Providing Education on Manufacturing and the Environment
Nippon Steel finds it important to be involved in educating young people and their teachers, who are helping prepare our future generations. We try to help them better understand the appeal of “monodzukuri (product-manufacturing)” and our various initiatives on the environmental issues.
Demonstrating the joy of product-manufacturing through “Tatara Ironmaking”
With the aim of showing children the joy of product-manufacturing, Nippon Steel has been holding demonstrations on “tatara ironmakingTatara ironmaking is a traditional Japanese method of making iron that uses iron sand as the source material. A bellows is used to help burn charcoal for producing iron. It is said that this method was transmitted to Japan from the Korean peninsula in the latter half of the 6th century. The technology was perfected during the middle of the Edo period. From the Meiji era, production using the modern steelmaking process employing a blast furnace began, and as a result, commercial production using the tatara method stopped in 1923.” – Japan’s indigenous ironmaking technique – at our steelworks and nearby schools in Japan every year.
“Tatara ironmaking” demonstration
Support of community-based education
Nippon Steel has been engaged in unique community-based environmental education support programs and educational activities on “monodzukuri (product-manufacturing).” For example, we organized a scientific stand at East Nippon Works Kimitsu Area, where our younger employees introduced the fascinating properties of iron and the mechanism of electricity generation to primary and secondary school children.
Travelling scientific lecture
(Kyushu Works Oita Area)
Our employees at Kyushu Works Oita Area gave “travelling scientific lectures” at local primary and secondary schools. Nippon Steel’s head office staff took part in an Energy and Environmental Workshop held by Masugata Junior High School in Kanagawa Prefecture, showing an example of waste plastics recycling at Nippon Steel to demonstrate the steelmaking industry’s environmental initiatives.
Workshop at Masugata Junior High School
Nippon Steel also donates to Tohoku University’s endowment and supports its activities on behalf of children in the areas affected by the Tohoku Earthquakes and Tsunami of 2011. The fund aims at spreading knowledge on prevention and reduction of damage from natural disasters and developing the ability to judge risks of such disasters.
Internship programs and the endowment of a university course
For many years, Nippon Steel has been internship opportunities to students to help them learn our business and gain some work experience.
We also endow a university course, which also contributes to one of our business strategies, “enhancement of our technological superiority.”
Training programs for educators at private companies
We support the “Training Programs for Educators at Private Companies”, so that teachers can better understand how the steel industry is contributing to society and can better appreciate the fascination of product manufacturing. The training for FY2021 was held online for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Five of our manufacturing locations offered training for 52 teachers, showing a video about our steel manufacturing process and explaining the superiority of iron from the perspective of the entire life cycle, our initiative to carbon neutrality, and our efforts for the environment, health, safety and personnel development.
Training Programs for Educators at Private Companies
(Nagoya Works)