[Circular Project Dialogue Vol.2] Starting from ASNOVA’s Culture, Envisioning the Future of “Circulation” Through Diverse Perspectives
- Circular Economy
- Butterfly Diagram
- Loftwork
- Circular Business
- circular economy
RECRUIT
Grow your organization with a learning attitude. Hone your "human skills" with ASNOVA Recurrent
ASNOVA has established a system called "ASNOVA Recurrent" that allows employees to attend a vocational school or graduate school of their choice while working. The purpose of this system is to develop candidates for the next generation of executives, revitalize the organization, and motivate employees to develop their careers and self-development. Currently, several employees are re-studying while working at their current jobs.
This time, we spoke to Takuma Fukuzawa, sales manager of Nagoya Sales Office, Sales Department Department, who used the system to attend the Graduate School of Business Design and successfully graduated in March 2024, about his honest thoughts.
Text: Sayaka Mitsuda
Photo: Sho Kobayashi
INDEX
PROIFILE
- Takuma Fukuzawa
- Sales Manager, Nagoya Sales Office of ASNOVA Co., Ltd. As sales manager of Nagoya Sales Office, he is responsible for the rental and sales wedge binding type scaffold in the Chubu area.
In his late 20s, he was worried about his career. With the support of his senior, he used the system.
Q. Please tell us why you decided to use ASNOVA Recurrent.
Fukuzawa: I joined ASNOVA when I was 26 years old. I was assigned to Nagoya Sales Office in Sales Department, but I didn't feel like I was growing. My sales performance was not bad, but I felt like I was just "going through the motions" of my daily work, and I couldn't find much meaning in it at the time.
A few years later, as I was approaching my 30s, I began to think about my own career. Some of my acquaintances my age were running their own companies, and I may have felt a sense of urgency.
Fukuzawa: At that time, I consulted with my seniors and superiors, and they told me, "Why don't you try studying abroad using ASNOVA Recurrent?" I knew about the system itself, but I couldn't think of anything I wanted to actively learn, so I was hesitant to apply.
However, I felt that "I want to learn things that will be useful to the company, not what I want to do," so I decided to take advantage of the system and attend the Graduate School of Business Design. At the time, I was worried about my own growth and career, so the support from my seniors and superiors was very encouraging.
Q. What did you learn during your two years at graduate school?
Fukuzawa: I learned a wide range of business administration and marketing as basic knowledge for running a company. As the name suggests, the Graduate School of Business Design teaches you how to design a business from multiple angles and in a specialized way, and ultimately you have to create a business plan, so at first I was a little worried about whether I would be able to create a business. However, I actually had group discussions using frameworks and was able to listen to the real-life stories of well-known business people, so it was a very educational experience. I was able to choose my own classes and take them, so I was able to balance my work and personal life.
Also, many of my classmates who were taking the class with me were company managers or executives, and I was surprised at how high the resolution of their conversations was. I was relatively young among them, so I was able to learn a lot from our conversations and have a great time. I was worried about my graduation thesis, but I was able to think about it in my own way and come up with a business plan that I was satisfied with.
Q. Have you experienced any changes in yourself over the past two years?
Fukuzawa: I think my mindset as a working member of society has changed. Listening to the stories of various business managers, I was able to sense their "generosity." To be more specific, when I heard someone's opinion, I would often start by saying "But that's...", but now I can respect and accept others. I have acquired the habit of accepting opinions different from my own, talking constructively, and working together to resolve issues. I think this kind of mindset is fundamental, but I think I was able to learn it openly precisely because I was able to experience it outside the company with people from various fields of expertise.
Employee growth improves the organization. Actively learn and develop your human skills.
Q. ASNOVA Recurrent also aims to improve "human power" through opportunities for self-growth. What do you think "human power" means to you, Mr. Fukuzawa?
Fukuzawa: I think it's the attitude of continuing to learn. Learning new things is fun, and I think that feeling leads to a desire to grow. Until now, I didn't find my work rewarding and was reluctant to grow. But I was able to change that through ASNOVA Recurrent. I think it's important to continue the learning habit I've acquired over the past two years for a long time.
Q. What do you think is necessary to produce more people like Fukuzawa and make continuous learning a part of ASNOVA's culture?
Fukuzawa: First of all, I think we need to spread the word outside the company about the wonderful system that ASNOVA has. I think it's important to let people know that everyone has equal opportunities to learn, regardless of position, and that learning is necessary for their future. If we can get people to empathize with this idea by spreading the word outside the company, we'll have more friends and more people who support us.
I also hope to create a system that evaluates people who are proactive in learning! I hope that everyone will recognize that this is a company where hard work pays off. I would also like to be a model case that shows that by continuing to learn, you can aim for a higher career.
My ideal is to create a chain of learning. As the number of ASNOVA Recurrent users increases and it becomes a part of our culture, I believe the value of the company will also increase.
INDEX
![[Circular Economy Project Dialogue Vol. 1] The First Step Toward a Circular Society. ASNOVA’s Vision for a Sustainable Growth Curve](/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2R2A0226-scaled.jpg)
