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[May 2010]

Best Holiday Plan Contest！



Thank you very much for all of your entries and votes for this “Best Holiday Plan Contest”.
You must have had a hard time to pick one from those fun plans!
If you haven’t check great plans yet, please see below entries.

The plan which got the most votes is…

A Day in Tsukuba

Congratulation to Mr. S, a Skillhouse Alumni staff, at one of our medical industry client companies.
He will receive a “10,000yen Travel Gift Certificate” Bon voyage!


Entries:
A. A one day trip to NASU!! (Nature and Great Onsen) => Click Here for more detail
B. Climb Mt TAKA, Enjoy drinking beer at the Beer Mount on the middle of the mountain at night!!
C. A Day In Tsukuba => Click Here for more detail
D. Going to the countryside for one night, two days. Enjoying the trees, plants and the blessings of nature. Then an Onsen and Beer. This is the best holiday ever!!
E. Secret spot at ”WAKASU KAIHIN Park” => Click Here for more detail
F. Going to the spiritual spot, AFURI shrine, located on top of Mt. OYAMA in Isehara, Kanagawa-ken. Have a famous TOFU KAISEKI lunch on the mountain.
G. Take a drive to SHICHIRIGAHAMA. Stop by “Bills” the world best Pancake House.




A. A one day trip to NASU!! (Nature and Great Onsen)

The transportation is the “NASU SHIOBARA Resort Express” bus. If you buy in advance the round trip fee will be 4,620 yen. The estimated total expense is about 7,000 yen.
It’s cheap but you can enjoy a fun and luxurious holiday.

◉ 8:20am　: Leave from the South exit of SHINJUKU station
        Once you get on the bus the relaxation starts.
        - If you are tired you can take a nap.
        - You can catch up with your friends…
◉ 11:52am　: Arriving at NASU ONSEN
        Take the bus for about 15 mins. to the entrance of the cable car.
◉ 12:15pm – 12:45pm　: Lunch Time
        Enjoy your Bento Box with a great view!!
◉ Take the cable car and enjoy trekking around for about one and half hours.　　
        Great exercise while enjoying the wonderful nature.
◉ After the mountain, go to the NASU Onsen at the bottom of the mountain.
        OMASU Onsen for 1,000yen is recommended.
        The baths are open to non-lodgers until 3pm.
◉ 18:00pm　: The return bus leaves from NASU Onsen.
        You can enjoy the sightseeing around NASU Onsen area.
        If hungry having soba is a great idea!
        If worn out from the day feel free to nap as the bus returns to Shinjuku.
◉ 21:30pm　: Arriving at SHINJUKU
        It’s not too late for the next day.

Please note that the bus is really well known, so advance reservations are needed.
Enjoy your holiday!!

Back to Entry



C. A day in Tsukuba

Part 1: Exercise
Climb Mt. Tsukuba! / 筑波山登山!   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tsukuba
Located about 90 minutes outside of Tokyo, this beautiful mountain deserves a visit from anyone who enjoys nature and the outdoors.
The mountain has double peaks, which are connected by a short trail at the top. A cable car runs from the base of the mountain up to one of the peaks,
while the other peak is serviced by a ropeway. Additionally, there are multiple tracks for hiking from the base of the mountain up to both peaks.
People in good health and with a sense of adventure should definitely ignore the cable car and ropeway and climb up the mountain on foot.
The distance to hike is only around 3km (a couple of hours of hiking), and there are number of temples, shrines, and places to stop and enjoy the scenery along the way.
There are various kinds of birds, trees and flowers everywhere, and the air is very clean and fresh. The views from the top of Tsukuba-san are breathtaking.
If you are lucky enough with regard to the weather, you might even be entertained by a spectacular performance of dancing clouds, as the wind draws them up,
around and over the mountain peaks. In addition to shrines, there are some small restaurants and coffee shops at the top of the mountain, where you can rest for a while,
have a bite to eat and enjoy the wonderful views before heading back down to the bottom.

Part 2: Relaxation
Onsen! / 温泉!
What better way to relax after climbing a mountain than by enjoying a hot bath? There are various onsen available in Tsukuba,
including one in a hotel right at the base of Mt. Tsukuba. Ask one of the kind local people of Tsukuba for directions. Onsen are easy to find.

Part 3: Shopping
New shopping centre "Iias Tsukuba"! / 新しいショッピングセンター"イーアスつくば"!  
The recently-opened Iias shopping centre is huge. This is one of the biggest shopping centers in Japan, with something for everyone.
When was the last time you visited a shopping centre where you could buy an ice cream, a yukata and a new European car within 20 meters of each other?!!
Take some time to walk around the giant complex and be amazed by what you see. If you are having trouble finding a good gift to buy for somebody,
you will definitely find something here. If you have some extra time, you might like to watch a movie at the movie theatre upstairs.

