Having produced its first graduates in March 2020, the Department of Community Design is a young academic department. Nevertheless, each of the students experiences growth through their studies, practical experiences in the regions, extracurricular activities, part-time jobs, and encounters with other people, enabling them to take their first step towards realizing their own careers.

Here we will describe the career trends based on where (i.e., which industry) the first graduates from this program found employment. Out of those who graduated in March 2020, 100% of those who wished to find employment managed to do so. Of all the job placement destinations, the highest proportion consisted of prefectural and city offices both inside and outside Tochigi Prefecture, where 34% of the job-seeking graduates found employment as public servants in administrative positions. This was followed by 18% in the information and communications industry, including TV stations, newspapers, and IT companies; 10% in the financial industry, including banks; and 6% in the life service and entertainment industry, including travel agencies. Other industries include construction, transportation, wholesale trade, accommodation and food services, and education and learning support, indicating the broad range of industries in which graduates have embarked on their career paths.

While 98% of the first graduates sought employment after graduation, it is also entirely possible to go on to graduate study, including at the Graduate School of Regional Development and Creativity.

NB: While some students received multiple job offers, we have only included the positions they ultimately accepted within our calculations. Our figures do not consider the job offers they received while searching for employment. Starting from April 2020, the final track record of job placements will be reported on the website and during the open campus events.