
Catering at the Free Networking Session.
Cocona Yonekawa reflected on her experience:
"There were so many inspiring participants, including those leading student organizations and those planning to join business competitions. I learned a lot about LinkedIn’s potential for business applications and built meaningful connections. I am eager to start using LinkedIn actively."
Through this event, GifTs student members gained valuable insights into career development. GifTs will continue to leverage LinkedIn to acquire knowledge and build connections for the future.
About LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the world's largest business-oriented social networking platform, with over one billion users globally. By creating a LinkedIn profile showcasing their work experience, skills, and academic background, users can utilize the platform for job hunting, networking, and professional growth.
Globally recognized as an essential tool for career development and talent recruitment, LinkedIn is gradually expanding its presence in Japan. GifTs student members have already started using LinkedIn and launched an official account. Going forward, GifTs plans to further expand its presence on the platform to enhance its outreach and impact.
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For more information about GifTs, please visit our official website. To learn more about past activities of the Karuizawa Community Revitalization Project, refer to our previous press releases.
Editors: Satoshi Yamaguchi (Lead Editor), Amy Crawley (Support Editor), Nanaho Ito (Japanese Editor)
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