Shouna Murase
INTERVIEW
Politics, Philosophy, Law and Economics
Intern in the Human Resources Department
Shouna is from Malaysia, currently studying at the IE University in Madrid, Spain. She is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Politics, Philosophy, Law & Economics. Shouna interned with us at our Group Collaboration Promotion Department in the Human Resources Division at Osaka Headquarters for 9 weeks.
Why did you want to intern at Sumitomo Electric?
As an ambitious professional, I wanted to intern at Sumitomo Electric as it is a global leader in a variety of industries such as automotive, electronics, and energy. It was a dream come true to work with industry professionals and, indirectly through Human Resources, contribute to the creation of groundbreaking initiatives.
Throughout my academic career at IE University, I've been fascinated by the convergence between law and sustainable solutions to human resources and human rights. The Sumitomo Electric Global Internship Program perfectly matched my professional goals since it provided a unique chance to work on a variety of projects, get practical experience, and contribute to important activities that benefit society.
What was the most interesting thing you learned from this internship?
Academically, the most interesting thing I learned academically was laws in the Greater China region as I was investigating the human rights situation of the Sumitomo Electric Group companies. The laws were very reflective of the history and cultural backgrounds of the region.
Professionally, this internship taught me so much about how a company functions, especially in the eyes of the Human Resources Department. It was eye-opening to see the cohesion of every department supporting the company.
What was a typical workday like for an intern at SEI?
I would wake up at around 6 in the morning, get ready for work, and have breakfast in the dorm canteen. I would then commute to work by train. Once I arrived at the Sumitomo Building, I would go to my desk and fire up my laptop, ready to begin the day! However, before the workday officially started, a chime would go off and Radio Taiso [calisthenics on the radio] would play, and we would stretch. Then we would work until lunchtime. For lunch, we would go down to the canteen and eat with our team. Within our team, we would discuss miscellaneous topics and get to know each other. After lunch, we would head back to work until the end of the workday.
When the chime goes off for the end of the day, I would finish up my work and then we would make our way to the train station, which has many stores and restaurants. I would shop to my heart’s content every evening, buying a range of stuff from desserts to shoes to cute stickers. When I got back to the dorm, I would freshen up and go down to the canteen for dinner. At dinner time, I would catch up with the other interns and ask about their day as they worked at the R&D Department, and it was interesting to hear because they had a completely different work life than I did.
How has the internship helped shape your career?
This internship opened a new horizon for my area of interest, specifically human resources. I can now picture in my mind the path of a potential future career. It clarified whether the “real” job matched what I had in mind.
SEI was a great stepping stone to begin my HR journey as it is such a large and global company employing a vast number of employees from various backgrounds. This experience helped me gain a broader understanding of the functions of HR.
What advice do you have for future students considering this internship?
To have an open mind about everything and be curious about what everyone around you is doing. At least for me, my ultimate goal of this internship was to experience what a 9-to-5 office life would be like. To fully grasp this, I think it was imperative for me to have explored what others are doing both within and outside my department. I was able to do so in this internship, and it made me realize that there was so much more to one department than what you would imagine from a typical job description.
