Learning and Education

We offer work experience programs (internships) for junior and senior high school students from children's homes sponsored by the NPO Bridge for Smile. At the clock disassembly and assembly class, children can experience "what it means to work" and "what kind of jobs are available." The program helps children learn the "joy of manufacturing" and provides them with an opportunity to think about their future through interaction with the employees. For our employees who served as lecturers, it was an opportunity to learn about social issues, such as the existence of children living in orphanages and the reality that these children must leave the orphanages and live on their own by the age of 18.

CITIZEN WATCH is dedicated to supporting classes and comprehensive exploration studies in junior high schools and high schools across Japan. This initiative aims to nurture essential qualities and skills required to effectively address challenges and reflect on personal lifestyles, all through an exploratory mindset tailored to our rapidly evolving society. This approach involves interdisciplinary learning that encourages problem-solving and integration. Specifically, we actively participate in the TWICE PLAN corporate internship program, which emphasizes practical problem-solving education. We engage with students from participating schools, assigning them diverse tasks, guiding them through the solution process, offering advice, and providing feedback on their presentations. Through honing their critical thinking, decision-making, and communication abilities, we contribute to shaping their proactive personality development, occupational perspective, and ethical foundation, essential attributes as they transition into society in the future.

CITIZEN WATCH endorsed the philosophy of FSC Japan, which promotes and raises awareness of FSC, an international forest certification system, and sponsored the Learning Program and the 5th FSC Award for junior high and senior high school students.

We have developed learning materials that can be used in school classes to raise awareness and understanding of the current state of deforestation and the importance of forest conservation and the FSC mark among junior high and senior high school students throughout Japan. FSC award is given in the idea contest to promote the FSC mark for forest conservation. The students who win the top prize are designated as FSC Junior Ambassadors and work with FSC Japan to promote the FSC mark. To pass on our rich forests to the next generation, we will face the responsibility of using precious forest resources on a daily basis and will continue to promote the FSC mark.

• * FSC®: Forest Stewardship Council®, FSC®N002484

• What is FSC®?

As a part of our comprehensive learning initiatives, employees from CITIZEN WATCH visit local elementary schools to conduct sessions on wristwatch manufacturing processes and the company's commitment to environmental care. These programs are designed to give children insights into how companies engage with society through educational sessions. We are going to these interactions with working professionals other than their teachers will enrich their understanding and encourage them to contemplate their own future paths.

The Children's Science Craft Workshop is organized quarterly in collaboration with Iida City, Nagano Prefecture, the Iida City Museum, and the Nagano Industrial and Commercial Encouragement Organization. CITIZEN WATCH Manufacturing's Iida Plant is responsible for conducting one of the workshop sessions. During these sessions, the company sends instructors to provide children with hands-on experiences that showcase the excitement and delight of manufacturing. A particular segment focuses on In-house Products and Technological Development Capabilities, where the company is highlighted as a local establishment producing top-notch products and components globally. This aspect has proven to be especially appealing to the children, making it a well-received aspect of the workshop.

As a part of Iida City’s Super Science Promotion Project for youth development, CITIZEN WATCH MANUFACTURING’s Iida Plant has held a hands-on workshop for parents and children to assemble watches titled “You are the future 'Meister'!” every year since 2007. The purpose of the program is to raise awareness of working among young people, who will lead the next generation, by helping them to learn about local companies and develop an interest in manufacturing. Furthermore, Citizen Watches has been conducting parent-child watch assembly workshops during the summer vacation season since 2023.

CITIZEN WATCH MANUFACTURING’s Tohoku Plant offers plant tours to children and the local community, with the aim of generating their interest in manufacturing and communicating with them. In cooperation with Kitakami City, Iwate Prefecture, the company is widely encouraging participation by posting information on the city’s website and in the directory of local companies. Many schools in Kitakami City as well as other parts of Iwate Prefecture and people from other prefectures participate in the event.

Since 2013, CITIZEN WATCH MANUFACTURING’s Tohoku Kitakami Plant has been participating in "Oni-Job: Job Park," a program for fourth- to sixth-grade elementary school students in Kitakami City, Iwate Prefecture, to learn how society works while having fun by trying their hand at various occupational and social experiences, including working as firefighters, pastry chefs, and beauty counselors.

At the open booth, children can learn about watches and clocks through the experience of assembling watches, and the attraction allows children to experience the fun and challenge of manufacturing.

CITIZEN WATCH (China) held a CITIZEN watch auction on the Alibaba platform on April 16, 2018. Proceeds of 23,642 yuan were donated to support the activities of a NPO, "Yamasato-no-kabana Seibu Kougyou Koudou" (Western Mountain Village Flower Organization), which is a volunteer organization that provides educational opportunities and support to children who are waiting for their parents to return home after years of migrant labor or who are without parents.

The "Hometown Industry Festival," an event aimed at facilitating exchange and cooperation of the local industry, and revitalizing the local economy is held annually in Shinchi Town, Soma-gun, Fukushima Prefecture. Citizen Watch Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Tohoku Soma Plant offers experience of making a one-of-a-kind wristwatch by drawing pictures and letters on the dial of your choice. Serious eyes, happy appearance, and smiling faces of both children and adults are sure be the work motivation for the employees who played the role of instructors.

CITIZEN WATCH and CITIZEN MACHINERY have opened a store in the free social experience application "Gokko Land" (provided by KidsStar,Inc.), where children, who will lead the next generation, can enjoy learning about "how society works" through games, with the aim of providing them with a sense of accomplishment in manufacturing and opportunities to learn new things. The application has a total of 306,177 registered users, and the "Kousaku Kikai Taiiken" game in the application has been played a total of 686,029 times.