Korotkova presents the virtual job search place she created on the metaverse.
07:00 JST, November 15, 2022
Elizaveta Korotkova, 23, a web designer who fled a suburb of Kyiv for Nagoya after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, created a place in the metaverse, a virtual environment on the internet, allowing Ukrainians in Japan to look for a job. The venue will be used for a job fair to be held on Friday, where attendees can exchange information with Japanese companies using their avatars as they seek jobs in their chosen industries.
Korotkova lived with her parents in Irpin, a town northwest of Kyiv. After having to take refuge in an underground car park when her apartment was bombed, she came to Japan alone in March, leaning on a friend.
Before the invasion, Korotkova had studied computer graphics and law at a graduate school while working as a web designer under contract with a French company, creating websites for world-famous fashion brands and others. Unable to pursue contracts with her clients since arriving in Japan, she did occasional work such as graphics while attending a Japanese language school.
Daniel Leung, 46, president of MindFree Inc., an IT company in Osaka, conceived with his team the idea of using the metaverse to help Ukrainians find jobs. Leung, from Hong Kong, said it was necessary to take support measures to help Ukrainians find work in Japan. “I thought the metaverse would allow us to interact with each other without being aware of [race, appearance, etc.],” he said.
In response to Leung’s request, Korotkova created a restaurant-style virtual space. She placed a large table in the center to allow several people to talk together at once, and added smaller tables for smaller groups. She paid close attention to detail, like decorating the space with Ukrainian and Japanese flags and placing red and orange trees with fall foliage outside, to create an atmosphere conducive to discussion among participants.
According to Korotkova, the Ukrainians she knows in Japan work in restaurants and factories. “Even though they are skilled IT professionals, they are rarely hired for the jobs they want due to the language barrier and their lack of qualifications in Japan,” she said.
The fair will be held in English and is free of charge. Up to 15 companies and 20 displaced Ukrainians can participate. “I hope the displaced people can get the jobs they want,” Leung said, adding that his team is planning to hold more fairs.
For applications and inquiries about the show, send an e-mail to MindFree (pr@mindfree.co.jp).
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