Wakayama Prefecture starts recruiting for 5-day and 1-day internship programs.

Wakayama Prefecture is launching its student internship programs to offer real-world experience in public service, aiming to attract future prefectural employees. The program features two tracks: (1) The 5-day 'Gattsuri' Intensive Work Experience Course, scheduled across four periods in August 2026 (Aug 3-7, Aug 17-21, Aug 24-28, and Aug 31-Sep 4), with applications open from June 1 to July 13, 2026. (2) The 1-day 'Chokotto' Work Experience Course, running year-round from June 8, 2026, to March 31, 2027, with ongoing applications starting June 1, 2026. Eligible participants include university, graduate, junior college, vocational, and technical high school students. Placement locations include the main office, regional promotion bureaus, and branch offices. Despite previous success in doubling participation to 82 students in FY2025, the competitive ratio for general public service exams remains at 2.2x, motivating these recruitment efforts. Applications can be submitted via the UI Wakayama Job Guide website (https://www.wakayama-uiturn.jp/).