Our Mission

Employment Support Seminar

With the increasing fluency of the job market in Japan, it is now not enough just to have the right skills to do a job; job seekers must acquire new skill sets to enable them to effectively search for and find work. As Japan's economy adapts and advances, workers increasingly need the ability to move between jobs. LEC is identifying and responding to these needs. LEC champions the necessity of nurturing a more empowered labor market for a more responsive, agile economy and for a confident, happy workforce.

Government projects for employment support seminars (official project names)

  • General and youth employment support seminar (Local government)
  • Job hunting support seminar (National government, Bureau of Labor)

What is an employment support seminar?

This is a set of seminars sponsored by national and local government's to promote job hunting skills for job seekers. The seminar provides job hunting skills with qualified job seekers, and should be distinguished from vocational training courses which provide vocational skills for unqualified job seekers. The main purpose of the seminars is job seeking skills such as how to write resumes, what to prepare at the interviews, etc. Youth employment support seminars also include lectures on business etiquette. Training courses range in length from 1 hour to 5 days. Short seminars are delivered in a lecture style. Longer seminars also include practical training classes such as application writing practice and simulated interviews.

Recent trends

As employment policies of local governments have started to change their focus from vocational training to short term employment seminars, people are now able to satisfy their various needs. In addition, from 2001, many local governments that are receiving Urgent Local Employment Creation Special Funds have initiated employment support seminars for job seekers who are claiming employment insurance benefits. These seminars are often advertised through Hello Work services, brochures, and posters.

Future trends

These kinds of seminars are likely to become specialized to cater for social groups such as high school graduates, university graduates, younger generations, women, etc., as well as occupational groups to meet individual needs. For example, some local governments have initiated short-term vocational computer training courses.

In the near future, it will be more crucial to find solutions for how to support those who took the seminars by providing them with appropriate career counseling or even work placement services.

Past LEC's commission on Employment Seminars

  1. Wakayama Prefecture Kinokuni Employment Guidance 21 Project (Fiscal Year 2002)
  2. Staffing project for Saitama Prefecture High School Employment Support Project (Fiscal Year 2002 / 2003)
  3. Saitama Prefecture Employment Support Step-up Project (Fiscal Year 2003)
  4. Kobe City Reemployment Support Seminar (Fiscal Year 2002)
  5. Chiba Prefecture "Chiba Job Seeker Support Project" Employment Support Seminar (Fiscal Year 2002 / 2003)
  6. Mie Prefecture Reemployment Support Seminar (Fiscal Year 2002)
  7. Okayama Prefecture Reemployment Support Seminar (Fiscal Year 2002)
  8. Ishikawa Prefecture Reemployment Support Seminar (Fiscal Year 2002)
  9. Kanazawa City Reemployment Support Seminar (Fiscal Year 2003)
  10. Nagano Prefecture Service Industry Employment Manner Seminar (Fiscal Year 2002 / 2003)
  11. Miyagi Prefecture Employment Support Step-up Project (Fiscal Year 2003)
  12. Osaka Prefecture Employment Support Advisor Project (Fiscal Year 2003)
  13. Hyogo Prefecture Employment Support Seminar (Fiscal Year 2003)
  14. Tottori Prefecture Reemployment Support Seminar (Fiscal Year 2003)

Past LEC contracts on projects related to Bureau of Labor

  1. Job Seeking Activity Support Seminar (36 Bureau of Labor offices, nation wide)
  2. Employee Training, Bureau of Labor (5 Bureau of Labor offices, nation wide)
  3. Career Plaza, Job Seeking Activity Support Seminar (4 offices, nation wide)

*Besides the above list, LEC has operated various seminars and projects for commission from Japanese local and national governments.