A qualitative investigation of trainees＇ adjustment in Japan：A case study of trainees from Indonesia     

Naoka Maemura  Junzo Kato  Takehiro Fujihara 《美中教育评论》2009,6(5):25-34

In Japan, there is a residence status known as “the trainee”. This is the status for residents who undertake “activities to learn and acquire the technology, skills, or knowledge at public or private organizations in Japan”. With the introduction of the Industrial Training Program in 1993, trainees have been permitted to extend their stay in Japan for education and employment purposes up to a maximum of three years. This study aims to investigate the adjustment styles of trainees and to consider the changes in their attitudes toward Japan in the course of this adjustment. Six male Indonesian trainees （mean age=23.83） were invited to a semi-structured interview. They were employed at the same factory, involved in the manufacture of car components, and were trainees in their first-, second-, and third-years. The interview mainly focused on the trainees＇ Japanese language skills, the changes in their images of Japan or Japanese people, the communication between them and their Japanese colleagues, and the difficulties they encountered during their stay in Japan. The results revealed that there were clear differences between the first, second, and third trainees. As the trainees＇ Japanese language skills improved, their communication with the Japanese colleagues increased. Subsequently, they developed more positive images of Japan and Japanese people and hoped to have more informal communication with Japanese people.  相似文献