A Japanese-edition "dual system" is launched

In April, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare launched a Japanese-edition "dual system" that integrates vocational training at schools with corporate internships. The aim is to make it into a core program for assisting young people to find employment.

The program will first provide short-term training, lasting less than six months, at 53 private-sector, government-commissioned vocational training institutions, hoping to take in about 1,000 people. Then, beginning in October, long-term classes lasting one to three years will be held at public and other vocational training institutions.

The former program will target "freeters," or job-hopping youths as well as unemployed persons under the age of 30, mainly comprising those who are unable to find employment even after graduating from high school. In the standard, five-month training course, for example, participants attend academic classes and undergo skills training for three months at training schools, then do practical work training for one to two months at corporations. Private-sector training institutions will find companies to accommodate these trainees. The latter program will extend the age of eligible participants to 35, and have them attend school in the morning and work in corporations in the afternoon, for example, to allow them to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for different jobs. As for the period of time necessary for acquiring practical skills and competency, over 20% of the total training time will be spent as a corporate intern. To obtain the cooperation of enterprises, the government will provide subsidies to help formulate practical work training plans.

Other than the actual educational material cost, program participants will in principle not be required to pay training fees. This is expected to be effective in giving a high profile to the program and in turn encourage young people--a growing number of whom are becoming "freeters" or unemployed--to stay at their place of work for longer periods. The authorities anticipate that about 40,000 people will utilize the program each year.