CEPEX launched a new seminar series on U.S. workforce development in October 2018 called “Japanese Innovation and Experiences Implementing New Technology in the U.S./From ‘Product Out’ to ‘Market In’”. This initiative has been supported by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) under their U.S.-Japan grassroots program which promotes collaboration with private sector, government authorities and educational institutions, on how to address workforce development issues and the 21st century workplace. Since October 2018 CEPEX has organized six seminars in locations throughout the U.S. including Fort Wayne, Indiana; Chicago, Illinois; Dublin, Ohio; and Fayetteville, Arkansas. On December 3, 2019, CEPEX hosted the 5th seminar at Memphis University, in Memphis, Tennessee. The 6th seminar was held the next day at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.
CEPEX speakers with Mayor Jim Strickland and Acting Counsel General of Japan in Nashville Jiro Nishimura
At both seminars in Tennessee, Acting Consul-General Jiro Nishimura from the Consulate-General of Japan in Nashville, delivered welcome remarks, followed by two presentations and a panel discussion. A highlight of the seminars was a presentation by Mr. Yoshihiro Sasaki, CEO and President of R-Cubes (Reuse, Reduce, Recycle), as well as the Q&A session with the panel. Mr. Sasaki’s innovative presentation on New Reverse Logistics portrayed how he has encouraged his employees at his reverse service logistics company to create in-house IT systems to increase productivity. While his reverse logistics company only has two IT employees, workers on the line have the knowledge about how to improve systems and work flow. His employees used open source software to create an in-house IT system to monitor employees’ touch time on each item on the line.
Mr. Sasaki’s presentation at Memphis University
A key reason CEPEX selected universities in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Arkansas and Tennessee as locations for the six events is to connect with university students studying Japanese, as well as educators, and local business people. About 70 people attended the University of Memphis seminar on December 3, 2019. Many of the participants were studying Japanese and quite interested in learning about future job prospects where they could potentially use their Japanese language skills. Around 70 people attended the seminar at Austin Peay State University on December 4, 2019. State Senator Bill Powers and Dean of Business Administration Mickey Hepnew joined the seminar and spoke about diplomacy, security and macroeconomic trends. Student participants asked about what innovations will come in the future. Speakers stressed that in the future is a lot of room and potential for innovation in areas that link natural science and social science, and that collaboration between industry, government and academia will be important to unleash this innovation.
With Senator Bill Powers and Dean Mickey Hepner
A notable shift for American workforce to consider is the need to understand different cultures and finding a way to communicate with people rather than solely focusing on language fluency. No matter the type of business, size of company, or workplace culture, it is more important to strive to constantly learn new things and think outside of the box in order to survive in the future age of innovation with AI and machine learning speeding up the pace of change in the workplace. Mr. Sasaki has emphasized that even the most inexperienced employee has the potential to learn about IT and do programming if they have the right motivation and environment. With a little effort, he or she can see how automation and improving the flow of systems can reduce inefficiencies and correctly align limited human resources in the workplace.
Austin Peay State University seminar
