8th College President Toshihiko, AKIYAMA

　Colleges of technology (KOSEN) are institutions of higher learning which accept junior high school graduates and provide them with technical training for a duration of five years, during which they can pursue studies in cutting-edge technology without the fuss of university entrance examinations. Tomakomai National College of Technology (TNCT) was founded in 1964 as one of 55 national colleges of technology founded nationwide and has been a recognized national college of technology under the Institute of National Colleges of Technology, Japan (INCT) since April 2004. To date, the College has sent 6,003 graduates into the world across five departments: the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, the Department Science and Engineering for Materials and the Department of Civil Engineering.

　The College is devoted to offering sustained study for budding engineers so that they can shoulder the weight of a twenty-first century Japan, by offering a program that enables them to acquire both academic principles and practical techniques through a balance of classroom theory, laboratory experiments and practical training. The city of Tomakomai also boasts a large number of industrial firms and has plenty of opportunities for those interested in apprenticeships and on-site training at companies in the local industry. For students who wish to take their studies further, the College’s graduates are also eligible for admission into engineering programs at major universities as juniors. A student enrolment quota of 20 places for advanced courses has also been in effect since 2003.

　The advanced courses aim to develop creative engineers who can pioneer new fields and succeed on a global level from a practical standpoint on manufacturing based on the five years of education provided to during the regular courses. Advanced courses are two years in length. Graduates from regular courses who are already active in the workplace may also apply. Once prerequisite units have been acquired and any qualifying examinations are passed, graduates are also eligible for academic credit equivalent to a university graduate’s bachelor degree (in engineering), and can further pursue their studies at a graduate school.