Abstract
One credit is given for off-campus practical training in a dietitian training school taken as part of the class "Food Service Management". In the Department of Food and Nutrition at Shokei University Junior College, students are required to receive three credits of practical training at three different types of facilities (schools, hospitals, and welfare facilities, etc.) for the purpose of developing practical skills. The number of schools that accept on-the-job trainees has been decreasing due to the start of teaching practice for nutrition educators as well as school elimination and consolidation due to the declining birth rate. In addition, very few students are actually able to find a job in schools. On the other hand, a given number of students find employment at nursery schools every year,and these nursery schools have been strongly recommending that students get on-the-job
training in nursery schools before starting employment.With this in mind, the department has furthered discussions for the realization of nursery school practical training starting last year. This year, due to the impact of the Kumamoto Earthquakes, the number of schools in Kumamoto City conducting practical training was about half that of a typical year. Nevertheless, we decided to start nursery school practical training. We present this report as the summary of our first year initiatives.
