Boosting Employment inYamaguchi through VirtualCompany Visits

Yamaguchi Prefecture(Project to Encourage Youth toSettle in Yamaguchi)
Background and Reason for the Project
The labour shortage in Yamaguchi Prefecture
has become a pressing concern for companies
due to the rising job offer to applicant ratio
and the projected decline of its working-age
population.
At a prefectural job fair in summer 2020,
students and companies expressed an earnest
desire for easier ways to learn about eachother and conduct tours, but COVID-19 had
hindered this process.

- Establish a platform for new employment
and recruiting activities in response to theCOVID-19 pandemic- Propose a novel approach to introducing
companies using 3D/VR technology- Enhance employment prospects for young
people in companies within Yamaguchi
Prefecture through these efforts
Project Outline(1) 3D imaging of companies’ offices andmanufacturing plants within the prefecture(2) Opening and operating a VR-based
company tour website

Travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19
pandemic meant students could not conduct
sufficient research on industries andcompanies in Yamaguchi Prefecture, leading
to an inadequate understanding of theappeals of these firms. However, one venturecompany in the prefecture had begun offering
3D and VR tours of offices and manufacturing
plants.
At a job fair in the summer of 2020, students
indicated they were familiar with VR. Thisfinding inspired the decision to explore VR’s
potential to effectively communicate theappeal of companies in Yamaguchi Prefecture
to young people, resulting in efforts tocommercialize this technology.

Features and Innovation(1) 3D imaging of companies’ offices andmanufacturing
plantswithintheprefecture
The venture company uses cutting edge 3D
imaging technology, including a dedicatedinfrared camera to create 3D and VR images of
the interiors of buildings at business sites. The
resulting imagery is accessible through various
platforms, including smartphones, tablets,and PCs. The technology enables users tonavigate the spaces easily and provides acomprehensive view of the buildings.

Project Aims
1

Results of the Project
University students and companies in theprefecture have praised the site since its
launch. This favourable response indicatesthat it accurately addresses the needs of bothyoung people and companies and helps
promote employment in the prefecture.

(2) Opening and operating a VR-based
company tour website
The prefectural government is taking steps topromote companies in the prefecture bycreating opportunities for students to learn
more about them. To achieve this goal, avirtual company tour website wasestablished to provide students with animmersive and interactive experience throughthe use of VR images created from the 3D data
described in (1) above. Travel restrictions due
to COVID-19 have limited students' ability toresearch on companies/industries andhindered companies' from promoting theirstrengths to students. To address this, theprefectural government proposed a new
approach to job hunting and recruiting,allowing students to easily access and explore
companies from any device, such as
smartphones, tablets, and PCs. These efforts
promote the employment of young people incompanies within the prefecture.

University Students:"The ability to virtually tour companies I'minterested in, regardless of travel restrictions,is very helpful.""It’s great. I hope to see more companies
listed on the website."Companies:"We are grateful for this innovative method ofshowcasing the strengths of our company..""We hope to have our company included in
the website too."
The project received third place in the Digital
Solution Award's digital category at the 2021
Association of Prefectural Governors
Advanced Policy Bank (which provides
opportunities to propose and share advanced
initiatives from each prefecture), receiving
national recognition.
Issues, Problems and Responses
To provide captivating imagery that entices
young people and encourages employment in
the prefecture, each company will be
consulted beforehand to identify its desired
target audience and PR focus points. Juniorstaff would then suggest areas of interest tocapture, resulting in imagery that meets theexpectations of companies and job-seeking
students.

MIRANAVI VR company tour website

2

Future Developments (expected results,project vision and issues)
Posting VR tours of more companies will
effectively spread information about theirstrengths and encourage young people toconsider working in the prefecture.
In addition, to maximize benefits forbusinesses, there are plans to hold real-world
events like student-employee exchanges more
efficiently.

Contact
Division in Charge: Labor Policy Division,
Yamaguchi Prefectural Government
Phone: +81-83-933-3254
E-mail: a15900@pref.yamaguchi.lg.jp

Reference URLs
MIRANAVI VR company tour website: https://miranavi.jp/3