INTERVIEW

Keishu Shiga joined KDDI because he wanted to work in the constantly renewed smartphone field due to his strong curiosity about new things and new things to do. He joined xGN to gain new experiences, and is now taking on new challenges at this milestone in his life.

New challenges that make the most of my past experience.

The smartphone domain is constantly evolving.
I joined KDDI as a new graduate because I believed that I would be able to keep challenging myself without getting bored because the technology, as well as services and plans, are constantly being renewed in this area.

At KDDI, I was operating in the Engineering Promotion Division.
After about five years of experience, I wanted to take on a new challenge. I told my boss that I wished to take on a new challenge in an environment where I could make use of this experience, rather than resetting it, and he suggested that I be assigned to xGN.

xGN was just about to launch its “5G SA” service, and was in the phase of planning various projects to expand its subscriber base. I found it interesting that the scope of work that one person could be in charge of was so broad.

At xGN, I was first assigned to the Next Generation Technology Strategy Office, where I worked for about a year coordinating 5G SA, including the flow and service impact when core facilities fail. After that, I was transferred to the engineering department, where I was in charge of planning and coordination – planning, design development, maintenance and operation of facilities. Currently, in parallel with being in charge of subscriber DB facilities, which are known as authentication systems, I am also involved in the design and development of network slicing to improve the user experience and facility expansion operations for subscriber growth.

Although the facilities I am in charge of have changed since my days at KDDI, the framework for design, development, and operation is the same, so I am making full use of my past experience. I realize that my knowledge and skills are increasing as I am exposed to a wide variety of equipment.

Crossing new barriers while expanding the scope of our work.

At xGN, I can experience everything from design to operation for telecommunications carriers.
At KDDI, there were many tasks that were done according to rules established by predecessors, but at xGN, which is also a startup, there are few tasks for which the way of doing things is fixed from the beginning. In addition, since departments and sections are not subdivided by equipment or processes, one person in charge can oversee a series of cycles.

Therefore, if you stay only within the scope of the work you are assigned, you will not be able to overcome the obstacles that come up one after another. Each of us is engaged in our daily work while expanding the scope of our domain on our own.

I, personally, have come to be involved in a wide range of fields, from design to operation. I can confirm how customers actually use the service, what they find valuable, and how the number of users increases with my own eyes.

Now that I have been working at xGN for about two years, I realize once again that I have a deep-seated desire to be exposed to new things and new experiences. I have been able to accomplish what I wanted to do by being in a new environment and receiving a variety of stimulating experiences.

Changes in life stages and challenges for the future.

I believe that the environment at xGN is excellent in terms of work-life balance.

I am currently working as a team leader, but I actually took a month and a half of childcare leave when I had my first child after coming to xGN.
Because I took the leave just in time to be promoted to team leader, I was able to focus on childcare and supporting my wife after giving birth while receiving support from team members and others around me.

After returning to work, I have continued to work full time with both my wife and I, sharing housework and childcare on a 50:50 basis, while also using telework. I am able to balance family and work while using the company’s work system, the flextime system.

I realize that I am able to improve my abilities through the fusion of my two perspectives, KDDI and CTC.

Of course, there are difficulties, but I get the feeling that I have one more weapon in my own hands through this new experience. I had only been able to use a sword and shield, but now that I have learned how to use a bow, I feel as if I have more options for how to fight in future battles when I face an enemy that I cannot defeat with a sword.

I have not yet set a goal for my future career, but I would like to expand my options. I don’t know what kind of fighting style I will have in the future, but I hope that my weapons and fighting style have increased.