G-net links young job seekers with businesses in the Gifu area

G-net, an organization based in the city of Gifu that received the Special Award in the satoyama section of the Sustainable Japan Award 2024 presented by The Japan Times, has been a bridge between job-seeking youths and local enterprises for over 20 years.

G-net was founded in 2001 by Shoji Akimoto, who was then a university student in Tokyo. Shuji Minamida, the current representative director of G-net, said: “Akimoto was born in Gifu but went to university in Tokyo. He started to feel impelled to do something for his waning hometown instead of blaming the decline on economic downturn or other regional issues.”

Akimoto and a few other students began publishing free magazines and organizing events to revitalize a local shopping street. “That was the beginning of G-net,” Minamida said. “A major shift that shaped the current G-net came in 2004, when G-net established its internship program as a regional application of the long-term internship initiative led by the Tokyo-based nonprofit organization ETIC. This was because the founding members came to the understanding that community development begins with nurturing people who are willing to take on new challenges.”

Through G-net’s internship program, university students are given the opportunity to work for six months with leaders of small and medium-size enterprises. “About 20 years ago, such extended internship programs were rare, especially in rural areas,” he said. But there were reasons why G-net believed this program would be highly beneficial for young people. “Local businesses have survived while facing numerous problems, such as the decline of their industry itself and labor shortages. The owners of such companies must be the region’s biggest triers,” he said.

Minamida himself was a university student when he was introduced to G-net, and began working for the organization as an intern while he was in graduate school, before becoming a full-time employee upon graduation in 2009. In 2012, G-net launched a recruiting service that connects new graduates with local companies, as well as a project-based matching service for side jobs and dual employment for people who want to make effective use of their skills and time to contribute to the region while maintaining their current jobs.

Collaboration is also underway with the tentatively named new Co-Innovation University, which aims to open in April 2026 in the Gifu Prefecture city of Hida pending ministry approval. G-net is responsible for developing a program for students to spend a year in selected communities, planning and implementing projects aimed at solving regional problems or revitalizing communities. “We are also communicating with various regions that may be interested in hosting students. It is an exciting opportunity for us to involve various stakeholders to create a greater impact than G-net could do alone,” said Minamida.

There are many other ongoing collaborations with various regions. One example is a training program that connects employees of major companies in metropolitan areas, particularly Tokyo, with various local communities and companies throughout Japan. “All companies of different sizes, industries and locations have their own expertise and know-how. They could be greatly inspired by each other,” Minamida said.

So far, about 300 people from 70 companies, including Japan’s leading automobile and beverage manufacturers, have participated in the program, working on projects as diverse as industrial restructuring following the closure of a thermal power plant, creating new businesses using local forest resources, and addressing the issue of succession in a traditional rice-farming method. In March, 16 participants who had completed their assignments in five different areas, including Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture and Amami Oshima in Kagoshima Prefecture, made presentations in Tokyo.

G-net also launched an initiative called Rookie of the Year to recognize young people who have chosen to build their careers in rural areas and are striving to make a difference. “The first one was held in Miyazaki two years ago, and the second one was held in Nagano in January. We will hold one in Gifu next year,” said Minamida.

It is not only young people who are shaping their future in rural areas. “Businesses are also changing. We have seen companies that were barely surviving, as so-called declining industries, significantly recover their business performance with the presence of passionate young talents who are eager to work there,” he said.

Minamida is confident that what Gifu, a medium-size municipality with a population of 400,000, can achieve can be applied to many other cities across the country. “What will be an asset for Gifu can also be an asset for other municipalities. We are beginning to cooperate with other organizations in other areas to share our expertise in creating solutions for revitalizing rural areas in Japan,” he said.

The Sustainable Japan Award commends individuals, companies and organizations who have made advances in sustainable efforts. To learn more, scan the QR code or visit https://sustainable.japantimes.com/sjaward2024