# Promotion of National Trade Skill Testing and Certification

Name of system	National Trade Skills Testing system	In-house trade skills test
Outline	The government tests workers' skills based on standards and officially certifies them.	The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare authorizes in-house trade skills tests which are regarded necessary to promote skills development.
Skills and occupations, etc. covered	Common trade skills widely used in enterprises across the country, and occupations in which a large number of workers are engaged.
As of January 31, 2014, skill tests are conducted for 128 occupations including machining and building carpentry by grade, namely Special Grade, Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3 (for some skills, there is single grade).	Particular trade skills used in-house are subjected.
As of January 31, 2014, 122 occupations (44 enterprises, etc.) including food processing and automobile pats management, etc. are authorized.
Type of certification	A person who passed the test is given a certificate either in the name of the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (for Special Grade, Grade 1, and single grade) or the prefectural governors or the head of designated test organization (for Grades 2 and 3), and is given a title "Certified Skilled Worker".	Authorized in-house trade skills tests can be labeled as "authorized by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare".
Eligible applicants	Persons who have practical experiences in principle.	Workers employed by enterprises conducting authorized in-house trade skills tests

Grade	Outline of skills test
Special Grade	The level of skills that managers or supervisors of each tested occupation must have, and the level of knowledge related to the skills
Grade 1	The level of skills that advanced skilled workers of each tested occupation must have, and the level of knowledge related to the skills
Grade 2	The level of skills that intermediate-level skilled workers of each tested occupation must have, and the level of knowledge related to the skills
Grade 3	The level of skills that elementary-level skilled workers of each tested occupation must have, and the level of knowledge related to the skills
Basic Grade 1	The skills required to carry out basic works of the tested occupation, and the level of knowledge related to the skills
Basic Grade 2	The essential skills required to carry out basic works of the tested occupation, and the level of knowledge related to the skills
Single Grade	The level of skills that advanced skilled workers of each tested occupation must have, and the level of knowledge related to the skills

Name	Vocational ability evaluation standards
Outline	Standards that specify the ability levels required for each trade, occupation, and duty for enabling evaluation of vocational abilities of workers using common criteria.
Occupations, etc. covered	Broad range of trades is covered as well as cross-cutting clerical occupations such as accounting and personnel management, etc.
Evaluated persons	Workers/job seekers (who should be evaluated depends on evaluators using evaluation standards)
Evaluation methods	The government formulates model standards for the respective industries. These standards can be customized by the individual enterprise. Evaluation methods used may be continuous observations or written examinations.

Detailed Data Statistics of National Trade Skills Tests

Special Grade	Grade 1	Grade 2	Grade 3	Basic Grade 1	Basic Grade 2	Single Grade	Total
Number of applicants (persons)	4,568	83,446	361,987	253,067	133	38,623	7,321	749,145
77,501	3,036,657	6,581,929	1,967,801	3,153	454,873	287,956	12,409,870
Number of persons passed (persons)	1,060	32,886	88,127	122,704	127	35,851	4,001	284,676
21,672	1,296,127	2,367,710	908,624	2,913	430,174	162,378	5,189,518
Percentage of persons passed the tests (%)	23.2	39.4	24.3	48.5	95.5	92.8	54.7	38.0
28.0	42.7	36.0	46.2	92.4	94.6	56.4	41.8

Source: Human Resources Development Bureau, MHLW

Upper figures: FY2012, lower figures: cumulative total (FY1959-FY2012)