FY2023 "Construction Future Award for Foreign Talent" <Accepting Company/Organization Category> Award Ceremony Report

—Please tell us about the Japanese language classes you currently run.

We have turned a school that taught Japanese to foreigners into a subsidiary, and are now offering Japanese language lessons to not only our foreign employees, but also to technical intern trainees and Specified Skills from other companies as a business. Currently, construction and auto repair companies are using our services, and while we have expanded our business by word of mouth up until now, we have begun to actively promote our services from this year.

—What exactly do you study in your Japanese language classes?

Students are asked to work on handouts distributed twice a week. In addition, we hold a two-hour online Japanese language course once a month. The key is to have students take the course about two months before entering the country. We focus on bringing students to a level where they can converse to a certain extent by the time they enter the country.

—You are also expanding overseas.

We have established local subsidiaries in Myanmar and Vietnam. However, the company in Myanmar is currently on hold due to the effects of COVID-19 and the unstable domestic situation. On the other hand, the company in Vietnam is specializing in our design work. Currently, 80% of our construction design work is done by a company in Vietnam.

—What difficulties did you face when setting up a local subsidiary?

In fact, most of the work related to setting up the company in Vietnam was handled by the Vietnamese president who is based there. When he returned from Japan with Specified Skills visa, he said he wanted to set up a company in Vietnam, so we left it to him, and he wrote up a business plan in a week. It was very helpful that he prepared everything from registration to hiring. Currently, we are in the process of creating a system that will allow us to receive construction orders locally in addition to design.

Staff working at Sugawara Vietnam

—The award was given in recognition of the training methods used.

Thank you. In our company, we have new employees study Japanese language and learn about Japanese culture and lifestyles in their first year. From their second year, they obtain qualifications, and from their third year, they focus on foreman training. We have a clear plan for this.

—What prompted you to start focusing on training?

When we first started accepting foreign workers, the challenge was to build a relationship where Japanese and foreigners could cooperate with each other. We had to eliminate prejudice against foreigners who were not good at Japanese and had insufficient skills. With that as our first goal, we made sure that the Japanese managers fully understood my philosophy of "nurturing foreigners with care." It all started with us trying to make valuing people our company's charm and strength. Now, this philosophy has permeated all our employees.

—What are some of the things you do to improve training?

We are currently preparing a video learning system. We are currently creating a system for online learning by compiling techniques and knowledge that can be used on-site into videos. We will create a curriculum that will cover basics such as how to use tools, safety and health precautions, and understanding of work processes, and we plan to provide content that can be tackled in stages, such as pre-joining training, post-joining review, and more advanced technical training. We have set up a dedicated team within the company to edit the videos, and we are gradually putting the system in place.

—You are also working to improve the work environment.

Employees who are certified as industrial counselors meet with employees on a regular basis to provide advice on worries and career plans. We also believe it is important to have multiple consultation desks, rather than just one, and we make it possible for employees to contact us individually at any time in addition to the SNS group. In addition, if there is something that is difficult to talk about with the company, we encourage them to consult with support organizations or unions. Some people have actually contacted me individually, so I feel that this system is functioning well.

Training after acceptance

-You have established an evaluation system that clearly states the necessary skills qualifications and various licenses. What prompted you to do this?

The underlying idea is that even if we accept foreigners, they will not find it rewarding to work if they are only doing manual tasks. Therefore, we make sure that they take the necessary skills training and special education for the qualifications they need on-site as soon as they arrive in Japan. The aim is to secure their technical skills while giving them the responsibility, joy, and sense of accomplishment of a qualified worker.

—You also put effort into Japanese language education.

We hold a class once a week that focuses on improving conversation skills. In this class, students are divided into groups of 3-4 people and enjoy the lessons with the instructor. In addition, students take online preparation courses from 3 months before the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. By preparing with employees and checking and understanding their own level of understanding in advance, students' attitudes toward the class change, and questions are clarified, which dramatically increases their level of understanding.

—What do you pay attention to when training?

At our company, we have trainees study to pass N4 during their technical internship period, and N3 for Specified Skilled Worker (i) However, it is true that there are people who are not good at Japanese, so in those cases we try not to force them. If we put too much pressure on them, they will become depressed, so we just keep it as a goal.

—Currently, we are accepting students from two countries. What are the positives of being international?

Since the common language is Japanese, the speed of language improvement has increased. Also, I feel that a competitive spirit has started to emerge among them, as they try to improve their Japanese level. What I am careful about is not to make unfair evaluations. They are very sensitive to discrimination, but Japanese people seem to be insensitive to this point. I am always careful to be fair.

Specified Skilled Worker (ii) are in charge of educating technical intern trainees