JICE has organized two training programs; Saudi Japanese Automobile High Institute (SJAHI (*1)) junior instructor training program from October 16th to December 22nd 2016, and SJAHI student overseas internship program in Japan from September 9th to September 21st, 2016.

Three participants of SJAHI junior instructor training program took lectures of business manner, Japanese culture and language, and the report writing at JICE headquarters. They accordingly visited six different Japanese leading automobile manufacturers. SJAHI junior instructors were trained at Mitsubishi Motors Corporation,　Toyota Motor Corporation, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Isuzu Motors Limited, and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.. They learned the techniques of automobile mechanic and unique features of each automobile manufacturer. In addition to those trainings, they learned teaching method and instructor skill at Toyota Technical College Tokyo and Nippon Engineering College of Hachioji.

As a wrap-up program, JICE held the final report presentation meeting and farewell party with inviting guests involved in the program. Each of the SJAHI participants gave a presentation about what they learned through training program and their action plan. This program finished successfully thanks to the support from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), each accepting company and school, and all the members who were fully cooperated with this training program. They were very eager to practice techniques and knowledge which they acquired during their training program after they go back to SJAHI.

Report meeting(1)

Report meeting(2)

Group photo of farewell party
Participants, guests involved in the program and JICE staff

On the other hand, SJAHI student overseas internship program in Japan was held from September 9th to September 21st , and nine selected SJAHI students and two SJAHI staff joined this program. This program focuses on the advanced automobile maintenance technology in order to enhance knowledge and skills of SJAHI students on automobile maintenance, and they visited Nihon Kogakuin College of Hachioji, NT Auto Service Showajima SC, Isuzu Fujisawa Factory, Kanto Mitsubishi Motor Sales Meguro, Nissan Factory Yokohama, Nissan Technical College Yokohama, and Toyota Technical College Nagoya. They learned EV and hybrid vehicles, the customer oriented service spirit in car dealers, work ethics spirit, and 5S and Kaizen activities through observation, lectures and practical training.

Training at the Service Center of Showajima

Group photo

* SJAHI was established in September 2002 based on the cooperation between public and private enterprise of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Japan (Japanese side: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and JAMA) by the request of the Government of Saudi Arabia. After the cooperation by JICA completed in 2009, JICE was assigned as an implementing organization of Japanese side from Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and has organized the training programs in Japan, dispatch of long term experts, provisions of equipment and materials since the assignment.

Rumi Kawabe
Overseas Cooperation Division
International Training Department