TIM eMagazine Vol.2 Issue 3
Front/Center (from left to right): Yu Shinjo (Executive Director, Jellyfish Inc.) and Mr Shunjiro Furuhama (Matsuzawa Kawaraten Co., Ltd)
Philippines-Japan partner up to
develop construction skills of foreign
human resources in Japan
Mr. Shunjiro Furuhama (Matsuzawa Kawaraten Co., Ltd) discussed the necessity of human resource
development to conduct step-up training for trainees with acquired technology and skills to
actively participate in the development of the construction industry within their home countries
T
he Construction Manpower Development
Foundation (CMDF) in partnership with the Ministry
of Land Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)
of the Government of Japan, and the Foundation for
International Transfer of Skills in Construction (FITS,
Japan) conducted a seminar on ‘Measures to develop
construction skills of Foreign Human Resources in
Japan’ last March 16, 2017 at the Dusit Thani Manila.
The seminar’s main objective is to explore measures
to advance the human resource development of
Filipino construction skilled workers trained in Japan.
Mr. Keita Ohtsu, Subsection Chief, Construction Market
Division, Land Economy and Construction Industries Bureau of MLIT gave a talk
on frameworks and recent measures used in Japan. The present Technical Intern
Training System allows for foreign trainees from developing nations to stay in Japan
for a maximum period of 3 years to acquire skills through OJT. There is also the
Foreign Construction Workers Acceptance Program which allows skilled workers in
Japan to address temporary construction demands like the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
and Paralympics.
Mr. Shunjiro Furuhama (Matsuzawa Kawaraten Co., Ltd) discussed the necessity
of human resource development to conduct step-up training for trainees with
acquired technology and skills to actively participate in the development of the
construction industry within their home countries. The Skills Education and Training
Program System allows for contents of curriculum, accomplishment levels, and
employed materials to be systemized and stored digitally for efficiency. The system
helps trainees understand contents and schedule of curriculum to be more cost
conscious. There is also a proposal to use Japanese technology in building and
improving large scale power plants with the Numata Off-grid Model.
Jellyfish a web-based registry for construction industry workers returning home
from Japan was introduced by the Executive Director of Jellyfish Inc, Mr. Yu Shinjo.
It aims to filter users based on skills, nationality, language ability, qualification and
work experience to come up with job matches. The system protects users’ privacy
by having companies request for access from Jellyfish before making contact with a
worker. The system also automatically takes out a user from the registry after getting
employed. On the domestic front, CMDF is developing Construction Industry One
Registry System (CIORS) a web based registry for construction industry workers and
professionals in the Philippines. CMDF sees an opportunity to improve the system
by emulating Jellyfish. CIORS plans to include job matching feature in the registry
system to benefit both workers/professionals and construction companies. It also
aims to map out construction industry workers/professionals in the Philippines with
a workforce mapper.
The seminar highlighted the current strategic partnership between the
Philippines and Japan and future opportunities of the construction industry in both
countries to further develop and invest in improving the sector.
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