Interview with Masao Hayatsu, Senior VP and President at Trainocate Japan, Ltd.

1. Hayatsu-san, can you tell us about your professional background and your current role at Trainocate Japan, Ltd.

After graduating from university, I joined ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation as a sales representative, where I was involved in IT implementation for numerous companies. After gaining experience at a foreign-affiliated IT vendor, I joined Trainocate Japan, Ltd. (known as Global Knowledge Network Inc. at the time) in 2010. I continued to build my career in sales and was appointed President and Representative Director in 2022, a position I currently hold.

2. How does Trainocate Japan, Ltd. distinguish itself from other training and development providers in the industry?

Trainocate Japan’s strengths lie in its robust partnerships with global IT vendors, customizable training programs tailored to corporate needs, and the employment of full-time, dedicated instructors. Unlike many other IT training companies in Japan, which are often subsidiaries of IT firms, Trainocate operates as a fully independent entity, enabling it to offer neutral, unbiased talent development solutions. Additionally, the presence of group companies in various countries allows access to the latest IT trends and makes it easier to support enterprises with global operations.

3. As you take on the leadership role for Trainocate Japan, what are your top strategic priorities for strengthening the company’s footprint in the Japanese market?

Over the years, we have primarily developed IT talent and engineers in response to requests from clients in the information and communications industries. Recently, while demand from these sectors continues to grow, we have also started receiving more inquiries from a broader range of industries, such as finance, retail, and manufacturing.

The needs of each industry and company differ but drawing on our track record and by further strengthening collaboration with major IT vendors like Microsoft and AWS, we are committed to meeting the expectations of each of our clients.

4. With Japan’s unique corporate culture and workforce dynamics, how are you tailoring Trainocate’s global vision to meet the specific needs of Japanese enterprises and professionals?

In Japan, where the concept of a “100-year life” is becoming widespread, retirement ages are being extended, and many business professionals are having to rethink their long-term career plans. Companies, too, must address labor shortages caused by an aging and declining population. Like in other countries, responding to digital transformation is also essential.

Trainocate not only provides training for IT engineers but also supports company-wide talent development. We design flexible training programs that align with each company’s challenges and strategies, enabling the cultivation of talent capable of driving digital transformation—including business professionals who are not IT engineers.

5. Trainocate has trained over 179,000 individuals and organizations in 2024 alone. What do you think is driving this growing demand for lifelong learning, and how is Trainocate evolving to meet it?

One of the biggest factors is the rapid evolution of digital technologies. This has heightened the sense of urgency for companies to maintain their competitiveness, and the demand for lifelong learning among individuals is also increasing. Learners’ needs are becoming more diverse, and Trainocate addresses these needs by offering various learning formats—such as online, in-person, and e-learning—as well as providing additional services like skill assessments and hands-on labs.

6. The rise of AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity has transformed the tech skills landscape. Which areas of technology training do you see gaining the most traction in Japan right now?

Skills in AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity are in particularly high demand in Japan as same as other countries. Additionally, training in data analysis and DevOps is attracting significant attention. With the advancement of digital transformation (DX) in companies, we are also receiving numerous inquiries about training related to IT and data utilization for IT users.

7. Given your experience, how do you view the role of upskilling and reskilling in helping Japanese companies stay globally competitive in an increasingly digital economy?

I believe that reskilling and upskilling are essential not only for Japanese companies, but also for maintaining and enhancing the competitiveness of Japan as a nation. In recent years, Japan’s ranking in the IMD Digital Competitiveness Ranking has continued to decline. In particular, the latest 2025 ranking placed Japan at the bottom for “digital/technology skills” within the “talent” category. On the other hand, this suggests that improving digital skills can greatly contribute to increasing competitiveness.

8. Many businesses struggle to measure the ROI of training. How does Trainocate help its enterprise clients align learning programs with measurable business outcomes?

This is a very challenging task. Ultimately, it is desirable to link evaluations to improvements in each employee’s and team’s performance, but at present, we provide one of our indicators by measuring improvements in understanding before and after training, such as through assessment scores and completion of practical exercises.

9. How is Trainocate leveraging partnerships with global technology vendors and certification bodies to stay ahead in such a fast-evolving industry?

In addition to offering certified training, we frequently collaborate with vendors on awareness-raising activities related to technology, product utilization, and skill development—such as participating in events and hosting seminars. Furthermore, aside from working with major vendors like AWS, Microsoft, and Cisco, Trainocate also provides several vendor-certified trainings that are unique to the Japanese market and available exclusively through us.

10. What are some of the biggest challenges you foresee in the Japanese training and certification landscape over the next 3–5 years; and how is Trainocate preparing for them?

One of the biggest challenges facing Japan’s training industry in the coming years is the diversification of learners, the digitalization of learning, and the rise of generative AI. These changes mean that, rather than simply increasing the number of skilled professionals, the key issue for corporate competitiveness will be how to rapidly elevate the skills of existing personnel.

Against this backdrop, there is a growing need to support the development of IT beginners, career changers from other fields, and the further growth of advanced professionals. Especially for onboarding new employees, it is essential to provide individualized learning environments tailored to each person’s skill level.

Our company offers solutions that combine instructor-led training with e-learning, learning management systems (LMS), and hands-on labs, striking a balance between personalized optimization and immediate practical application.

Furthermore, a new and urgent challenge in human resource development is “building the ability to work alongside generative AI.” Generative AI is moving beyond a mere tool for operational efficiency, emerging as a central technology for value creation. In the future, all professionals will be expected to understand and master AI in their roles. Our company is proactively expanding its lineup of training programs in this field.

11. Finally, what is your personal vision for Trainocate Japan, and how do you hope to shape its legacy in the years ahead?

We aspire to be an organization that supports the transformation of companies and society through IT talent development, with the vision of “nurturing people who change the world.” As technology advances and societal structures shift at an ever-accelerating pace, we believe that the value of continual learning and growth will only increase in importance.

We strive to foster a workplace where all employees can take pride in their contributions, enabling us to support our clients throughout their transformations and position ourselves as trusted partners in shaping the future together.

In Japan, our goal is to become widely recognized as the go-to name for IT talent development, “When people talk about IT training, the first company they think of is Trainocate,” and to build an organization capable of offering sustainable, long-term value that goes beyond short-term outcomes.

Thank you, Hayatsu-san!