India has already trained two batches of workers to work in Japan under that country’s Technical Intern Training Program.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) plans to rope in spiritual organisations such as the Art of Living Foundation, Patanjali Yogpeeth and Isha Foundation to offer “sociocultural and emotional support” to Indian workers being trained and sent to Japan as care givers for that country's ageing population.
India's premier agency to provide skilled manpower has taken the initiative as part of its efforts to strengthen its partnership with Japan post Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Japan.
India has already trained two batches of workers to work in Japan under that country’s Technical Intern Training Program (TITP). While Skill India's first batch of technical interns, all from Tamil Nadu, reached Japan in July, the second batch, mostly from Uttar Pradesh, landed there last month.
More than 15 meetings were conducted last month between the NSDC and the Japanese stakeholders to strengthen the programme, in which over 180 stakeholders of TITP from India and Japan, including over 30 Japanese supervising organisations and all 23 sending organisations from India participated, NSDC managing director Manish Kumar said.
The idea of getting help from spiritual organisations came up during these discussions when it was conveyed to the NSDC that some Indian workers were experiencing difficulties adjusting to Japanese food and culture and tend to leave jobs, or go into isolation.
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"We feel a social and emotional connection with the interns post their arrival in Japan will improve their psychological wellbeing which is very important for them to live and work there. That is why we are adopting methods like sending people from the same town or village together, and getting them acquainted with spiritual and cultural organisations here so that they are comfortable with their techniques there," said Kumar, who is also NSDC’s chief executive. During the talks, the Indian delegation was informed by the Japanese stakeholders that 80% of the demand under TITP was concentrated in care workers, Kumar said. Other areas included the automotive, food-processing, textile and agriculture industries.
"Under TITP, Japanese SVOs have been hiring technical intern trainees from countries such as China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand and others. Vietnam has been sending the most number of candidates under TITP, whereas the hiring from China has almost ceased. This is where the opportunities for India have increased,” Kumar said.
