SCSK has formulated a medium-term human resources portfolio plan that is dynamically linked to the Company’s business strategies, based on organizational units responsible for managing each of its businesses. Based on this plan, talent development and reskilling initiatives that combine on-the-job training (OJT) and off-the-job training (Off-JT) are implemented to cultivate employees with skills and advanced specialization aligned with business strategies. In addition, we aim to maximize the value of our human resources by simultaneously promoting business structural reforms, optimal placement of personnel, and the development of workplace environments that enable a diverse range of employees to fully demonstrate their capabilities and motivation.
As a result of our efforts to date, we have recognized the gap between the human resources portfolio, which shows the skills and personnel composition necessary to achieve our business plans, and our current status. The process for planning and executing of developing human resources, securing stable human resources, and the optimal allocation of personnel to eliminate that gap is gaining ground. Currently, we are promoting a more strategic use of the human resources portfolio by identifying high-level digital talent to lead business strategies and highly skilled professionals who are key to business expansion, and by strengthening recruitment activities. While flexibly responding to changes in the market environment, we will further accelerate these efforts and advance initiatives aimed at maximizing the value of human resources and enhancing the corporate value of the SCSK Group.
In order to maximize the value of human resources through business growth and the growth of each and every employee, we emphasize the integrated alignment of business strategy, human resources strategy, and the demonstration of individual capabilities and motivation to grow. To this end, we have established the Integrated Career Development Plan (iCDP) as an autonomous, strategic, and integrated career development platform, and operate it as a basic cycle to maximize human resource value with a focus on links to human resources systems and measures.
In addition, in order to support the effective operation of “iCDP,” we have introduced LAP-HCM,* a human capital management system. By enabling the visualization and analysis of human resources information, we are able to utilize this data to formulate company-wide human resources strategies, support each organization in developing its own management and training plans, and encourage each employee to enhance their skills and develop their career autonomously. These initiatives also contribute to fostering a learning culture, and serve as a foundation for enhancing corporate value through the growth of employees.
*LAP=Learning, Action, and Pleasure
*HCM=Human Capital Management
SCSK has formulated human resources portfolio plans that are aligned with our business strategies, and is promoting stable and strategic talent acquisition through a dual approach of hiring new graduates and mid-career professionals.
In new graduate recruitment, we have introduced a “dedicated recruiter system”, in which young employees who are active in the field devote a fixed period of time exclusively to recruitment activities. This initiative aims to discover and develop future core talent, while creating authentic points of contact with students and providing opportunities to deepen their understanding of our corporate culture and career paths. Reasons cited for joining the Company include not only its future potential and business areas, but also the personality of our employees and the flexible working styles that accommodate different life stages, indicating that our appeal is being communicated in a multifaceted way.
In mid-career recruitment, we proactively promote the diversification of recruitment channels to respond flexibly and swiftly to changes in the hiring market. In particular, strengthening referral recruitment through employee introductions has enabled us to acquire talent with a high level of understanding of the Company, contributing to improved selection pass rates and retention. In FY2024, we introduced an employee referral system linked to a smartphone app to encourage more proactive participation in referral activities. By sharing our philosophy and the appeal of the Company in their own words, employees are helping to foster a positive cycle of increased engagement and deeper integration of our corporate culture.
In its Medium-Term Management Plan, SCSK positions the development of advanced digital talent, who will drive the realization of business strategies, as a key initiative. In the Medium-Term Management Plan, in addition to developing cutting-edge engineers who leverage digital technologies, SCSK has set specific targets to strengthen the recruitment and development of consulting and business design talent who will be responsible for enhancing consulting functions and driving new business creation as well as advanced project managers capable of executing and managing high-quality projects. These efforts are part of a broader initiative to accelerate the development of advanced digital talent.
Aiming to promote business that can lead the market and create next-generation digital business, we conduct practical workshop-style training programs. SCSK is expanding opportunities for employees to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for new business development and creation. In growth areas such as SAP and mobility, we have defined unique profiles for upstream talent and are strategically strengthening their development.
In order to respond to the increasing scale and complexity of projects and ensure high-quality execution, SCSK conducts training programs that strengthen decision-making and action capabilities through case studies and the case method. In addition, through the community activities of the PM working group, SCSK promotes internal case sharing and network building, thereby enhancing project management capabilities across the organization.
