Yuya Matoba majored in sociology at university, plus explored a wide range of fields including economics, cultural anthropology, sustainable community development, languages, and education. 

 

As part of his field studies, he worked with a student non-profit organization supporting poverty-affected communities in Thailand, and later extended his work to community development initiatives in Ghana, Africa.

 

During his studies, Yuya also spent a year in Yukon, gaining hands-on experience in the tourism sector. After graduating, he began his career as a corporate recruitment consultant at a major HR firm in his home country, Japan, before returning to the Yukon in 2018.

 

Following the onset of COVID-19, Yuya stepped back from frontline tourism roles and shifted his focus to broader workforce development. He currently works at the Tourism Industry Association of the Yukon (TIA Yukon), where he leads the design and delivery of labour-market development initiatives for the tourism sector.

 

Yuya is deeply committed to strengthening Yukon’s tourism industry by providing meaningful support to businesses and job seekers through industry-driven, community-focused programs through TIA Yukon.