Kajima has developed learning materials called "Power to Create a Century" to bring exploratory learning to high school students. We provide these materials free of charge to any willing high school in Japan.

In the first year of the program, the 2020 school year, 2,820 students from 16 schools across Japan received materials. In the second year, the 2021 school year, we have received applications from 34 schools as of December, and we have provided materials for some 6,700 students. We also hold online briefing sessions for teachers who are conducting exploratory learning for the first time. Through these briefings and other efforts, we help people utilize the materials.

Following recent education reforms by MEXT, there has been progress in a shift to new educational guidelines. From the 2022 school year onward, high schools will implement full-scale classes under a category named "Period for Inquiry-Based Cross-Disciplinary Study." This is the background to the development of these materials.

High school teachers and staffs, however, continued to search for materials without any hope before the fully fledged launch of these classes. We learned about the issues that educational staff were encountering and we proposed making teaching materials that utilize our track record in construction projects as well as the rich selection of historical and valuable video assets that we hold showing construction work and other activities. Based on interviews with the education company and teachers, we selected three projects that would stimulate high school students' inquiring minds. With an approach for active learning based on the themes of urban development, passing down tradition, and involvement and coexistence, the teaching materials span two hours for each theme with videos and other content.

People's feelings bring tangible changes, such as the building and development of cities and society. A significant benefit of these learning materials is that they allow students to learn the importance of thinking about how society will change in the next century and considering the future based on free-thinking and problem-solving based on real-life projects.

Kajima is focusing efforts in education for the next generation as one of its pillars in social contribution activities. We anticipate that these efforts will enrich understanding and interest in the construction industry and help secure new talent to take on the issues that the industry faces.