Recruitment Begins for Paid Internship 'IT Engineer Career Creation Program' for Students and Graduates with Disabilities ~ Supporting Career Development and Employment through 'Onboarding,' 'Training,' and 'Practice' ~

Japan Research Institute (Head Office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Jun Uchikawa; hereinafter "JRI"), Mynavi Partners, Inc. (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President and Executive Officer: Yu Fujimoto; hereinafter "Mynavi Partners"), and Encourage Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Osaka-shi, Osaka; Representative Director: Takashi Kubo; hereinafter "Encourage") announced today, March 30th, the start of recruitment for participants in the 'IT Engineer Career Creation Program' (hereinafter "this internship"), a developmental paid internship for students and graduates with disabilities. This program will commence at JRI in August 2026, aiming to support career formation and employment through "Onboarding," "Training," and "Practice."

Background and Purpose of This Internship's Implementation

In recent years, the number of employed people with disabilities has been increasing. However, a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Note 1) found that over 60% of companies feel challenges in employing people with disabilities, with "Are there suitable jobs within the company?" being the most frequently cited concern regarding job creation. Furthermore, looking at industries, the "information and communications industry," which requires high levels of specialization, has an actual employment rate of 2.06%, significantly lower than the overall average of 2.41% (Note 2), indicating that people with disabilities are not sufficiently gaining opportunities to thrive. Against this backdrop, the three companies launched this internship with the belief that "even IT-inexperienced students and graduates with disabilities, if they are seriously committed to becoming IT engineers, can take the first step towards becoming engineers who support Japan's financial infrastructure." The aim is to support career development and expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities as IT engineers.

Overview of This Internship

This internship is a developmental paid internship where students and graduates with disabilities can acquire the foundational skills to become successful engineers, even with no prior IT experience. Over approximately six months, participants will gain learning and practical experience through three stages: "Onboarding," "Training," and "Practice." A distinctive feature is the comprehensive learning of essential IT and business fundamentals for aspiring IT professionals, alongside self-care techniques. Participants will acquire fundamental IT skills at JRI, a core IT company within the SMBC Group, with understanding and support tailored for individuals with disabilities. Furthermore, from mid-term, it will be possible to gain practical experience in tasks similar to actual work while receiving a salary. JRI will also consider hiring participants full-time after this internship. 【IT Engineer Career Creation Program Outline】 ・Program Period: August 2026 – late February 2027, 4 weekdays a week (maximum approx. 6-7 months) ・Location: JRI Tokyo Head Office (Osaki Forest Building, 2-18-1 Higashi-Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo) ・Target Audience: Those who have graduated or are expected to graduate from vocational schools, junior colleges, colleges of technology, or university undergraduate/master's/doctoral programs by the end of March 2027, and who possess or are applying for a disability certificate. *Anyone can apply regardless of work experience. ・Program Structure: 【Phase 1: Introductory Seminar (August – September 2026)】 This is a preparatory period to build a foundation before starting IT studies, deepening understanding of disabilities and self-understanding, and learning basic business etiquette and fundamentals of the financial and IT industries. It is an onboarding phase to establish a daily rhythm, foundational attitude towards learning and work, and acquire the skill of "continuous learning." 【Phase 2: First Half Internship