MARKET TESTING: LEC Wins Extension of "Model Business Market Testing" Contract

Tokyo Legal Mind K.K. (LEC) – Japan's foremost educational institution for professional licensing and certification – has again successfully bid for the rights to offer special business training for the unemployed at the Lifelong Human Resources Development Center (also known as The Ability Garden).

This will be LEC’s second consecutive year as contract holder. The program is to recommence in April, using the Development Center's existing facilities and equipment.

What this means for LEC clients

In addition to introducing competition theory to administrative services, this services supplements our "Model Business Market Testing" program which is also open to the public.

We offer this program in accordance with our ongoing aim to provide quality training for the unemployed and for those seeking a career change. The Ability Garden’s equipment and facilities, which are available on weekends and evenings, are being used for two reasons: it allows us to reinforce the quality of services by drawing from the built-in know-how of private companies, and also allows us to provide these services at a minimal cost.

What LEC can offer its clients

Our services include lectures for acquisition of practical business skills as well as a practical job-hunting support plan.

We aim to increase client satisfaction, employment rates, and employment retention rates via several methods: implementing practical and easy-to-understand lectures; offering high quality job-hunting support plans, which can be thought as career counseling or job-hunting guidance clubs; and implementing a solid follow-up system.

These services reinforce our existing successes in model business training.

Last year’s accomplishments

Here are some notable milestones:

Course Name	Training Period	Training Hours	Quota	Number of Applications	Number of attendees
Business Law in Practice	5/7/2005-23/10/2005	258 Hours	24	40	23
Practical Business Management in Welfare Services	5/7/2005-23/10/2005	258 Hours	24	24	24
	1/11/2005-21/02/2006	258 Hours	24	27	24
Service Management	1/11/2005-21/02/2006	258 Hours	24	30	23

This year’s scheduled lectures

(All lectures are offered weekdays 18:00-21:00 and allow a maximum of 22 participants)

Business Law in Practice[1][2]

([1]:5/4/2006-31/7/2006, [2]:2/8/2006-29/11/2006)

This course is designed to improve comprehension of the legalities that are an integral part of corporate operations – and how to cope with such legal issues. The ability to adapt to real-life legal situations is taught through focused law lectures, utilizing real-world wisdom gleaned from our decades of experience in professional legal licensing and certification. Lecture concepts are reinforced with group work.

Service Management[1][2]

([1]:5/4/2006-31/7/2006, [2]:1/12/2006-31/3/2007)

This course provides training in management and in skills such as purchasing, marketing, and customer service. PDCA cycle skills (identifying problems, making project proposals, running projects) are imparted through instruction, with added emphasis on case study methodology and group work.

International Business Communication[1][2]

([1]:2/8/2006-29/11/2006, [2]:1/12/2006-31/3/2007)

This course provides training in the international business communication skills necessary for working for foreign corporations and trading companies. The course also provides training in accounting skills for distribution-type businesses. Participants will also develop the fundamentals of Business English through TOEIC study, as well as bookkeeping training to better understand financial statements – skills needed by today’s professionals, particularly in the accounting field.

About Market-testing

Market-testing allows state and private organizations to maintain a state of fair competition, and enables private sector businesses to operate in the public sector.

Under this system, competing organizations vie for contracts by attempting to offer a superior balance of quality and value. Bidding is conducted openly between state and private organizations under agreed conditions of transparency and fairness. (As defined by the Council for the Promotion of Regulatory Reform)

About The Ability Garden

The Ability Garden is a public institution devoted to professional development, established to enhance the skills of white-collar professionals.

Its official name is the Lifelong Human Resources Development Center – Employment and Human Resources Development Organization.

Address: Kotobashi 2-19-14, Sumida-ku, Tokyo, Japan 130-0022