The education ministry plans to implement a pilot project for reskilling programs at 16 vocational schools across Japan in fiscal 2026 to achieve wage increases for essential workers in fields including nursing care and child care, sources said Monday.
The initiative will be carried out in collaboration with companies specializing in digital technology and will help participants acquire productivity-boosting skills.
In addition, it aims to support wage hikes for the so-called employment "ice age" generation, whose members entered the job market from around 1993 to 2004, when it was very difficult to find jobs, and are struggling with low pay.
The ministry will earmark about ¥440 million ($2.99 million) for the project in its budget request for fiscal 2026, which starts next April.
It will provide subsidies of ¥24 million per vocational school, covering training in various fields such as cooking and car maintenance. The ministry plans to assess the programs and expand successful ones nationwide.
Under the initiative, the ministry will promote cooperation with companies and industry groups with expertise in digital transformation to ensure that training aligns with actual workplace needs.
It will also collaborate with local governments facing labor shortages. For example, culinary schools in urban areas will partner with local governments of rural tourist attractions so that students receive training in digital and other skills relevant to the local tourism industry.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.