Meet the Faces Behind JPort: A Glimpse into the Lives and Work of Our Inspiring Interns

This is the JPort Team’s interns! As we have previously introduced our full-time members here at SPeak, we will take this opportunity to introduce our 4 current interns who will share more about themselves and the work they do!?

Psst, are you interested in doing a long-term internship at a startup? We have 3 positions available now for university students studying in Japan! Don’t miss out and try applying for the team. Not yet sold? Well, read the rest of this article to find out what is the benefit of working at SPeak.

A Bit About Us Interns

Hello! My name is Nazyra Tachiara Azla , or you can call me Azura. I’m Indonesian and currently studying liberal arts at Okayama University. During high school, I spent a year in Japan as an exchange student, learning about Japanese culture, language, and society in Yokohama and Kushiro, Hokkaido. I enjoy cooking (especially spicy food ??) and have recently started baking ??. I also go to the gym five times a week as I’m working on building muscle ??. On weekends, I usually try new recipes, hang out with friends, go biking, or volunteer! Aside from studying and internship, I’m involved in supporting international high school exchange students studying in Japan ??

Hi, my name is Otomi Tochika ! I was born and raised in Hawaii and recently graduated this fall from Okayama University after majoring in anthropology. Fun fact: I wrote my senior thesis on second-career cafe owner dreams in Japan, aka why people start a cafe after transitioning out of their first career. I love dancing and danced ballet from a young age and joined my university’s dance circle majoring in girls’ hip-hop. After the pandemic, one of my favorite things to do is travel and recently I’ve been to Korea and Thailand. Eating new delicious foods and getting to experience the local culture is something inspiring for me.

Hello! My name is Sakurako Suzuki . I grew up in Laos for 10 years before coming to Japan for university. Living in Laos was an incredible experience, the people are amazing, and the food scene is diverse, featuring not just Lao cuisine but flavors from all over the world. While many people tend to visit Thailand, I highly recommend exploring Laos too! Coming to Japan was also a way for me to reconnect with my roots. At Okayama University, I’m part of the student association, where I enjoy organizing events inspired by my international experiences in Laos.

Hello, I’m Kao Toyama ! I was born and raised in Kanagawa Prefecture and am currently studying English literature at Hosei University. Since high school, I’ve had a passion for English, which I’ve developed through experiences like volunteering as a tour guide in Tokyo and traveling abroad. My hobby is listening to Western music, and I love attending music festivals. On weekends, I go to DJ school and perform at a bar every month. I also co-host international exchange events with friends to promote cross-cultural communication!

What kind of work do you do at SPeak?

Student Support Interns

Azura: I joined SPeak from the start of my second year at university. At first, I tried the SS team – Student Success. I was in charge of SNS content, reels, editing podcasts, approaching students, and other marketing tasks, such as coming up with creative ways to reach out to more students to support them in their job-hunting and other activities.

I think I’ve gained both soft skills and hard skills I didn’t know I could through my work, such as editing podcasts! I had to be detail-oriented in my work while also creating the content itself. And mainly, I’ve been making funny reels! (OH, I LOVE MY JOB). I use humor and entertainment to increase reach, which I think is still a new approach to marketing in Japan.

One day, I thought to myself, “Why don’t I try sales?” I had never done it before or had any experience in it. I talked to Hiromi-san about it, and he agreed! I moved to sales for four months and learned a lot (some lessons were learned the hard way ??), especially about how to approach HRs and do cold-calling. My Japanese wasn’t the best, and many times, I messed up some calls. But my coworkers were very supportive and encouraging, so I never felt like I lost my confidence. Thus, my sales experience has taught me that I need to study Japanese harder, learn more about professional Japanese mannerisms, and recognize areas where I could improve.

Now I’m back in the SS team <3, supporting international students in a fun way! I love creating content, making memes, and talking to people—basically, I’m doing what I love in my job! Since last year, I’ve been managing JPort’s Instagram account. Our team has doubled the number of followers, growing from less than 1,500 to over 3,600 followers, which means we’ve doubled our reach!

Otomi: I’ve been with SPeak for around 3 years as a Student Success intern and have been deeply involved in the JPort Senpai Community and the 2022 JPort Ambassador Program. Initially, I was in charge of various aspects of our marketing such as social media content promotion, creation, editing, alongside email marketing. I was also in charge of the management of our senpais, which is for me one of the highlights of JPort. Most, if not all, have experienced job-hunting in Japan and know how hard it is for international students to successfully land their dream job, regardless of Japanese skill, hard/soft skills, or how great of a candidate they are because they’ve walked that same path before. Now, knowing what they know, they want to pass down the knowledge to the next up-and-coming batch of job hunters so that they (hopefully) don’t have to suffer as much as they did. The kindness and words of advice and encouragement from senpais really touch me every time because I know it comes from a sincere place and that is something special about JPort by SPeak that I think no other company has. It’s one of the reasons why I’ve stuck around here so long. Mentioning the people of SPeak, I can’t miss out on talking about my respected boss, Nicole. As I mentioned above, she is our Community Marketer and has been a great role model for me and other interns. I remember first coming into this position, I was unconfident in my work and certain aspects of my Japanese because it was my first time using it outside of the academic setting. But she has not only reassured me but pushed me to continue changing for the sake of the company and the students - which is the reason we do this.

