Career Compass Part 3: Driving Opportunities - The US-Japan Automotive Industry
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
7:30-9pm ET
This event is co-hosted by JETAA Music City/ JETAA Bluegrass and JETAA Great Lakes and will dive into the Japanese automotive industry. Connect with professionals working in the field to learn about key career opportunities, industry trends, and effective networking strategies. Learn more about the Japanese automotive industry in Kentucky and Michigan, while also exploring broader national opportunities in this dynamic sector.
*Zoom link will be emailed to you upon completing registration.
UPCOMING IN-PERSON NETWORKING EVENT:
Are you located in the Frankfort, Kentucky area and interested in an in-person networking event? This event will feature a few panelists from this Career Compass Series and offer opportunities to connect with local industry professionals in the US-Japan space.
Learn more and register for the Networking Event brought to you in partnership by the Japan America Society of Kentucky and JETAA Music City. The event will take place at the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce on November 7th from 6–8 PM ET in Frankfort, Kentucky.
Featured Speakers:
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As an Early Departure JET, James was an ALT on a small island of 8,000 people called Izu-Oshima from April 2015 to August 2018. Though receiving such a rural placement was a bit of a shock at first, he grew to love the island and became active in local sports teams, community events, and volunteer efforts to help foreign tourism on the island. He strongly encourages anybody who visits Japan and the Tokyo area to take the ferry to Oshima for a few days and enjoy everything the island has to offer. In addition to his time on the JET program, James also has spent time studying abroad and experiencing a homestay in Osaka at Kansai Gaidai Daigaku. He regularly keeps in contact with his host family in Osaka as well as his friends in Oshima and hopes to visit them as much as possible.
Since returning from JET, James has worked primarily in the automotive industry. First, as salesman at a Japanese trading company supporting Tier 1 and Tier 2 Automotive suppliers before joining Nissan North America in 2023. There, James works in the purchasing department on the Non-Ferrous Materials team as the buyer for Primary Aluminum.
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Jon Blosser is a Group General Manager at Toyota Tsusho America (TAI) where he has worked over the past 21 years. His current role encompasses leading the Global Parts Strategic Business Unit in Georgetown, KY where he has been the past 6 years. Prior to transferring to KY, he was stationed in the Toyota Tsusho Maryville TN branch for 15 years where he worked in a regional capacity handling multiple commodities including parts, chemicals, machinery and steel. His locations have been awarded “best section” for overall performance and safety over 7 times. In his role, he focuses on growing dynamic and cross functional teams that can help build sustainable growth. Prior to joining Toyota Tsusho, Jon held a JET teaching position in Hamamatsu, Japan from 1999-2001 which he was stationed at an agricultural high school where he developed some life-long friendships that he still holds today.
Jon attended the University of North Carolina where he majored in Asian Studies and minored in Japanese. During this junior year, he attended Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan.
His interests include hiking in the great outdoors, traveling overseas, sampling bourbon and craft beers and spending time with his wife Mikiko.
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Michele Plattenberger, a Detroit native, was born near the heart of the automotive capital of the world. With a passion for both engineering and Japanese culture, she earned a BS in Electrical and Systems Engineering and a BA in Japanese Studies from Oakland University, followed by a Master’s in Engineering Management from the University of Detroit Mercy. Michele’s technical career spans years at Ford Motor Company, where she lived and worked extensively in Japan, bridging technical and cross-cultural challenges in the automotive sector. Since returning to Detroit in 2009, she expanded her role into academia, teaching Japanese language and culture at Oakland University while continuing her work in the automotive sector. Michele also leads the development and coordination of the Oakland University study abroad program to Japan, personally guiding students through immersive cultural and educational experiences. Michele holds a doctorate in Adult Education, specializing in Japanese language education, and continues to share her expertise through undergraduate, and Professional And Continuing Education programs focused on bridging cultural and technical knowledge when working with the Japanese.
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Roy Harrison started with CSI Group in 2008 and has performed in several roles. He cut his teeth as an onsite Japanese/English interpreter and translator, and eventually served as the primary coordinator for the company translation group. He joined the automation group as its Project Manager Supervisor and influenced improvements in project tracking and information sharing. He took on the Business Development Manager role in 2023 to operationalize systems in new markets.
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Takeshi Yamagishi is a Manager at Quick USA and a dedicated career consultant whose life took a significant turn during his middle school days in Ishikawa-ken after a transformative encounter with a JET Program ALT at his school. Takeshi went onto become a JTE and worked with JET ALTs in the Japanese public school system. His career eventually changed course and he now works with Quick USA and lives in Dallas, TX with his family.
Inspired and impacted by his interactions with JET Program participants, Takeshi is on a mission to give back to the JET community. Takeshi has successfully supported many JET alumni to help them understand the various Japan-related job markets and industry landscapes, guiding them towards career opportunities that fit their interests.
Funding support for this event provided by:
