[Minshu] Announces '2027 Graduate IT Industry Job Popularity Ranking'

Minshu Co., Ltd. (CEO: Yuta Akashio, Location: Shinjuku, Tokyo), a subsidiary of Port Inc. that operates the job-hunting community site 'Minshu,' has announced the '2027 Graduate IT Industry Job Popularity Ranking' targeting students expected to graduate in 2027 (6,670 valid responses). The ranking is based on a survey of university and graduate students registered on the 'Minshu' site. Rather than measuring 'like/dislike' popularity, it evaluates companies based on four criteria: 'job appeal,' 'company appeal,' 'work-style appeal,' and 'recruitment communication appeal,' which are then converted into points. NTT Data secured the top spot for the 17th consecutive year. This overwhelming support is attributed to its stability as one of Japan's largest system integrators, combined with active investment in cutting-edge technology. Specifically, the announcement of its proprietary domestic LLM 'tsuzumi' and the promotion of generative AI usage across the company have given students a strong positive image of a growth environment that offers access to the latest technology. Furthermore, its HR system, which can offer annual salaries of over 30 million yen to highly skilled IT talent, continues to be a powerful factor in attracting top talent. CyberAgent made a significant leap from the web services industry. In 2022, the company announced it would raise starting salaries for new graduates to 420,000 yen per month (5.04 million yen annually), creating a major impact. Additionally, its continuous updates and public release of its proprietary Japanese LLM between 2023 and 2024 were highly evaluated by students seeking both compensation and technical prowess. Consulting firms also showed remarkable growth, with Accenture (9th) and Nomura Research Institute (6th) entering the top 10. Both companies are known for high average salaries and a challenging growth environment that grants young employees significant autonomy. Accenture has also announced plans to open new offices across Japan, strengthening recruitment in line with regional revitalization. Independent SIer Sky rose from 5th to 2nd place, benefiting from high brand awareness through TV commercials and a track record in diverse software development. The biggest game changer over the last three years has been the emergence and implementation of 'generative AI.' While flexibility in work styles like remote work was the focus for 2025 graduates, students from 2026 to 2027 are increasingly evaluating companies based on their active adoption and use of generative AI. This reflects students' defensive instinct and desire for growth, fearing that joining a company that cannot use the latest technology will lead to a lag in their own skill development. With the spread of generative AI, the number of students aspiring to join the IT industry is increasing annually. At the 'IT Job Festa GRAND in Tokyo' held on April 25, 2026, a record-breaking 2,800 students participated, with over 70% being liberal arts students, indicating a growing interest in the IT sector as a top career choice.