TILT CAREER

In career consultant training courses, students study both career theories that emerged in the early 20th century and psychology, which originated in the 19th century and gave rise to various theories in the 20th century. These two fields have merged to form the academic foundation for providing theoretical support for each worker’s self-actualization and for finding meaning in their work. Usually, the role of a career consultant is understood based on these modern academic theories. However, Work by Lars Svendsen offers a fascinating perspective by tracing the concept of work all the way back to ancient Greece, showing how our ideas about work have evolved over time. Rather than going into too much detail here, I’ll summarize Chapter One of the book, which outlines the major transitions in the concept of labor. This chapter alone is already quite thought-provoking. * * * In ancient times , Greek philosophers regarded labor as something base or lowly. They believed that the goal o...

After obtaining the national certification as a career consultant and finally preparing to start your practice, many people face the challenge known as "the wall of inexperience." Even when browsing various job postings for career consultants, most of them favor those with experience, and there are few opportunities where newly certified consultants can thrive. If your company happens to have a career consultation office, you might still find opportunities to be active. But in many cases, people work in companies where the very concept of a "career consultant" is barely recognized. After earning the certification, many people feel that the first step is to gather information from various industry associations. This often leads them to join professional organizations such as ACCN or JDCA. Once you join such groups, you may fortunately be introduced to internship programs designed to help break through the wall of inexperience. These programs allow you to particip...

Up until obtaining the national qualification as a Career Consultant, one can steadily move forward on the path thanks to the variety of information available—from training schools offering preparatory courses, publishers releasing exam prep books, and well-known YouTube channels sharing insights and advice. However, what many people face is what comes after getting the qualification. They wonder: Now that I’m certified… what should I do next? At this point, many are left feeling lost. For those already working in companies that have in-house Career Consultants, it's easier to transition into that role. But for those trying to find Career Consultant positions externally, jobs are scarce—and when they do exist, they often prioritize experienced professionals. For newly certified consultants, the opportunities are limited, and even when a role becomes available, competition is fierce. As a result, it's said that about 30% of certified Career Consultants end up working in co...

  "Toyota's People Development That Akio Toyoda Values Most" (Published by President Inc.) The release date was May 27, 2025. I bought and read it right away. The book gives a detailed account of the Toyota Technical Skills Academy , an in-house school run by Toyota.   As a career consultant, I have a deep interest in the advanced approach to career education in Nagoya. Career education begins as early as elementary school, likely due to the large number of major manufacturing companies in the Tokai region. This environment fosters a culture where children aspire to become technicians or engineers from a young age. At the center of this culture, naturally, stands Toyota.   The Toyota Technical Skills Academy is a school independently established by Toyota. Company-run schools are quite rare, and I imagine many people are unaware they exist. The academy has two educational tracks: a high school-level department where students enroll at age 15 and attend for th...

The revised Childcare and Caregiver Leave Act came into effect on April 1. This section focuses on caregiving, and the main changes are as follows: Relaxation of eligibility requirements for caregiving leave → Previously, employees with less than six months of continuous employment were not eligible for caregiving leave. This restriction has now been removed. From the moment of hiring, employees can take caregiving leave. Workplace environment development to prevent employees from quitting due to caregiving → Employers are now required to provide training for employees about caregiving-related systems and to promote the use of such systems through awareness campaigns. Individual notification and confirmation of intention to use caregiving systems → Employers must now individually inform employees facing caregiving responsibilities about the available systems and confirm their intention to use them. Additionally, e...

 My late father had a physical disability. In his prime, in his 40s, he began experiencing health problems and eventually ended up in a wheelchair. As a child, I couldn’t comprehend the profound life transition that occurs when someone who was once able-bodied becomes disabled. But now, I often wonder what was going through his mind during that time. In any case, he continued working until retirement and supported our family. While people with disabilities are often regarded as “weak” in society, at home he was a stubborn and intimidating father—someone none of us dared to defy. Because of that, I’ve never strongly associated disability with weakness. Starting in fiscal year 2026, the legally mandated employment rate for people with disabilities in private companies in Japan will rise to 2.7%. This statutory employment rate began increasing rapidly in the 2010s, when Japan’s labor shortage became more pronounced: 2.0% (2013–2017) → 2.2% (2018–2020) → 2.3% (2021–2023) → 2.5% (2024–...

 When you take a training course to become a career consultant  in Japan, you learn about the effectiveness of the Self-Career Dock system and acquire the skills to passionately explain its value. However, it's still hard to say that the concept is widely recognized. According to the 2023 Basic Survey on Human Resource Development by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, only 41.7% of companies have introduced the system. In reality, public awareness seems to be lower. Even if the system is introduced into companies, it may be not being used. The other day, I had the rare opportunity to hear from an HR representatives at a certain company that is actively implementing the Self-Career Dock system. Many career consultants may be able to guess the company name, but here I’ll just refer to it as “a certain company.” It’s a retail company with around 4,000 employees. Currently, it has 10 in-house career consultants who conduct career interviews based on employees’ age mile...