To facilitate a comprehensive dialogue and promote knowledge sharing amongst the stakeholders responsible for mobility of skilled candidates to Japan under Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) and Specified Skill Workers (SSW) program, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), organized a brainstorming workshop with Sending Organizations (SOs), empaneled by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).The workshop was chaired by Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, MSDE. Additional Secretary, MEA, Shri Anurag Bhushan also participated in the workshop along with other senior ministry officials.

The workshop provided a platform to the stakeholders to identify and address challenges faced by Sending Organizations and students, share on-ground experiences related to the respective programs, explore effective student monitoring practices, and engage in solution driven discussions.

Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said the TITP and SSW programs play a pivotal role in forwarding Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of making India the Skill Capital of the World. India and Japan share age old cultural and religious connect and collaboration as such between the two countries further help promote international cooperation and strengthen the bond between the two countries.

He further said that organizing workshops like these are important for sharing of relevant insights that help to create effective roadmaps for the future. The discussion today has been extremely fruitful in terms of the inputs shared by everyone. He hoped that the next steps will further solidify MSDE’s efforts towards training the segment of the Indian workforce as per the demands of the job market in Japan.

Shri Anurag Bhushan, Additional Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs said that the emigration, spanning decades, has evolved into a powerful catalyst, enriching skill development, bolstering soft power and fostering livelihood opportunities. As our diaspora grows, it not only fuels remittances but also serves as a conduit for knowledge transfer, technology, and skill acquisition that immensely benefit Indian companies to leverage global exposure for their growth. It can be leveraged through the convergence of demography, democracy and diversity that propels emigration. It is evident in strategic agreements like comprehensive Migration Motivating Partnership Agreement with Germany and Mauritius. In the realm of Japanese market, a nuanced approach is paramount to tap into the opportunities. Equipping the workforce with the necessary linguistic skills, building robust language training frameworks, strengthening immigration policy ecosystem, and embracing digital advancements can help in utilizing the talent of young workforce, he added.

The workshop was successful in generating valuable insights from the sending organizations and basis these inputs, National Skill Development Corporation International (NSDCI) under the aegis of the Ministry and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship would align their efforts towards creating a framework that links MSDE, MEA and other ministries, which in turn, will enhance the effectiveness of workforce mobility under the two programs, between the two countries. From an implementation perspective, it was deemed important for creating a larger pool of high skilled Japanese language trainers in the country, while expanding the learning facilities with the help of concerned Ministries and incentivizing the Skill India International Centres. Further, collaborating with companies in Japan and companies from Japan in India would be a necessary step for demand aggregation and alignment of skill training in the respective sectors basis the knowledge of the demand.

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