With an emphasis on in-demand productivity and language skills, one Japanese company is boosting trainees’ opportunities with industry-recognized certification.
Location: Japan
Program enrollment: 70+ trainees annually
Success metrics:
- Increased employee productivity, confidence, and independence
- Enhanced recruitment and placement outcomes
- Fostered a culture of proactive, lifelong learning across the company
- Ensured all new employees have in-demand digital and language skills
Closing the skills gap for workforce readiness
MJ Technology Co., Ltd. specializes in permanent staffing for the construction, manufacturing, and IT industries. Since its establishment in 2014, the company has been hiring and training young engineers fluent in Japanese who graduated from Myanmar's National University of Technology as full-time employees, and dispatching them to factories, research institutes, and construction sites across Japan.
MJ Technology faced key challenges in preparing their trainees for success. While Myanmar candidates brought strong technical expertise in areas like construction and IT, they often lacked essential digital literacy and struggled to adapt to Japan’s workplace expectations.
Limited experience with Microsoft Office applications, which is considered specialized work in Myanmar, created a gap between technical skills and the practical software proficiency required on the job.
Additionally, the company’s training approach was primarily instructor-led, making it difficult to foster independent learning habits critical for long-term success. MJ Technology also lacked an objective, scalable way to assess readiness and growth potential. Recruitment relied heavily on interviews and language test scores, which did not reflect qualities such as consistency, effort, or learning agility.
As hiring volumes increased, MJ Technology needed a reliable benchmark to build digital competency, strengthen language comprehension through real-world tasks, and measure performance in a neutral, skill-based way.
Creating skilled talent through certification
To set every new trainee up for success, MJ Technology now requires Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification for all new hires. In less than a year, more than 70 Myanmar trainees have completed MOS Excel, Word, and PowerPoint exams.
The MOS program was introduced to:
- Strengthen trainees’ ability to understand Japanese work instructions through practical, scenario-based assessments.
- Shift from passive, instructor-led technical training to a culture of proactive, self-driven learning.
- Provide an objective, neutral measure of effort and achievement for both trainees and the company.
- Increase new employee productivity and create meaningful feedback loops between employer and employee.
“We started by offering classes in specialized fields like electricity, facilities, and air conditioning,” said Hinata Miura, IT Training Coordinator, Training Department . “But we wanted to do more. Make the training more active and engaging. Introducing the MOS certification program inspired our trainees to take ownership of their learning and independently build real-world skills.”
They implemented the program through an intensive onboarding process with four key stages.
- Completing the MOS certification exam in English. Before arriving in Japan, trainees sit for the exam to show their current skill level, plus their dedication and readiness to learn.
- Study and preparation. After taking the exam in Myanmar, trainees travel to Japan for more immersive training. On their first day in the office, employees receive a computer for self-study and official MOS study materials.
- Sharing progress. Employees have up to two weeks to prepare for each exam, with practice test scores shared on the company’s social platform to foster mutual support and accountability.
- Completing the MOS certification exam in Japanese. At this point, trainees are familiar with the platform. Now their focus is demonstrating their language skills in the context of real workplace scenarios. If an employee does not pass, the company provides a personalized learning plan to support a successful retake.
This approach helps build Microsoft Office skills and Japanese language abilities. Plus, MJ Technology staff support progress throughout the learning journey.
“While speaking Japanese is important for foreign talent working in Japan, the most essential requirement is being able to do the job well,” explained Hinata Miura , IT Training Coordinator, Training Department. “When employees focus on their work, their Japanese naturally improves through daily interactions with their supervisors and colleagues. Our plan is to continue offering training that enhances not only language skills but also overall job performance.”
Delivering measurable results
Adding MOS certification has had tangible benefits for MJ Technology and their trainees, including:
- A direct increase in trainee productivity, confidence, and independence
- Standardized trainee skill levels, regardless of prior experience
- A supportive, collaborative learning environment, similar to Japanese university entrance exam culture
- Improved accuracy in recruitment and placement, using MOS results as an objective indicator of motivation and learning ability
Trainees considered the MOS training both challenging and rewarding, according to a survey of 26 Myanmar engineers. These program graduates also cited improved Japanese language skills, faster work performance, and greater confidence using Microsoft Office applications.
- “After taking my MOS Excel certification, I can create and manage documents efficiently. My work speed and accuracy have improved.”
- “Studying for MOS helped me discover useful features I wouldn’t have learned otherwise.”
- “The training was very practical and helped me apply Excel skills in real work situations. It improved my productivity and confidence in handling data.”
Looking ahead
MJ Technology plans to expand MOS training to online platforms in Myanmar, supporting the growing number of candidates seeking IT careers.
“We live in an age where the internet and artificial intelligence (AI) makes information more accessible than ever. However, to use these tools effectively, individuals need a solid foundation in Microsoft Office skills and terminology, which the MOS certification program provides.”
By investing in Microsoft Office Specialist certification, MJ Technology Co., Ltd. is preparing Myanmar trainees for a brighter future. With essential digital skills. Crucial language abilities. A foundation for lifelong learning. And ultimately career success.
To learn more about how Microsoft Office Specialist certification can benefit your organization, visit www.bahabeach.com/MOS.