Training session close to my hometown

One of many great things about McKinsey is that the firm offers multiple opportunities to participate in training sessions all over the world. Since it’s difficult for me to travel abroad with children, I seek training options locally.

Emiri

Emiri is an associate in our Tokyo office. Prior to joining McKinsey, she completed a six-year joint undergraduate and pharmacist degree program at Kyoto University, worked in the pharmaceuticals industry in Osaka for several years, and earned a master's degree in medicinal and industrial pharmaceutical sciences from ETH-Zurich. She’s most interested in healthcare, public sector, and transformation work.

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February 28, 2020Hi everyone,

Recently, I took part in a week-long training held in McKinsey’s Kobe Learning Centre in Japan. Kobe is very close to my hometown so I decided to use this opportunity to take my kids and let them stay with my parents for a few days – the arrangement was perfect! Usually, in case of longer training programs, there is a babysitter system in place anyway, but my children appreciated some time with their grandparents.

As soon as I arrived at the Learning Centre, I realised that I was the only Japanese among the 30 participants. I felt like a foreign student during a semester abroad. It was great to connect with international colleagues, learn about other offices and exchange ideas.

The best part of the training was that I had plenty of time for self-reflection. In my daily life, with the busy schedule both at work and at home, I hardly ever find time to self-reflect. Therefore I found it incredibly meaningful and valuable to first think about myself and then discuss it with other colleagues.

Already looking forward to another program like this one.

Until next time,

Emiri