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Human resource training

1. Summary

Since 1968, the International Standardization Activities Support Center has been involved in technical cooperation activities related to developing countries. In recent years, the Center has worked in cooperation with various countries in Asia, etc., to organize training programs aimed at manpower development in the field of standards and accreditation, especially in the area of international standardization activities at ISO/IEC. The bond of friendship cultivated through these programs is expected to contribute immensely to gaining friends in Japan's activities in international standardization.

2. Developments in training programs

JICA Training Programs

a. ASEAN International Standards Developments

• Target: ASEAN countries government officer, public officer
• First year:
  Period: November 29, 2009 - December 5, 2009
  Contents: Development of a three-year roadmap for active participation in international standardization (for second-echelon management officers in standardization bodies)
• Second year:
  Period: Fall 2010
  Contents: Training for working-level personnel involved in international standards development (for working-level personnel at standardization bodies)
• Third year:
  Period: Fall 2011

b. ASEAN Product Certification

• Target: ASEAN countries public officer
• First year:
  Contents: Development of a three-year roadmap for participation in IECEE/CB schemes (for second-echelon bureaucrats of government organizations)
• Second year:
  Period: Fall 2010
  Contents: Training for working-level personnel involved in IECEE/CB schemes (for working-level personnel in the area of product certification)
• Third year:
  Period: Fall 2011

3. Past training programs

AOTS training

Training is provided as a general rule to persons working at private business enterprises, etc., who are engaged in work related to international standardization, offering practical knowledge corresponding to the level of expertise of such persons, needed to encourage participation in international standardization activities, such as the importance of such activities, practical procedures, etc., involved in development international standards, etc. The practical training course is offered to persons engaged in standardization in specific fields.

a. Introduction to Standardization

• Target: Private organizations and businesses in ASEAN nations
• Contents: Basic knowledge on international standardization
• Priod: FY2004 - FY2008 (two-week course for each year)

b. Standardization in Practice

• Target: ASEAN nations
• Contents: Practical knowhow in international standardization
• Course period: FY2004 - FY2008 (two-week course for each year)

c. Course on TQM

Organized primarily for training specialists to provide instruction in TQM practices at private businesses, the course is aimed at imparting knowledge and technology necessary for TQM practice and instruction.

• Target: ASEAN nations
• Contents: Invitation-based training of personnel in total quality management
• Period: FY2004 - FY2008 (two-week course for each year)

Note:
JSA's technical cooperation division has contributed to technology transfer for building the foundation of quality-related activities, by providing training for 10 ASEAN nations as part of the Japan-ASEAN TQM Project (Phase 1 in 1995-1999 and Phase 2 in FY2000-FY2004) under the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The achievements of these activities are being utilized as models for developing nations in other economic spheres.

JETRO training programs

JEXSA (JETRO Expert Service Abroad) programs have been implemented as follows.

International standardization project in Thailand

In FY2005 to FY2007, experts in specific fields (springs, rubber products, etc.) were dispatched on short-term missions to cooperate in the joint development of international standards based on needs of industrial sectors by the mirror committees in Japan and ASEAN nations. Through workshops, JSA provided instruction in building organizations, etc., through active participation of industrial sectors in the mirror committees.

Seminar under economic cooperation project

TQM training and dissemination activities were conducted to raise awareness of the benefits of TQM and to put it into practice to boost each country's industrial competitiveness.

FY2008 - FY2010
Target: Government officials and business enterprises of Brunei
Contents: Activities were organized and conducted for training and dissemination of TQM to raise awareness of its benefits and to put it into practice, namely, seminars, open fora, corporate diagnoses, publicity and instruction of local experts.

4. Networking with the ASEAN Community

Coordination with standardization bodies

Information-sharing with various standardization bodies, making use of networks and a wide range of technical cooperation tools, such as the projects for reinforcement and research on Asian industrial infrastructures, JICA programs, AOTS, JETRO, UNIDO projects and surveys on the state of various activities (Malaysia, South Korea and the UK) in Japan.

 

Case of Technical Transfer on TQM Dissemination in Brunei Darussalam
- History of overseas dissemination of quality improvement by JSA -

JSA has a history of more than 40 years since 1968 promoting Total Quality Management (TQM), one of the excellent Japanese techniques, in overseas (Middle East, Asia, Africa, Latin America, East Europe and Russia). Particularly on training and dissemination of TQM human resource development, JSA has achieved unprecedented results and received confidence through the longstanding activities.

Moreover, from 1995 to 1999, JSA introduced and promoted TQM to SMEs in 7 countries in ASEAN (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) as Japan-ASEAN TQM project (Phase 1) commissioned by the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). From 2000 to 2004, JSA conducted Japan-ASEAN TQM project (Phase 2) for Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

The series of project was supervised by JSA in cooperation with individual SDOs as counterparts including TQM technical transfer and instruction to model companies, trainings in Japan (JICA, AOTS, etc.), consultation of model companies, holding of TQM dissemination seminars and ASEAN experts' meetings, compilation and publication of educational materials. JSA has contributed to enhancement of industrial basis and economic development in related countries by technical cooperation through such project, development of and continued guidance to TQM experts.

As an example of such activities by JSA, We would like to introduce a project for Brunei Darussalam, which was implemented recently. This report shows a case of TQM dissemination conducted for SMEs in Brunei.

The report was abstracted from the debrief report on TQM Dissemination and Human Development Project in Brunei Darussalam, JFY2008-2010 commissioned by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

This method of activities can be positioned as a universal method, which is effective for building a system not only in ASEAN but also in other economies in the world. It is a promising method to be globally spread in more developing countries.

Photos of TQM in Brunei Darussalam (PDF)

TQM Dissemination and Human Development for Trade Facilitation Project in Brunei Darussalam (PDF)

Information
If you are interested in this article, contact the following person by English.

Contact Person:	Terry Kawamura (TERRY)
	e-mail; kawamura@jsa.or.jp
	Tel +81-3 5770 1596 , Fax +81-3 5770 1737

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