Date: July 25, 2023
Location: Inzai, Chiba　　　
Participants: 5 high school students
Program:

　　　Using the summer break, LITs were invited to visit Colt Data Centre in Inzai in Chiba. After security checks in a warehouse-looking building, they let us to a meeting room over a beautiful Japanese garden. They then gave us a presentation on the data center industry and how they are integrated into society and our lives using familiar examples like smartphones and popular websites. They also explained the business aspect of the company and what roles they play in the IT industry. The presentation was easy to understand and very intriguing, and we all learned something new about the devices and websites we use every day.

　　　After a quick break, a few of the employees with truly diverse backgrounds took turns and gave us a talk on their roles, tasks, and schedules at the company. We learned that even within a company, there are a variety of positions and workstyles. The employees also gave LITs advice based on their life experiences, which were particularly meaningful for the members who are in the process of planning the next step in their life.

　　　We had a delicious lunch while continuously discussing with the employees, and then it was time for a facility tour. They showed us the unique features of the building, such as the seismic isolation system, the massive cooling systems, and the emergency power supply. We learned that there is redundancy for all the essential systems. We could clearly see that this was a highly specialized building specifically designed not to stop the flow of data under any foreseeable circumstances.

　　　Thank you so much to everyone at the Colt for providing such a unique experience and learning opportunities for the LITs.

“It looked like a normal building from the outside, but there were so many complicated structures and pieces of machinery inside. I learned about the data center, which was a new industry to me.”

“I learned that there is a complex system and network behind the smartphone that I use every day. One of the employees gave me advice to have an open mind, which gave me a little bit of ease, as I was a little anxious about my future.”

“Talking to all these people made me want to work in a friendly and fun team in the future. They also told me I wouldn’t know if I didn’t try, so I will try to take on new challenges from now on.”