Cambia Survey: Over 80% of STEM Students Report Academic Disruption Due to Early Job Hunting

Cambia Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Yuma Koyama), operator of the recruitment website 'Rikei Match', conducted a survey among 194 STEM students graduating in 2028. The survey investigated their participation in internships and 'open company' events, as well as the impact of the early commencement of job-hunting activities.

■ About the Survey
Target Audience: STEM students expected to graduate in 2028
Number of Respondents: 194
Survey Period: June 4 (Thursday) to June 7 (Sunday), 2026
Method: Online questionnaire

■ Key Findings on Job Hunting Status
- All respondents are STEM students, with 92.8% being undergraduates.
- The most common start time for job hunting was "After April 2026" (48.5%).
- 53.6% of students have participated in "0" internships or open company events.
- 23.2% plan to participate in "3 companies" by the end of September.
- The most desired internship format is "Work Experience" (37.1%).
- The primary goal for joining internships is "To lead to early or main selection processes" (51.0%).
- Top criteria for choosing a company are "Job type/Work content" and "Relevance to major."
- 72.7% of students feel that recruitment activities start "early."
- 83.5% experience a tangible impact on their student life due to early job hunting.

[1] Major Fields of Study
Among the 194 respondents, the most common major was Mechanical Engineering with 46 students (23.7%). This was followed by Information Technology (39 students, 20.1%), Electrical and Electronic Engineering (32 students, 16.5%), Chemistry (20 students, 10.3%), Biology (15 students, 7.7%), Physics (10 students, 5.2%), and Civil Engineering/Architecture (6 students, 3.1%).

[2] Academic Affiliation
The majority of respondents were undergraduates (180 students, 92.8%). Others included Master's students (6 students, 3.1%) and Technical College students (4 students, 2.1%). As the survey was heavily centered on undergraduates, the results strongly reflect the job-hunting trends of undergraduate STEM students.

[3] Job Hunting Start Period
The most frequent response for starting job-hunting activities was "After April 2026" with 94 students (48.5%), followed by "Have not started yet" with 46 students (23.7%). Conversely, 54 students (27.8%) had already begun before March of their junior year, indicating a significant segment of early starters.

[4] Internship Participation Rate
Regarding participation in internships and open companies so far, "0 companies" was the most common response at 104 students (53.6%). However, 90 students (46.4%) had participated in at least one, with 5 students (2.6%) having already attended five or more.

[5] Target Number of Internships by End of September
When asked how many companies they wish to participate with by the end of September, "3 companies" was the top choice for 45 students (23.2%). This was followed by 2 companies (17.0%), 5 companies (14.9%), and 4 companies (13.9%).

[6] Preferred Internship Format
The most desired format was "Work Experience" (72 students, 37.1%), followed by "Company/Factory Tours" (23.2%), "Employee Roundtables" (16.0%), "Long-term Practical Internships" (11.9%), and "Group Work" (8.2%). STEM students show a strong preference for programs that offer concrete insights into actual tasks and work environments.

[7] Purpose of Internship Participation (Up to 2 answers)
The top reason was "To lead to early or main selection processes" with 99 students (51.0%). This was followed by "To find suitable work" (33.0%), "To understand job types and work content" (32.0%), and "To deepen understanding of industries and companies" (28.9%).

[8] Criteria for Choosing a Company (Up to 2 answers)
The primary criterion was "Job type/Work content" for 71 students (36.6%), closely followed by "Relevance to major" for 69 students (35.6%). STEM students highly prioritize how they can utilize their specialized studies in their future roles.

[9] Perception of Recruitment Start Timing
72 students (37.1%) felt it was "Slightly early," and 69 students (35.6%) felt it was "Earlier than expected." Combined, 72.7% (141 students) perceive the start of recruitment activities as premature.

[10] Impact of Early Job Hunting on Student Life
To measure the actual impact on classes, research, and extracurriculars, the survey found that 85 students (43.8%) felt it was "Slightly impacting" and 77 students (39.7%) felt it was "Significantly impacting." A total of 162 students (83.5%) acknowledged some level of disruption, highlighting the challenge STEM students face in balancing rigorous academic requirements with job hunting.

■ About 'Rikei Match'
'Rikei Match' is a scout-type direct recruiting platform specialized for STEM undergraduates. Students can receive scout offers from companies simply by registering a profile, and can utilize Generative AI features for resume creation and interview diagnostics. Companies use it not only for graduate hiring but also for recruiting short and long-term interns across all academic years.