Employee Spotlight: Ikuko Nakamoto

This week in our “Employee Spotlight” series, we meet Ikuko Nakamoto, who discusses her career and experiences at JERA. Don’t forget to like the JERA page for more employee stories and to keep up to date with our latest position openings.

Please tell us a little about you

I've wanted to help the environment since I was little. I think it's because of my vague anxiety about the future of the planet. Therefore, I have always thought about how I can contribute to solving the world’s energy problems. When I was in college, I was involved in researching cheap materials for the purpose of popularizing solar panels. During that time I also enjoyed attending academic conferences and then trying delicious local food afterwards!

After finishing graduate school, I joined Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO).

As a chemical engineer at TEPCO, I worked on the operation and maintenance of power plants and on technical proposals. I found it rewarding to investigate problems and then finding the solutions. During that time I also wrote two patents and three papers.

?What is your role at JERA and what do you enjoy the most about your role?

At JERA I am a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Section. The D&I Section strives to promote diversity and inclusion with a vision of "making our employees and their families happy" and "encouraging growth that enhances JERA's corporate value.” Because JERA is a company that conducts business globally, it is important to have a workplace atmosphere where diverse opinions are encouraged. It is my role to plan and implement measures with this goal in mind.

Once a year the D&I Section holds a movie viewing session, and I enjoy seeing the response to the content each time.

I think movies have the power to move people. If a movie matches the message that D&I wants to send to employees, then it is the perfect opportunity to present that message through storytelling. A lot of the movies we show don't have clear answers, but I think it's an excellent exercise for employees to think about diversity and inclusion in a way that might simulate real-life situations.

By the way, the movie of 2021 was Yoko Sato's My Hero and 2022 was Hayao Nakagawa's Karankoe no Hana.

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What attracted you to JERA as a company?

As the largest power generation company in Japan, I was attracted to the opportunity to join a company that is leading the way to a low-carbon society.

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What has been the most transformative experience you’ve had since joining JERA?

The biggest has been the experience of balancing my career and being a parent. Up until now, I had the option to commit 100% of my time to work, but since becoming a mother, I have no choice but to balance my time. It is a daily struggle to find that balance. However, this kind of experience is not unique to me. There are many employees who are also mothers and parents, so I, a member of the D&I Section, would like to use my experience to advocate for a better work environment for women and parents.

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What’s one piece of advice you would share with your younger self?

To learn more English…

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What would you tell someone that is interested in joining JERA?

Our company's mission is to provide cutting-edge solutions to the world's energy problems. Because climate change is such an important issue, I believe that it is extremely rewarding to be involved in a company where you can have such a large impact.

We hope you enjoyed getting to know Ikuko and learning about her journey at JERA. If you are interested in learning more about?#LifeatJERA?or you’re looking for a new challenge this year, check out the open positions under “Jobs” and stay connected with us by following the JERA LinkedIn page. We’re Hiring, with some position linked below, so check them out!