Internship Experience at Airlangga University in Indonesia (Noa Yokogawa)

From August 25 to September 29, 2025, I conducted an internship at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Airlangga University, Surabaya, under the supervision of Dr. Rossanto Dwi Handoyo. During this period, my main activities consisted of (1) conducting qualitative research on vocational high schools (SMKs) and (2) delivering guest lectures to undergraduate students. Through these activities, I was able to gain practical research experience and also develop a multifaceted understanding of the current state and challenges of vocational education in Indonesia, which is relevant to my doctoral research.

Regarding the qualitative research, I visited 16 vocational high schools in Surabaya and conducted interviews with teachers, students, and school public relations staff. I was responsible for preparing the interview guide, carrying out the interviews, and thereby collecting extensive information on the realities of the connection between education and employment. I also observed classroom teaching, practical training, and school facilities that are donated by partnership companies to the school. In addition, I organized the interview transcripts and observation notes to make them usable for analysis. This allowed me to enhance my research skills across the full cycle of research design, implementation, and analysis. Moreover, during the internship, demonstrations occurred in Indonesia, forcing me to reschedule part of my fieldwork. This experience highlighted the uncertainty inherent in field research and the importance of adaptability and flexibility.

As for the guest lectures, I delivered two sessions to undergraduate students in the Faculty of Economics and Business. The lectures focused on contemporary challenges surrounding Indonesian vocational high schools, particularly the issue of skill mismatch, which I explained with reference to my own research findings. The students actively raised questions and shared opinions, enabling interactive discussions. This experience provided me with fresh perspectives through dialogue with local students and reaffirmed the significance of sharing research outcomes with the educational community.

Overall, the internship not only deepened my field-level understanding of vocational education in Indonesia but also strengthened my practical skills in the field work. Furthermore, delivering lectures enhanced my ability to communicate research findings to broader audiences and reinforced my sense of responsibility in educational engagement.

I sincerely appreciate that professors and students at Airlangga University warmly welcomed me. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Rossanto Dwi Handoyo and the faculty members of the Faculty of Economics and Business, particularly the Department of Economics, for their kind support and thorough guidance. I also extend my sincere thanks to Mr. Rendy and the undergraduate students who assisted me tirelessly with interview coordination and transcription. Last but not least, I would like to thank my Ph.D. supervisor, Professor Keiichi Ogawa, who encouraged me and arranged this internship.