Our company produces, processes, ships, and sells agricultural products, all in-house. We employ forty specified skilled workers in two sectors: processing of vegetables into salads and other foods at our plant (manufacturing of food and beverages), and production of agricultural products (agriculture). Some of the specified skilled workers we employ have passed qualifying tests in both manufacturing of food and beverages and agriculture, allowing them to work in the vegetable processing plant in the winter, and in agriculture in the summer. Having workers who can perform in multiple sectors* in this way is one of the real strengths of a company such as ours, which is involved in agricultural diversification.

We had already been accepting foreign technical intern trainees, but as there is no limit on the number of specified workers who can be employed, and because we felt their specialized knowledge would make them immediate assets to our company, we decided to begin hiring them as well. During employment interviews, we fully explain what the job entails and confirm the candidate’s experience and suitability. By carefully interviewing potential employees about their experience and knowledge, how many years they intend to work, and their desired income, we are able to prevent mismatches from occurring after hiring.

(*Note: In order to work in multiple sectors, a separate application to the Immigration Services Agency is required.)

Most of the specified skilled workers at our vegetable processing plant are in their 20s, and they are all positive and highly motivated. Their work is fast and accurate and they are both physically and mentally tough, so their presence is energizing to our Japanese staff, who don’t want to be outdone. We choose group leaders for each manufacturing process from among the specified skilled workers in order to properly evaluate their abilities and achievements. Those leaders are also in charge of creating materials for and giving guidance at monthly study sessions attended by all our staff.

With a focus on developing their careers by acquiring specified skilled worker (ii) status, we entrust them not only with factory work, but also shift scheduling, production scheduling, and inventory management. In fact, many of our foreign employees are excellent workers and very accurate in handling numbers. We are reminded that the idea that foreign workers should only do certain tasks in the workplace is an outdated stereotype that hinders improvements in productivity.

In addition, we support our specified skilled workers in acquiring driver’s licenses, special large motor vehicle licenses for tractors and other large equipment, and forklift certification by making reservations at licensing centers, and providing transportation to and from driving schools. We also offer subsidies and certification allowances to help pay for licensing and certification for tractors and forklifts used at work.

We also have a subsidiary in Vietnam whose president is a Vietnamese former staff member who learned technical skills while working for us as a technical intern trainee and as a specified skilled worker. We hope that the specified skilled workers who are currently working with us will also become specified skilled workers (ii) and continue working at our company over the long term.