Sales Interns

Saku: As a sales intern, I focus on building meaningful connections between JPort and companies that can benefit from the unique talents of international students. My primary responsibilities include reaching out to potential partners, presenting JPort's mission, and demonstrating how hiring international talent can enhance workforce diversity and global competitiveness. One of my proudest achievements in this role has been successfully engaging some of Japan’s largest companies and sparking their interest in JPort’s services.

What I love most about my role at JPort is the variety of opportunities it offers. In addition to sales, I have the chance to write employee stories, where I can share insights and advice for students. This aspect of my work allows me to be creative and connect directly with JPort’s audience, which I find incredibly rewarding.

Through my work at JPort, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of Japan’s corporate culture, including the importance of trust-building, adaptability, and clear communication. I’ve also sharpened my skills in negotiation, persuasive presentations, and cross-cultural communication. These experiences have been invaluable for my personal and professional growth, equipping me with the tools I need for a successful career in an increasingly interconnected global workplace.

Kao: Since becoming a university student, I have worked in two part-time roles: as a private tutor and as a teaching assistant. Currently, I am working as a student intern at SPeak. In this inspiring community, I collaborate with amazing colleagues, using both Japanese and English to focus on sales tasks. My main responsibilities include reaching out to HR representatives from various companies and developing new clients to provide talented international students with more job opportunities. Taking on sales for the first time was a challenging step, but thanks to the support of my encouraging teammates, I have successfully secured 11 appointments so far. Moving forward, I aim to serve as a role model for new sales intern members joining the team.

What do you like about working at SPeak?

Azura: One of the things I love about SPeak is that we are professional-casual. We work professionally, yet we communicate casually. It’s very easy to get feedback from my coworkers, and it’s always 360° feedback. We communicate in a low-context and low-power-distance environment. I have always been challenged with new tasks, and I love it!? I get to learn new skills, explore different tools, and discover more about my capabilities in handling tasks. I would say we have great teamwork and new ideas and perspectives are always appreciated. JPort feels just like a second home, and now it’s also a part of my identity. Being a JPort intern has taught me that it’s okay to reach out for help when you need it, and that encouragement has been invaluable to me.

Otomi: One of the things I love about being an intern at SPeak is the people! Whether it’s the students, the senpais, or my coworkers, everyone is just trying to share their knowledge and grow together. They are the reason why I love the work that I do. I mentioned the senpais earlier but the students are just as crazy about learning from each other. When we ran the JPort Ambassador Program in 2022, I remember how happy I was to hear when one of our ambassadors got a job offer. This sense of community and the bond that we have is truly like no other. Likewise, with the other interns at SPeak, everyone always strives to be proactive and think about the users of our services and how we can constantly improve and grow as a company. Some of my fondest memories are gathering in person and having our team bonding exercises. We get to think of new ideas (some of which are implemented which is crazy to think of) and brainstorm how we can improve for users. It was such an impactful experience knowing that my voice matters because it showed that I can impact and make a change in the company. I think this is something that can only happen in this startup environment and it makes me conscious of the quality of the work I produce, making sure I can always be proud that I played a part in it.

Saku: The best part of working at SPeak is the supportive and inclusive team environment. Everyone works collaboratively, and there’s no rigid hierarchy, which creates a space where ideas are valued no matter who presents them. This open atmosphere encourages creativity and innovation, and it allows me to feel comfortable being myself at work.

I particularly appreciate how SPeak provides opportunities to use both my Japanese and English skills daily. This bilingual environment not only helps me grow professionally but also makes me feel like I’m truly reaching my full potential by bridging cultural and linguistic gaps.

Kao: One of the best things about SPeak is the "Work Hard, Play Hard" atmosphere, where we balance enjoying our work with maintaining focus when it matters. Despite employees working from various parts of the country and coming from diverse backgrounds, there is a strong sense of teamwork. The supportive environment allows everyone to help each other, and I feel that each individual’s personality and strengths are utilized to their fullest potential.

Being an intern at JPort by SPeak is more than just gaining work experience—it’s about becoming part of a vibrant, supportive community that encourages growth, creativity, and connection. Each of our interns brings their unique background and talents to the team, creating an inspiring environment where everyone learns from one another. From crafting engaging social media content to forging meaningful relationships with companies, our interns are making a real impact.?

Interested in joining us? Take the leap and apply now—we can’t wait to see what you’ll bring to the table!

? Open Internship Positions: https://bit.ly/JPortIntern2024

1. Student Success Intern
2. Sales Intern
3. CEO Associate Intern

? About JPort by SPeak Corp: https://en.speak-corp.com/team