Amid the rapid evolution of digital technologies and growing demand for talent capable of supporting customers’ digital transformation, SCSK places emphasis not only on technical skills but also on the ability to lead business transformation. Taking into account technology trends and field-level needs, SCSK is expanding training programs to enhance practical capabilities and execution skills, and thereby strengthening specialization in cloud and digital technologies and fostering strategic thinking.
To promote the creation of new business models and services, we are implementing Digital Skill Standard Training for all employees, including those of Group companies. In addition to promoting the acquisition of DX concepts and related technologies, we are working to instill the significance and importance of learning about market trends, and are advancing the development of digital talent and the cultivation of a learning culture across the Group.
As values toward work continue to diversify, it is becoming increasingly important for each employee to adopt an ownership mindset and take initiative in developing their own career. At SCSK, the Career Development Plan (CDP) system which enables employees to formulate their own career plans has been transformed into the Career Design Program (CDP), a framework that supports more autonomous and strategic career design. This program also serves as an opportunity for employees to explore their “internal career,” a personal axis that guides their growth even in rapidly changing environments.
As part of the Young Employee Career Development Program, SCSK provides a four-year training curriculum aimed at accelerating the early development of younger employees. In addition, career advisory sessions conducted by internal career advisors who are well-versed in career development and business operations support employees in deepening their self-awareness and understanding of their work environment and the business context, and in exploring their career vision.
In addition, the Job Challenge (Internal Job Posting) Program offers employees opportunities to apply for positions across the SCSK Group, while the Career Challenge (internal free agent (FA)) Program allows individuals to directly promote their experience, skills, and motivation to their desired departments. Through these programs, SCSK has established a framework that enables employees to proactively pursue new roles and environments in addition to organizational job assignments, thereby strongly supporting autonomous career development.
Maximizing human resource value requires employees to flexibly adapt to changing environments and engage in continuous learning. Through the company-wide learning platform “SCSK i-University,” SCSK offers over 200 training courses across six categories: career development, leadership development, business skills development, global business skills development, specialized skills development, and cross-border learning. In the specialized skills development category, job-specific training is provided based on an IT Skill Level Assessment framework, with high-level certified employees participating as training advisors to promote knowledge sharing and strengthen specialization. In addition, many training programs have shifted from organization-assigned participation to employee-initiated enrollment, actively supporting autonomous learning and growth.
Based on the belief that “steady self-improvement is the key to overcoming challenges and achieving success,” SCSK provides the “Kotsukatsu” platform (referring to consistent, small efforts that lead to success) to visualize and encourage employees’ continuous learning efforts. Through initiatives such as learning allowances, certification achievement incentives, and the Smart Work Plus program (which supports side jobs and concurrent employment), the Company promotes diverse learning, not only in job-related areas but also across a wide range of skills and knowledge domains, thereby fostering a strong learning culture.
Utilizing the SCSK Career Framework, we have introduced an IT Skill Level Assessment that evaluates and certifies employees’ expertise in seven levels. By visualizing the specialization of our technical and sales staff, we operate this system to promote each employee’s career advancement and support sustainable growth. Through the process of IT Skill Level Assessment screening, we identify gaps between the current and targeted levels, and based on the results, employees and their supervisors formulate and implement specific training plans, in order to develop an environment that enables effective improvements in the IT skill level of employees.
We have created specialized working groups composed of experts in each job type. In addition to discussing assessment screenings, the working groups actively promote initiatives that support the enhancement of employees’ specialization, such as creating communities for each job type and sharing case studies. In this way, we facilitate the internal sharing of knowledge and experience in specialized fields, leading to enhanced skills across the workplace.
In addition, we are utilizing the “Digital Skill Standards” released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Information-technology Promotion Agency (IPA) in December 2022 to promote the visualization of digital talent. We will move forward with efforts to strengthen specialization in line with the needs of our rapidly changing times by developing and securing human resources for business innovation, engineers with multiple skills, and human resources for security, AI, and data science.
We are also working to enhance the IT Skill Level Assessment system by introducing AI technology in certain level certification reviews. This aims to enable more timely visualization of specialization and reduce the burden of the certification process. The system is being revised to reduce the workload involved in certification tasks and to enable more timely skill evaluation.
