“Identification of necessary technologies and skills” and “development of human resources”

The AGC Group has global production sites and so it is essential to transfer the manufacturing technologies and skills developed by experienced and highly skilled workers to following generations.

In 2004, we listed “pursuing quality manufacturing and reinforcing production site expertise,” which means “enhancing and transferring technologies and skills,” as one of the major items in our management policy. To achieve these goals, we specified the required technologies and skills at each workplace and started to develop talents along with the plans for the education and development of human resources. Through these measures, we achieved our target for the first stage of quality manufacturing, which was to raise the level of technologies and skills across the Group.

In 2008, we entered the second stage of activities and have since been implementing measures to further promote the development of human resources. Specifically, we are improving the work environment to motivate employees to develop themselves into “high performers” (experienced and highly skilled workers).

The AGC Group's Measures for Enhancing and Transferring Technologies and Skill

First Stage (launched in 2004) Transferring the manufacturing technologies and raising the level of technologies and skills across the Group

It is approximately four and a half years since the AGC Group began conducting the activities to raise the entire Group's level of technologies and skills, selecting some of its in-house orginizations as exemplary models of quality manufacturing. We have achieved certain results in establishing both systems and facilities, and now the concept of “quality manufacturing” is shared by a greater number of employees at our production sites than ever before. We will continue to improve relevant trainings in terms of both content and method of provision, and will implement the Plan, Do, Check, and Act (PDCA) cycle on a continual basis.

Achievenments of the First Stage

AGC Monozukuri Training Center Ensures Quality Manufacturing

Training and Education Building

The AGC Group opened the AGC Monozukuri Training Center in 2006. This center identifies the educational challenges on technologies and skills, and develops and supports human resources who can contribute to the successful implementation of the Group's business strategies.
The Center comprises two buildings: the Training and Education Building and the Practical Training Building. At the Practical Training Building, employees are trained based on the concept of “actual workplace,” “actual work,” and “reality of workplace conditions.” This building, equipped with machines and equipment similar to those actually used in AGC Group plants, provides trainees with hands-on learning opportunities. For example, they learn the structure of a furnace and its troubleshooting methods, which they would not be able to learn in their daily work at plants. In the seminars and practical training sessions, trainers interact and communicate with trainees in such a way as to encourage trainees to gain the feel of the work, and to think independently and creatively. The Center provides more than 150 seminars for the AGC Group companies in Japan and Asia and also holds seminars for cooperating companies, with a view to fostering quality manufacturing and human resources development throughout the chain.

Number of Users at the Monozukuri Training Center

FY	Number
Fiscal 2006 (opened in July)	11,247
Fiscal 2007	23,344
Fiscal 2008	30,044

Second Stage (launched in 2008) Improving the work environment to help employees strive to become high performers with new technologies and skills

To ensure quality manufacturing, we need to develop high performers who can assume leadership at our production sites and help cultivate a corporate culture aimed at quality manufacturing. In the 1980s, on-the-job training (OJT) was provided to employees as an integral part of their work, which developed them into high performers. At present, however, we need to consciously provide employees with such special opportunities. Accordingly, from fiscal 2008, the AGC Group launched the second stage of its activities for pursuing quality manufacturing and reinforcing product site expertise. Specifically, we are improving the work environment to help employees strive to become high performers with new technologies and skills. The growth of employees will result in the growth of the Group, which will in turn enable us to build a system that can contribute to the creation of a sustainable society.

Major activities in the Second Stage

Human Resources Development for Enhancing and Transferring Technologies and Skills