Dive Co., Ltd. President and CEO Kiyoshi Shoji

Resort jobs offer a life-changing opportunity

Dive Co., Ltd. President and CEO　Kiyoshi Zhuangzi(Shoji Kiyoshi)

■ Profile

Born in Miyagi Prefecture on March 24, 1979. After graduating from high school, he studied music at a junior college in the United States. After returning to Japan, he worked as a temporary factory employee before joining a staffing agency in 2001. In 2003, he joined Furari Co., Ltd. (later Appli Inc., now Dive Inc.) as a founding member. In May 2012, he became Representative Director and President. The company is scheduled to be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market on March 27, 2024.

Since its founding in 2002, Dive Co., Ltd. has been expanding its business centered on the tourism industry, with its core business being "resort part-time jobs," a human resources service specializing in tourist facilities. The company values ​​direct communication between people and has been focusing on digital aspects such as digital transformation and IT marketing, while gaining trust. We spoke with the company's president, Kiyoshi Shoji, about his own career and the appeal of resort part-time jobs as the tourism industry recovers after the COVID-19 pandemic.

■From meeting the staffing business to starting up the company

After returning from studying abroad, I first worked at a factory as a temporary employee. What shocked me there was that for the first time in my life, I felt recognized by adults. Through this experience and my relationships with the bosses who looked after me, I wanted to be like the bosses and seniors who gave me the environment to change myself, and so I decided to work as an employee at a temporary employment agency. At the company where I made it to the final interview, I said, "I know more than anyone what it means to work at a temporary employment agency," and I ended up working in sales. While working in the human resources industry, I felt that I wanted to help build more connections between people, and at that time, my boss at the time invited me to start my own company.

■ The appeal of resort work is the chance to change

People change when they change the people they associate with, the place they go to, and the time they spend there. This lesson I was taught long ago still remains in my heart and I always hold it dear, and resort work meets all of these conditions. When you think about it that way, resort work holds the potential and opportunity to change a person's life and way of thinking. Of course, there will be times when you face unpleasant things at work. However, facing these experiences will lead to growth and awareness, and will broaden your own possibilities. With this in mind, I continue to support my staff based on their dreams and goals.

■We were able to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to our "friends"

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we lost 70% of our sales. I repeatedly wondered what would become of the company and worried about how long the situation would continue. However, the reason we were able to overcome this was largely due to the presence of the colleagues who stayed with us. I believe that it was precisely because our colleagues remained with us despite the uncertainty that we faced that we resolved to persevere together and move forward. No matter how hard we were pushed, we continued to believe that the tourism industry is a peaceful industry and will never disappear. While virtual and remote tourism became a hot topic during the pandemic, I still felt that it was important to experience travel with all five senses, and that real-life experiences are timeless and will never disappear. While it was unclear when the pandemic would end, my colleagues who shared the same vision worked together, determined to do what we could now, and steadily worked to systematize and organize our business processes. I believe that this helped us overcome the pandemic.

■Listing in March 2024. What are your goals and dreams beyond that?

We were listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market in March 2024. In the future, I would like to raise awareness of resort work among all generations, and become a place where people say, "When you think of resort work, you think of diving." I also want to solve all the issues that arise in Japan's tourism industry. Even lesser-known regions that are not famous tourist destinations have many attractive features. I would like to go into these areas, plan and attract visitors, and devote my efforts to revitalizing the region. Furthermore, with the increasing number of foreign visitors, I would like to expand working holiday programs and the acceptance of specific skilled workers in the accommodation industry.

■Message to university students

When you're young, even if you fail, you can recover. That's why I think that as a university student, you should do things that you can only do now. Taking action without believing in the world's "norms" often pays off in the long run. Dive Co., Ltd. began hiring new graduates in 2019. Our company's vision is "Toward a world where everyone can love their own life" and our mission is "To create a 'day' that will last a lifetime." We would love to work with people who share this vision and mission. We also want to increase the number of people who say, "I am who I am today because of that experience working at a resort."

Interview with Student Newspaper Online on April 1, 2024 by Sari Tsuka, a third-year student at Keio University

Rikkyo University, 4th year student, Narina Ogata / Keio University, 3rd year student, Sari Tsuka / Toyo University, 2nd year student, Rinno Koshiyama / Kyoto University of the Arts, 1st year student, Reina Inomoto / Waseda University, 3rd year student, Katsumi Yuasa