Toward Strong Localised Human Resource

To provide an onverview on Panasonic Vietnam Group and its humance resource development. Vietnam Business Forum has an interview with Mr Kato Hisashi, Deputy General Director of Panasonic Home Appliances Co., Ltd Vietnam.

Can you give a brief introduction about your company?

Our company was established in 2003. We manufacture 2 doors-refrigerators with capacity ranging from 130L to 200L for Vietnamese market and for export. Our production type is consistent with 3 shifts and about 400 workers. In terms of production achievement, we have always strived to maintain a two digit growth rate since 2003.

What is your company’s philosophy of workforce development?

Our company aims at becoming a compact and fast company with localized human resources. We continue to follow the production guideline “Safety is first”, safety for workers, safety for consumers. We would like to continue providing products that gain Vietnamese consumers’ confidence like Panasonic’s radios, which have been used by Vietnamese for a long time.

By 31 March 2010, Panasonic Group is comprised of six companies, including one holding company, four manufacturing companies and one R&D center, employing a total workforce of about 7,000. In , Panasonic is one among enterprises that place greatest attention to social activities in education and environment.

In this process, training people is a key factor. Ngo Phi Hung is Leader of refrigerator production line. Last year, I sent Hung to the Panasonic Institute of Manufacturing in Vietnam to study the basic course lasting 6 months for Leader of Production line.

After 6 months continuous studying, Hung graduated and came back to our company and began to apply what he have learnt in the Manufacturing Institute, assemble and arrange groups, train employees under his management, and brought great success in reforming the production line’s operation.

Could you please talk about the training provided by Panasonic Institute of Manufacturing in Vietnam?

The Panasonic Institute of Manufacturing in Vietnam provides Basic Courses and Application Courses for management level personnel. Trainees include Line Leaders and Sub-leaders who have been selected from 7000 employees of 6 companies in Panasonic Vietnam Group.

In its first year of operation, from April 2009 to March 2010, the Institute implemented 2 courses for line leaders, 2 courses for sub-line leaders, training 78 people. The Institute expects to expand its operation further.

The Institute’s courses offer trainees not only technology knowledge but also personal and process skills, in particular, the 4 essential skills for daily managerial work at manufacture management level: manufacturing skills, leadership, management skills, innovation and kaizen skills. Those skills enable trainees to enhance their working abilities, contributing to the efficiency of manufacturing processes. Furthermore, trainees also learn the role of an industrialist in the context of globalization.

Tags: Panasonic Vietnam, Vietnam enterprises