The NGK Group believes that the Company’s growth depends on the growth and well-being of our employees, and we work to adapt our human resource development to changes in society, ensure fair personnel practices, and provide a safe, comfortable workplace environment.
Power Business Group
Engineering Dept.,
Electrical Insulator Div.,
Kiyotada Aoyama
As part of the first class of trainees in the overseas internship (trainee) program, had the opportunity to train in Canada and the U.S. for six months starting in April 2010. My goals were to improve my English skills and presentation skills as a sales engineer (SE), setting my sights on carrying out technical negotiations. The specific objective of my training was to develop an understanding of design technologies for polymer insulators and give presentations in English for customers, with the view to developing the ability to conduct actual negotiations on technical issues in English.
Following a six-month global training program in Japan, I spent the first two months in Canada for English language training. Next, I began my overseas internship as an SE at U.S.-based NGK-Locke Polymer Insulators, Inc. (NLPI, Virginia), an NGK Group company.
Having completed intensive preparatory training in Japan and Canada, I entered NLPI with confidence. However, I was shocked to discover that my English was not understood and my self-confidence collapsed all at once. However I actively interacted with the local engineers and eagerly studied design technologies. At the same time, I voluntarily asked my American supervisor for the opportunity to gain experience in giving real presentations to customers. By repeatedly participating in presentations, I was able to restore my self-confidence. In the U.S., presentations generally involve dialogue with the audience with an emphasis on discussions. By becoming proficient in this method of presentation, I developed the ability to respond properly to technical questions, an area I initially struggled with. I received positive responses from customers, such as “your presentation gave us a better understanding of the reliability and advantages of NGK products compared with what other companies off er.” There was one case in which a presentation led to an actual order. In these ways, I was able to achieve more than I originally aimed for.
Looking ahead, I hope to continue to sharpen my language skills and technical knowledge as a global asset that can be stationed overseas at any time.
Presentation at NLPI (October 2010)
Presentation for a customer (October 2010)
The NGK Group is expanding its business around the world, and the number of countries and regions where it operates has been increasing year after year. Going forward, we expect increases in the number of key personnel posted to overseas locations and the number of overseas business trips. Consequently, one key priority is to develop human resources with an expansive outlook and who can be successful worldwide.
To address this priority, the NGK Group set up a Global Personnel Development system in 2007 as an independent training program. Initially, the main emphasis was on training the latest candidates for overseas postings. However, the NGK Group strengthened its training activities with the addition of the overseas internship (trainee) program in 2010. This program was designed to provide systematic training of candidates from an earlier stage, focusing specifically on young engineering personnel.
Previously, engineering personnel were stationed overseas at a later stage than employees in administrative and sales positions. Generally, engineering personnel were posted overseas after the age of 30. The overseas internship (trainee) program is designed to give engineering personnel the opportunity to experience business overseas, starting from their second or third year with the company. The objective of the program is to have these engineering personnel proactively go overseas and take a direct look at local market needs, with the view to quickly training personnel who can actively make proposals.
In fiscal 2010, we posted 11 employees, mainly young engineering personnel in their late twenties, to overseas Group companies in the United States, Europe, and China. The first two months concentrated on building language skills, after which the trainees began practical skills training under the internship program. This training, with the support of local staff , focused on the solving of problems each trainee had set themselves.
Just a few examples would include the establishment of new technical initiatives in Poland, eff orts made in support of the instructor training program in the United States, and overcoming the language barrier to solve problems in China.
Under this program the trainee improves their communication skills and makes considerable progress in their practical ability by addressing challenges set in an environment diff erent to what they are used to. Each trainee came away from the program having made clear progress in their professional development.
Cross-cultural Communication
(March 2011)
There are currently around 160 staff members assigned overseas to Group companies and representative offices in 15 countries. Every year we rotate 30 to 40 of these positions to give other employees the opportunity to experience working outside Japan.
The seminar covers a range of subjects, such as language instruction, cross-cultural exchange, the giving of presentations, and meeting management in order to give those taking part a grounding in the business skills necessary for performing their duties once assigned overseas.
In fiscal 2011, a large number of employees are scheduled to be assigned to Mexico as we begin operations at our new manufacturing subsidiary NGK CERAMICS MEXICO, S. de R. L. de C. V. As this is the NGK Group’s first base in the country we have little knowledge of how to conduct business in Mexico. The focus was therefore on how best to tailor training to match local business conditions.
In March we invited 10 Mexican managers, due to start at NGK CERAMICS MEXICO, to Japan for training at our main plant. We took this opportunity to arrange a cross-cultural communication program between these managers and Japanese staff members headed for the Mexico facility. Through this exchange, both sets of employees were able to get to know one another’s culture in what was a very hands-on experience.
Manager,
Human Resources Dept.
Akira Maruyama
The first crop of internship trainees exceeded all expectations. Going forward, we will develop the educational content of the program further in an eff ort to better address the desired goals of potential trainees. An internship is an excellent way to improve your skill set and is a challenge worth taking.
