A record-high 32 new graduates! What was the “Learn” new graduate training like? Two colleagues full of classmate spirit report【Part 1】

Hello, everyone!

We are Keita Ikeda from Social Relations Division 1 and Miku Nakamura from Social Relations Division 2, first-year new graduates who joined SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP this spring!

On April 1, a record-high 32 people—including the two of us—joined SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP 🌸

This time, we will look back on the new graduate training, including conversations with two fellow new hires from our cohort. True to SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP, which upholds “Let’s Have Fun!” as its slogan, we will do our best to convey both the “fun” and the “freshness” that comes with joining as new graduates!

A nerve-wracking entrance ceremony

Dressed in exciting outfits that expressed our individuality, we headed to the entrance ceremony with nervous expressions. We received warm welcome messages from the directors and took our first step as SUNNY SIDE UP. With “Ambition,” engraved in the certificate of employment and the commemorative fountain pen, close to our hearts, we concluded the ceremony.

Training finally begins

After the entrance ceremony in a relaxed atmosphere, the two-week training finally began. The theme of Week 1 of new graduate training was “Get to know the company” and “Transitioning from student to working professional.” We learned everything from the fundamentals of being a working professional—such as the importance of energetic greetings, clear responses, proactive participation, and reporting/communicating/consulting—to the founding story of SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP.

During the lectures, we had the opportunity to hear valuable stories that let us feel SUNNY SIDE UP’s DNA: “Let’s Have Fun!”

The more we learn about SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP, the more excited we become about the possibilities of what impact we can create in the world as PR professionals.

Visiting the offices of each group company

At the end of Week 1, we left the conference room and headed to the offices of our group companies, “Kumnam Entertainment” and “Steady Study.”

From a lecture by Mr. Otsuka, President and Representative Director of Kumnam Entertainment—who has led Japan’s K-pop advertising and communications industry—to a tour of Steady Study’s newly renovated showroom, everyone was highly interested in training held in locations different from our usual Sendagaya office!

Visiting the group companies’ offices was a moment that allowed us to feel the synergy of SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP.

After completing an intense first week of training packed with input, we moved on to Week 2—the main event of the program.

Week 2: Getting to know each other and leveraging individuality

Week 2 began with a session focused on getting to know one another.

Members came from different hometowns and backgrounds. Through the diverse life-chart presentations, we were able to learn more deeply about our cohort—such as study-abroad experiences, club activities, and even a “gal mindset” (?).

Then, in the “Letters of Gratitude” presentations, we wrote about our appreciation for those who have supported us so far, including our parents and grandparents. In particular, a letter addressed to a beloved dog who had passed away moved most of our cohort to tears—making it one of the most unforgettable parts of the training. We later heard that these “Letters of Gratitude” become an unforgettable piece of content every year, filled with both laughter and tears…

Next, preparations began for the annual “President’s Home Event,” held to help the executives and management get to know our uniquely talented members through recreation and cooking at the home of our Group President and Representative Director, Mr. Tsugihara. Our cohort was eager to surpass the events held by previous classes. However, with no clear direction, discussions stalled day after day… We keenly felt how difficult it is to create something together as one team.

While being urged on by the training staff—“This is taking too long! Keep at it!”—each team kept experimenting and, somehow, managed to complete it.

We will share the themes and details in the latter half. Please look forward to it!

We asked our cohort for their thoughts on the first half!

What did these uniquely talented members learn and feel as they spent the training period? We will conduct interviews with members representing each of the four types from the primate personality test that became a topic during training.

This time, we spoke with two members from Social Relations (SR) Division 3: Mayu Tomita and Kyotaro Watanabe. Now, let us get right into the interviews with these fresh new members!

(From left: Tomita, Watanabe. In the primate personality test that became a topic during training, Tomita was the orangutan type and Watanabe was the bonobo type 🐒)

—It has been about one week since you joined the company. Please share your honest impressions.

Tomita: Before joining, I felt it was half anxiety and half excitement. However, our cohort members are wonderful, and the recruitment team welcomed us with great care. I feel that my excitement about working has become stronger than my anxiety.

Watanabe: I am fortunate to have such great cohort members, and I am looking forward to working together going forward. As we have grown closer, I have been approaching the training with an awareness of switching between ON and OFF—“Be serious during training, and be friendly in other situations.”

—Is there anything that left a strong impression on you during the training?

Tomita: What Ms. Seachau spoke about. She taught us that, in order to come up with various ideas as we work, it is important to notice the small “why?” questions in everyday life. I think we need to be sensitive to the reasons behind each and every one of our actions.

Watanabe: For me as well, Ms. Seachau’s point about “Why did you choose that product?” left an impression. She said that PR also requires questioning each action, understanding “the market,” “needs,” and “preferences,” and “knowing consumers better than anyone.” Those were words that could only come from someone who has worked in marketing for a long time. She also taught us that, for that reason, we need to review our daily decisions from a business perspective—so I would like to start there first.

Also, the letters of gratitude. I had never written one, and I had never even thought about writing one, so it was a valuable experience. It also reminded me once again how important it is to express gratitude.

—Finally, please share your thoughts on the training so far and your enthusiasm for the “President’s Home Event.”

Tomita: I strongly felt that this was a period to transition from being a student to being a working professional, which was one of the purposes of the training. Through the letters of gratitude and everyday communication, I was also able to get to know my cohort members more deeply. I would like to do my best so that the executives can learn about the strengths we discovered at the “President’s Home Event.”

Watanabe: Through training such as the “President’s Home Event,” I think the bond within our cohort has deepened considerably. While valuing that, we also heard in the lectures that “Even though you are in the same cohort, you are still rivals,” so I intend to keep improving together through healthy competition.

In Part 2, where will the main event lead…!?

How did you find the new graduate training so far?

The first half of the new graduate training was a time to learn about the company, deepen relationships with our cohort, and once again reflect on ourselves. As we shifted our mindset from student to working professional, we learned what is important as PR professionals, and each day was a continuous series of new realizations and learning.

In Part 2, we will deliver the training content with a focus on a report on the main event of the new graduate training—the “President’s Home Event”—along with different members than in Part 1!

Can we lead the event to success by leveraging the input gained in the first half and our overflowing individuality…!?

Please look forward to Part 2 as well!