Part 4: Nutrition
Italian meal! / イタリアンレストラン
For me, Italian food makes the perfect meal after mountain climbing. Inside the Iias shopping complex, there is an Italian restaurant called Genova where
the food is reasonably-priced and tasty. Personal taste applies here, but Genova has a good pizza oven, and the garlic bread and salads are also very nice.
Perhaps order some Italian wine to complete the picture.

Part 5: Dessert
Ice Cream! / アイスクリーム
Iias shopping centre has multiple dessert options, but my recommendation is ice cream from Cold Stone. For those folks who enjoyed an Italian meal at Genova,
it is only a 20- or 30-second walk to Cold Stone, an ice cream chain which is famous for the chilled granite stone block on which they mix the ice cream with
various toppings such as pie crust crumbs and fresh berries. Interestingly, the staffs of Cold Stone's Iias branch are likely to suddenly start singing together while
they prepare your ice cream, like some kind of Disney production! Don't be surprised if it takes a while to make your choice from the many delicious options on the menu.

There it is: exercise, relaxation, shopping, nutrition and dessert. A fine combination of activities to enjoy on... A Day In Tsukuba.

Back to Entry




E. Secret spot “WAKASU KAIHIN Park”

"Wakasu Kaihin Park” is a little-known spot in Tokyo. The park located on the waterfront is supported by Koto-ku and Metropolitan Parks.
"Wakasu golf links" are golf courses of 72 holes is located within 30 minutes from Ginza.
If you would like to enjoy with your friends and family there are day campgrounds with BBQ facilities.
If you would like to spend a relaxing day, try the rent-a-bicycles (100 yen/hour). The cycling course has a lot of viewing points. The views of the beach from
the KASAI RINKAI PARK on the other side of the shore are impressive. From the south end of the course you can see TOKYO Bay. I bet you will ask yourself “where I am now?”.
Even if you don’t do cycling, the clubhouse is surrounded by a lot of greens, so it is a great place for a walk.
Lying down on a bench while enjoying the sea breeze and a superb view is also a fun plan.
You can visit the park by bus in less than 30 min from KIBA station. If you are living close to the park, visiting here with your bicycle is recommended.
Near by the park there is the YUMENOSHIMA marina and the botanical gardens, so please stop by.

Back to Entry
[June 2010]

Project Management Seminar!!



It is our pleasure to announce that our first Project Management seminar, “Essentials of Successful Project Management” was held on April 17th. The instructor has lots of experience as a Project Manager in the front lines at major companies. 
His lecture was based on his great experience, so we received tons of positive feed back from attendees. Please click here to see the feed back.

Skillhouse University is planning to have this course on a regular basis.  If you are interested in attending it in the future, please contact us anytime.

Skillhouse is always seeking the best services.  If you have any seminar, course, skill that you want to learn, please feel free to contact us here! Please send your enquiry to us; we are more than happy to hear from you.

[May 2010]

Skillhouse "Double" Campaign！



Part 1: Best Holiday Plan

What is the best way to spend a holiday? Let’s ask everyone!
Our 3rd seasonal event, “Best Holiday Plan Contest” has been launched!

All working Staff, Alumni and Registered candidates are welcome to participate this fun opportunity!
The contest is simple; please give us your “perfect” idea of how to spend a holiday.
If you idea got the most vote, you will receive a “10,000yen Travel Gift Certificate”.

Basic Condition:
・　The plan must be achievable in Japan.
・　It must be a one day round trip.
･　Not too extravagant

For example…
Idea 1) Eat Sushi in Odawara and go to an Onsen in Hakone by Odakyu Romancecar Train.
Idea 2) Visit temples which are famous for Seven Gods of Good Fortune. Then eat Monja and have a long soak in a “Super Sento” (larger and fancier public bath) in Odaiba.

Application Eligibility:　Skillhouse working staff, Alumni and Registered candidate

How to enter::
Click Here to send an email to us. Please make sure to put you full name and the plan in the message body.
We will introduce all the ideas on our “Bulletin Board” for everyone to vote.

Entry due date Friday, May 21th 2010

Part 2: Referral Campaign　

Introduce your IT engineer friends and co-workers to Skillhouse!
Skillhouse recruitment will contact your friend and process the application at Skillhouse.
When your friend completes the registration process with us before May 31st, your entry will completes automatically as well!
We will send 5,000yen gift certificate to 5 winners at the end of May!

IT engineers should be in one of the following categories:　
Desktop, Helpdesk Support / Software, Application Development / System Development, Operation / Network / Database Development, Administration / Server / QA / IT Project Manager / IT Manager / Business Analyst / IT Coordinator

Application Eligibility：　Skillhouse Working Staff, Alumni and Registered candidates

How to Apply：　
Ask you friend to online pre-register from our website and write YOUR name and “saw the bulleting board” in the comment section.
If you have any questions, please email toRecruitment

*Your referral must have an IT background and reside in Japan who has not already been registered at Skillhouse
*Winners will receive the prize without prior announcement

You can join both campaigns and double your chance to win! We are looking forward to your participation!!!
[April 2010]

Join Skillhouse Spring IT Career Campaign！

Looking for the right time to find new IT job opportunities? Not sure if this is the right time? Yes it is! Join our Spring IT Career Campaign and get our “just now released” version of our Original Skillhouse mug cup by registering with us on-line.

