Our “Newcastles of the World” alliance led to a dream work placement for a Northumbria University (Newcastle upon Tyne) student. For almost a year, mechanical engineering student Chris Brownhill swapped Newcastle upon Tyne for the city of Shinshiro in Japan. Through the alliance Chris secured a year-long work placement at the Japanese cutting tool manufacturing company OSG, based near Shinshiro.
The story of Chris’ experience in Japan has been written up in detail as a case study which we hope will encourage others to follow.
Having wanted to visit Japan for as long as he can remember, his placement was a dream come true. Chris (pictured below with former Shinshiro Mayor Ryoji Hozumi, and also at the OSG factory) enjoyed immersing himself in Japanese culture and learning as much as he could. “I knew everything would be completely different, but that is what appealed to me – the culture, the cuisine and of course the language. I was doing my best to learn Japanese once I found out I had secured the placement. My thanks are to OSG, the city of Shinshiro and the Newcastles of the World Alliance who reached out a helping hand to create this arrangement – and gave me the warmest of welcomes.”
Chris is the first student to secure a placement through Newcastles of the World and it is hoped further international opportunities for work and study will follow. Zélie Guérin, Newcastles of the World Project Director, said: “One of the aims of the project has always been to enable connections through business and education so this placement brings those two together.” Caroline Theobald CBE is Chair of Northumbria University’s Newcastle Business School Advisory Board, as well as a Trustee of Newcastles of the World in Newcastle upon Tyne , and she helped establish the relationship with OSG. She said: “I met the team from OSG at a business seminar and they were very interested in forging links with Northumbria through Newcastles of the World. They are a global manufacturer and recruit some of the best graduates around the world, so this link with Northumbria University will have benefited both organisations. The year has been an amazing experience for Christopher and one which will shape his future career.”
newcastlesoftheworld.com 