Training of technical and skilled workers at Approved Vocational Training Centers (2) Toyota Technical Skills Academy

Toyota Technical Skills Academy (TTSA) is an Approved Vocational Training Center pursuant to the Human Resources Development Promotion Act. The TTSA was established in 1937, the year following Toyota Motor Corporation, to train technicians for automobile manufacturing. From 1942 to 2012, 17,118 technicians have graduated from the TTSA.The TTSA has a 3-year high school program for junior high school graduates and a one-year professional program for senior high school graduates. The high school program primarily trains core technicians engaging in manufacturing work. The professional program trains expert technicians specializing in maintenance, industrial machinery, manufacturing technology and more. As of April 2012, 427 students are enrolled at the TTSA: 91 first-year, 105 second-year and 91 third-year high school program students and 140 professional program students. The mid- and long-term objectives of the TTSA are to train highly-skilled leaders who will work and lead on the manufacturing floor. TTSA graduates account for approximately 20 percent of Toyotaʼs technical employees; approximately 60 percent of them are ranked as team leaders or higher and lead other Toyota employees. In the entire company, only 232 employees have the S-class skill level qualification, which is Toyotaʼs in-house qualification for highly-skilled technicians. TTSA graduates account for half of them. In the organization structure, the TTSA is part of the General Affairs and Human Resources Department of Toyota Motor Corporation. The TTSA, Toyota Motor Corporationʼs human resources department, eleven assembly plants and technical and manufacturing technology sections work closely together, providing practical training and education to improve studentsʼ minds and bodies, technical skills and knowledge. TTSA teachers and instructors mainly consist of Toyota employees; some Kagaku Gijutsu Gakuen High School (Science and Technology High School) teachers also teach at the TTSA. In the high school program, 2nd year students are assigned to their future workplaces. In addition to lectures and basic practicums at the TTSA, they also undergo on-the-job training. This is similar to the German dual system. Since the TTSA, human resources department and assembly plant staff all work closely together, the OJT is highly effective. Since the TTSA is part of the human resources department, flexibly allocating training staff and working closely with assembly plants are possible. Although the professional program is only 1 year long, it is mainly a practicum program, and uses proprietary mechatronics facilities and equipment developed by TTSA staff, enabling students to acquire skills required on the manufacturing floor. Training achievements are measured in accordance with training levels, carefully setting training targets and assessing results. Particularly in the OJT, supervisors scrutinize student work, and provide feedback to the school. Continuously investing in personnel training like this is diffcult without strong management belief and preparedness. In order to drive incremental innovation, the TTSA will continue to be important.