Employee Spotlight: Shigeru Morita

This week in our Employee Spotlight series, we meet Shigeru Morita, who discusses his 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

First, I will tell you about my career journey. Prior to joining JERA, a majority of my career was spent in manufacturing.

After graduating from university, I initially worked at a precision equipment manufacturer company that handles cameras, medical equipment and more. There I worked in the administration department, mainly in HR. At that company, I had the opportunity to work on a project to establish a new company in an industrial park in Cebu, Philippines. Specifically, I worked with local experts such as a law firm and accounting firm to establish a company, obtained approval for investment in a special economic zone, and secured a location for a factory. I became the first expatriate of the company I established in the Philippines and acted as the manager of the administration department. I was responsible for recruiting employees, building systems and infrastructure and creating living environments for expatriates who would be transferred there later.

After returning to Japan from the Philippines, I changed jobs to a heavy industry manufacturer company. At this company, I was assigned as a human resources manager at a subsidiary in an industrial park in Hanoi, Vietnam. In Vietnam, I collaborated with local colleagues and engaged in a wide range of human resources-related fields, including human resource development, revising the human resources system, planning and implementing recruitment strategies, addressing labor issues and treatment, and reviewing welfare benefits. In addition to my work, I also participated in a soccer tournament with local employees. In the Philippines and Vietnam, I had the valuable experience of dealing with various issues while working with local colleagues.

After completing my term in Vietnam, I returned to Japan and engaged in labor management at domestic factories and dealing with human resources issues in collaboration with the business units.

With the hope of getting involved in overseas business again, I joined JERA about one year ago.

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

At JERA, I am a member of the Global HR department. My main role is to respond to issues related to our overseas business units. For example, we are building and maintaining frameworks for personnel exchanges and expatriate assignments with Asian companies in which JERA invests. I enjoy being involved in the forefront of JERA's overseas business while interacting with a variety of people both domestically and internationally, including various business units within JERA as well as overseas companies. I joined JERA because I sympathize with its vision: “To scale up our clean energy platform of renewables and low greenhouse gas thermal power, sparking sustainable development in Asia and around the world'' I feel joy when I realize that my role is somehow related to that vision.

What attracted you to JERA as a company?

I was attracted to JERA's Mission: “To provide cutting edge solutions to the world’s energy issues” and Vision, of which I mentioned before. During my experience working overseas in two Asian countries, I experienced the speed of local economic growth and energy issues. In both Cebu and Hanoi, I felt economic growth and income increases of local employees associated with this in my daily life, but I also experienced several power outages at my workplace and in the city. During that time, I realized the importance of a stable supply of energy as economic development progresses. Through those experiences, I came to empathize with JERA's mission and vision, and I am attracted to the idea that I could contribute in some small way in realizing them.

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

Getting to prepare for a personnel exchange with an electric power company in the Philippines, as well as the experience of traveling there to facilitate the program.

During that business trip to the Philippines, I had the opportunity to talk with people of the human resources department and business units there about a variety of things, not only during daytime meetings but also during evening dinners. Through this experience, I gained a completely different perspective from what I had experienced before. Specifically, I felt strongly that the idea of Japan and Japanese companies as the center is out of touch with the rest of the world, and that the world is changing. In my career, I have experienced being involved in business in the Philippines and Vietnam, but the focus has been on the Japanese companies, and the topics, perspectives, and information discussed there have centered on Japanese companies. On the other hand, the electric power company I visited in the Philippines after joining JERA is part of a major conglomerate in the Philippines, and is a company that supports the industry, economy and development of the Philippines. It is in a completely different position from Japanese companies, especially when it comes to hiring practices and scope. As a company that plays a role in the economic development of its own country, I got the impression that it is competing not only domestically but also in the wider world. I myself have worked in two Asian countries outside of Japan, and that business trip made me realize that even though I had worked overseas, I still held a Japan-centered mindset. At the same time, I realized that the world outside of Japan has changed dramatically.

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

I would like to tell my younger self, “Don't rush, don't give up, you can get closer to your dreams even if you take a detour.” When I was a university student, I wanted to become a journalist and travel around the world, connect people with different values, and contribute to the development of the world in some small way. However, my dream did not come true and I got a job at a manufacturing company. Even after I started working, I couldn't give up on that original dream and tried again several times but was ultimately unsuccessful. However, I became interested in traveling outside Japan and was fortunate enough to experience being assigned overseas twice. I worked with local colleagues in a world different from Japan establishing a new company. Now, at JERA, I’m involved in business around Asia. Although my work is different from journalism, I think I am gradually getting closer to the dream I had in mind. Therefore, I would like to convey those words I mentioned at the beginning to my younger self.

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

I think JERA has a wide range of opportunities. While working at JERA, I have felt big changes even in a short period of time because as the company continues to adapt quickly to changes in the business world. I have spent my career in the manufacturing industry, and in that industry, I think new needs arise as the world changes, and products are created to fulfill them. On the other hand, in the energy industry, I think there are changes due to various factors such as international relations and diplomacy, geography and politics, environmental issues, and current science and technology, and I think responding to these changes is a very important role for us to play. In my daily work, I feel that there are many people at JERA who have experience in various careers and industries. I find it to be motivating and interesting to be in this kind of work environment. I believe that by interacting with a variety of people, you will be able to feel the changes in the organization and in yourself. I believe JERA is the best stage for those who will thrive in such an environment.

We hope you enjoyed getting to know Shigeru and learning about his 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.