GETTING SKILLS RIGHT CREATING RESPONSIVE ADULT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN JAPAN

Description

Foreword Acronyms and abbreviations Executive summary 1 Changing skill needs in the Japanese labour market 1.1. Megatrends are changing the supply and demand of skills 1.1.1. The composition of the Japanese labour market is changing 1.1.2. Labour markets are polarising 1.1.3. Many jobs are likely to be exposed to automation in the near future 1.1.4. Technology adoption changes skill demands 1.1.5. Although education and skill levels of the population are on the rise, inequalities in digital problem-solving skills remain high 1.2. Skills imbalances have emerged 1.2.1. In parallel to a rise in labour demand, hiring mismatch is growing 1.2.2. Shortages are found in a large variety of occupations 1.2.3. Many adults work in jobs that do not match their education level or field of study 1.2.4. The skills of workers are not always put to full use at work References Notes 2 Implications for the Japanese employment system 2.1. Japanese traditional employment practices 2.1.1. Lifetime employment 2.1.2. Seniority wage structure 2.1.3. Periodic mass recruitment of new graduates 2.2. Limitation of traditional employment practices in an era of changing skill needs and labour shortages 2.3. Structural changes are already affecting these practices References Notes 3 Japan’s need for more and better adult learning opportunities 3.1. The need for more adult learning opportunities 3.2. The future-readiness of the Japanese adult learning system 3.3. The coverage of the adult training market in Japan References Notes 4 Increasing access to adult learning opportunities 4.1. Reducing barriers to training 4.1.1. Education and training leave 4.1.2. Flexible training provision 4.2. Expanding the Japanese adult learning market 4.2.1. Expanding the role of formal training providers 4.2.2. Expanding the role of non-formal training providers Non-formal training by formal education institutions The importance of quality assurance of non-formal training by private providers Publicising information about training References Annex 4.A. Additional tables and figures Notes 5 Making adult learning more inclusive 5.1. Making adult learning more inclusive 5.2. Increasing the participation in training of non-regular workers 5.3. Increasing the participation in training of older workers 5.4. Increasing the participation in training of workers in small firms References Annex 5.A. Additional tables Annex 5.B. Policy details Human Resource Support Grant Training Benefit System Notes 6 Improving the responsiveness of adult learning to changing labour market needs 6.1. Assessing skill and training needs 6.2. Aligning training with labour market needs 6.3. Targeting workers at risk References Notes 7 Career guidance to support career progression and transitions 7.1. The need for high-quality career guidance services 7.2. Supporting workers with their career pathways 7.2.1. Supporting internal career progression Employer-provided guidance services Understanding skill gaps 7.2.2. Supporting external career transitions 7.3. Career guidance for job seekers References Notes