Recruitment Begins for Paid Internship "IT Engineer Career Creation Program" for Students and Recent Graduates with Disabilities

Nippon Research Institute, Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Jun Uchikawa, hereinafter "NRI"), Mynavi Partners Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Yu Fujimoto, hereinafter "Mynavi Partners"), and Encourage Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Osaka; President: Takashi Kubo, hereinafter "Encourage") today, March 30th, begin accepting applications for the "IT Engineer Career Creation Program" (hereinafter the "Internship"), a training-oriented paid internship program for students and recent graduates with disabilities, which will commence at NRI in August 2026.

Background and Objectives In recent years, the number of employed individuals with disabilities has been on an upward trend. However, a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Note 1) indicates that over 60% of companies perceive challenges in employing people with disabilities, with the most frequently cited issue being the creation of suitable job roles, such as "whether appropriate work exists within the company." Furthermore, when looking at industries, the "Information and Communications" sector, which requires advanced expertise, has an actual employment rate of 2.06% (Note 2), significantly lower than the overall average of 2.41%, indicating that individuals with disabilities are not fully provided with opportunities to thrive. In light of this situation, the three companies have launched this internship with the aim of supporting the career development of individuals with disabilities as IT engineers and expanding their employment opportunities, driven by the belief that "even students and recent graduates with disabilities who are new to IT can take a step towards becoming engineers who support Japan's financial infrastructure, provided they are determined to become IT engineers."

Overview of the Internship This internship is a training-oriented paid program designed to equip students and recent graduates with disabilities, who are new to IT, with the foundational skills necessary to succeed as engineers. Over approximately six months, participants will accumulate learning and practical experience through three stages: "Onboarding," "Training," and "Practice." A key feature is the comprehensive learning of IT and business fundamentals required for an IT career, along with self-care and other essential skills. Participants will acquire the basics of IT roles at NRI, a core IT company within the SMBC Group, while receiving understanding and support tailored for individuals with disabilities. Furthermore, from midway through the program, participants will receive a salary and gain experience in tasks closely resembling actual work. Following this internship, NRI will consider the future full-time employment of participants.

〇 Program Period: Weekdays, 4 days a week, from August 2026 to late February 2027 (maximum of approximately 6-7 months) 〇 Location: NRI Tokyo Headquarters (Osaki Forest Building, 2-18-1 Higashi-Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo) 〇 Eligibility: Students graduating (or expected to graduate) by the end of March 2027 from vocational schools, junior colleges, higher technical colleges, or university undergraduate, master's, or doctoral programs, who possess or are applying for a disability certificate. *Individuals with or without prior work experience are welcome to apply. 〇 Program Structure: 【Stage 1: Introduction Seminar (August - September 2026)】 This is a preparatory period before starting IT learning, focusing on deepening understanding of disabilities and self-awareness, and learning the basics of professional conduct and the finance/IT industries. It is an onboarding phase to establish a daily rhythm and a fundamental attitude towards learning and work, fostering the ability to "continue learning." 【Stage 2: First Half Internship (October 2026 - January 2027)】 Participants will acquire IT fundamentals, primarily through NRI's unique IT engineer training program, which covers everything from programming basics to practical development methods. Business fundamentals and self-care training will be conducted concurrently, making this a training phase to build foundational skills for aspiring engineers from an IT-unfamiliar background. 【Stage 3: Second Half Internship (January - February 2027)】 Participants will be provisionally assigned to actual departments and experience tasks closely related to real work. They will receive follow-up support, such as regular interviews, to understand actual job duties and confirm their own aptitude. This is a practical phase where participants can concretely envision their careers as IT engineers through IT training that further develops the skills learned in the first half of the internship. 〇 How to Apply: Please check the job information and apply via the link below. "IT Engineer Career Creation Program"