On-line registration is simple – just go to our registration page to fill out the form and upload your resume to be matched to the newest IT Career Opportunities in the market. Winners will receive the Original Skillhouse mug cup upon full registration meeting at Skillhouse.

[Job Type]
You must have an IT background (samples skill set below) and a permission to work in Japan (Japanese nationals or valid work visa holders);
Desktop, Helpdesk Support/ Software, Application Development/ System Development, Operation/ Network/ Database Development, Administration/ Server/ QA, Tester/ IT Project Manager/ IT Manager, Director/ Business Analyst/ IT Consultant/ IT Coordinator
[Duration] 4/1/2010～4/30/2010

[How to apply]
Please go to URL>Registration （Don’t forget to attach your resume!）Make sure to write “saw the bulletin board” in the comment section.
We will contact you qualify for registration.
If you have further questions regarding this campaign, please feel free to email Skillhouse or call 03-5408-5070.

[March 2010]

Message from the President - Skillhouse Profits Through Tough Times

I am very happy to report that Skillhouse was profitable for our 2009 fiscal year that ended in December. While most companies around the world in our industry registered losses, Skillhouse was able to reach profitability. In addition, we are forecasting that 2010 will be one of our best years! This success is due to the tremendous hard work of our employees, internal and working staff alike.

Skillhouse is now in our sixth year of business operations and we are all focused on growth and providing candidates and working staff with the best possible opportunities in the market. We currently have IT professionals working all across Japan and from next year plan to open our Singapore branch office.

Thank you all for your hard work and efforts!

Kind regards,

Mark Smith

[February 2010]


Word Association Lottery Game

All working staff, alumni and registered candidates were invited to play our Valentine’s Day word association game. The rules were simple... submit the first word, and only one word, that comes to mind when you think of “Valentine’s Day”.
From the group of contestants who chose what became the most popularly submitted word, one winner was drawn to win:
A pair of One-Day Passport tickets for a magical date at
Tokyo Disneyland® or Tokyo DisneySea®.

Responses

"Chocolate" 53%    |    "Love" 18%    |    "Heart" 12%    |    other 17%

Winner

Congratulations to Ms. Y, an Access Control staff at one of our Banking industry client companies.
This contest was not sponsored by Disney®

[January 2010]


NEW BENEFIT - REEBOK 20%-50% Discounts

Skillhouse and Reebok are excited about our new relationship to benefit the Skillhouse community. Reebok is offering our staff and their families 20-50% off of their catalog for current and past season apparel and accessories.
Please click here for details.

[December 2009]

Holiday Photo and Drawing Contests


The 2009 winter holiday themed contests were opened to working staff, alumni, and registered candidates.

The winner of the Photo Contest was:
Ms. T, a Helpdesk Admin Assistant at one of our client companies in the industry of Financial Investment. She received a:
10,000 yen Visa® gift certificate.

And the winner of the child’s hand sketched holiday themed Drawing Contest was:
Mr. E, a Project Manager at one of our client companies in the Banking industry. His six year old daughter received a:
10,000 yen Toys ’R Us® gift certificate.

Photo Entries


photo 01
photo 02
photo 03
WINNER
photo 04
photo 05

photo 06
photo 07
photo 08
photo 09
photo 10

photo 11
photo 12
photo 13
photo 14
photo 15

photo 16
photo 17
photo 18
photo 19
photo 20


Drawing Entries


drawing 01
drawing 02
drawing 03
WINNER
[November 2009]

NEW BENEFIT - Skillhouse Cinema DVD Library

Sit back and relax at home with some free entertainment from our extensive collection of movie and television favorites. Genres include comedy, action and adventure, drama and more.
[November 2009]

NEW BENEFIT - Skillhouse Sounds CD Library

Relieve your daily stress by listening to classical composers or have fun and rock out to heavy metal head banging bands. These and other popular music types are available for free and easy listening in our extensive collection of music on compact disc.
[November 2009]

The Financial Industry in Tokyo (FIT) for Charity Run 2009

On November 29, Skillhouse management ran, walked and volunteered at the fifth FIT For Charity Run held at Tokyo’s National Kasumigaoka Stadium. In 2009, FIT For Charity once again broke records for participation, as 5,183 individuals from 97 financial services and related foreign and domestic organisations came together to raise approximately JPY 59.4 million for six local charities.
[October 2009]

Skillhouse University courses updated for Winter Semester

Skillhouse University is divided into three main categories: IT Training, Business Training and Language Training. Please review the courses and click “apply” to any course that suits your needs or interests. New courses are offered every term (Spring, Summer and Fall), so please check our course offerings often.