Program Reviews

From March to July I worked at a young, English speaking company. There I focused on replacing a plastic part of an electronic fluid analyser with a paper part. I got to implement my knowledge of environmental sciences and additionally I learned a new skills in 3D modeling, working with laser cutters, 3D-printing.
Luckily Zentern found an English speaking company because my Japanese is very bad. The initial experience with Zentern and the proces of finding an internship went very well, there was a lot of contact and they listened to my requests very well. They found two possible companies for me to choose from, I decided for the first one and I wasn’t disappointed.
Japan is a super interesting country to do an internship. When living in Tokyo you really get to know how Japan is, instead of being a tourism where you only get a glimpse of Japan and see mostly the touristy places.

Hello, I’m Milo from Australia and just interned in Japan through Zentern early 2020.
Now I’m doing an online internship also through Zentern so I interned with 2 companies on 2 different programs.

I am a Computer Science major and interned with an IT firm in Osaka. I’ve been to Japan before and was doubting between Osaka, Fukuoka or Okinawa. In the end I chose Osaka because I knew my way around and prefer smaller cities.
My internship was awesome. I didn’t have much work experience before but my boss Kuroki-san and colleagues were great. We mainly communicated in English and I was able to fully assist the team to develop custom-made software for one of our clients. The client was a big international firm so being fluent in English and being able to code was a perfect skill haha.
People in Osaka are friendly and it was super easy to make friends. I actually planned going back this July but due to the pandemic my plans were cancelled

Now I am working with a smaller firm and the online communication is no problem. The team is very friendly and we sometimes have a Zoom飲み which is like a get together after work on Zoom. Japanese lessons are included in Zenterns programs so I am still working to improve my language skills..

And that’s why I can’t recommend Zentern enough, instead of going to Japan I am currently working with another IT firm in Japan through their virtual internship program.
Zentern has been great, they’re fast, reliable and take the time to get to know you.
Prices were much cheaper too and I felt they had better relations with many Japanese companies. My coordinator in Osaka has been living here for a long time so he took us out to his favorite spots and places. The activities were fun too. I was finally able to visit Arashiyama and Uji.
In doubt, just reach out to Zentern and see what your options are. Like everyone is saying you really got nothing to lose, only gain! For me, this is an experience that no one can ever take from me and I will always have. Good luck and I will be back in Japan soon!

My experience was quite unique since I worked in a very small company in direct contact with my employer. He was incredibly helpful in sharing all of his insights about the job to make me grow more confident each day and by the end of the internship he offered me the position of English teacher in his school. The support from the program made my stay smooth and comfortable and the group of interns provided me with a network to socialize in the free time. In conclusion It was a great opportunity all around.

Getting to explore the depths of Tokyo was an incredible experience for me. More than anything the experience is what you make of it. The opportunity provided to you is a wonderful work environment, smart and friendly people and close working support that really gives you everything you need to have a profound and permanently life altering experience. You'll be able to make friends with and meet people from around the world and experience one of the world's greatest cities while being embedded deep into the culture and lives of people who call Tokyo their home.

My own teary farewell to the people that I'd worked with was testament to how close of a relationship it is possible to build despite some difficulties with language. At the same moment however if you give it the time and effort it deserves you'll find your ability to speak Japanese will come along in leaps and bounds, being given the best possible soil for it grow in.

I hope that you embrace the opportunity if you can and you give the Zentern staff the opportunity to get you there.

This was my first real internship and doing it online was better than I expected. My team was great and my supervisor made sure that I was involved as much as possible. Currently I am studying business and psychology so I was able to help out my company with consumer behavior, product research, analytics, etc. My supervisor made sure to create a work schedule and deadlines. I felt I spent my time so well, especially in this situation with the whole COVID chaos going on globally.
Time flew so fast and I had no problem with the time difference. My company also organized online events after work which were really fun! Thank you!

I would say that my experience with Zentern was extremely pleasant. We had our fun events, while I did not go for all of them, I am not a big fan of skiing, I still had a lot of fun. Though the best part was the Zentern always having my back. Making sure that when my company had management issued that I came out okay and when my dorm had issues with my rent, they made sure that the issue was solved. I would gladly recommend going on an international internship to anyone, especially those looking for new experinces.

I am 19 and I come from Hong Kong. Though I haven't graduated from the university yet, I am always panicking about not being competitive and my knowledge at the moment is way not enough to fulfil the requirements of my future employers. My university provides 1 and a half month semester break in between two semesters, so I decided not to waste it and find something to enhance myself.
Finding a suitable internship agency is hard. Not only does it need to be professional, but it also need to meet up my own expectations. The main reasons I chose Zentern at last is because of their friendliness and quick response (no My internship coordinator is amazing!). They replied my inquiries patiently and never send a robotic message, which I found them taking good care of every Zenterns. They also found me a good internship place which I met many new friends and explored a lot on Japanese cultures and Marketing and Event Planning field.

Hi everyone!

My name is Kajal. I am a 21-years-old IT-student from the Netherlands.
I have been in Tokyo for 5 months now.
This experience wouldn't be possible if it weren't for Zentern.
They have helped me from the start until the end.
I've always wanted to study abroad or do an internship abroad. So I started to look for internships myself. As a 21-year-old student with no work experience in my field it is really hard to find an internship abroad. I almost thought of giving up, because it was really hard to find something. But then I looked for companies who could help me find an internship. Through a website called ikwilweg.nl I found Zentern. Zentern helped me beyond my expectations, because I always heard a lot of bad stuff about companies who help with internships, so at first I didn't wanted to consider one, but thank god I did.
When I came here I didn't know anyone, but Zentern helped me so much these past five months. At first I thought how am I going to survive here on my own for so long, but then Zentern gave me so many opportunities to connect with other people.
Even before I came to Japan Zentern helped me with a lot to make it my stay more comfortable and less stressful, because as a student you have to think about so many things like housing for example.
Zentern didn't only help me with the basic things like looking for an internship and housing, but because of them I made friends for a lifetime and I was able to see more of Tokyo.
Zentern really made this experience the best one for me. It is something I will never forget. So thank you Zentern for making this a unforgettable experience!
If you ever consider going abroad then just take the risk, because some chances only come once in a lifetime!

Lots of love from

Kajal

I did my internship in Tokyo in an event company as a space designer. It was really interesting and I had improve many software skills and digital draw skills. It was a good experience to learn more about a completely different culture and also to start learning Japanese too. I discovered many amazing places in Tokyo and all around Japan, some places, landscapes and some habit that you can see only in Japan. It was so fun to meet new awesome people from all around the world, to work with them or partying with them. I hope to come back in Japan soon.

Hello, I am Amber from Italy.
I was doubting where to go for an experience abroad. Being half Italian and half British, I grew up with 2 different cultures but wanted to explore and experience something new. Through some online research I found Zentern and glad I did! They have been so helpful and patient with me to make the step to sign up all the way to my arrival to Japan. My internship was at an international company located in Ginza. I was doing a mix of graphic design, app development and video production (my hobby). This is exactly what I wanted to do and didn't think the experience would be better than I have imagined. The Zentern team was always there for me and they gave me a family feeling. In doubt, please go with Zentern! You won't regret it.