This time, we will be looking at whyShinyo Co., Ltd., a scaffolding company, started a scaffolding model business.
I would like to talk about:
We started manufacturing and selling scaffolding models when
" We want to improve the efficiency of skill transfer among scaffolding workers and raise the status of the entire scaffolding industry ."
is.
We will explain what this means in concrete terms by looking at the background of the scaffolding industry.
Scaffolding industry background
Currently, scaffolding companies are facing a very difficult situation, with (1) a sharp increase in bankruptcies, (2) an aging workforce, and (3) a shortage of young workers.
1. Increase in bankruptcies, suspensions, closures, and dissolutions of scaffolding companies
https://www.tsr-net.co.jp/data/detail/1198550_1527.html
Quoted from Tokyo Shoko Research (May 4, 2024)
The number of scaffolding company bankruptcies, which had been hovering around 80 cases per year for the past 10 years, exceeded 100 for the first time in fiscal 2023, setting a new record.
Broken down, poor sales account for about 70% of the total, with the remainder being primarily due to poor performance, including accumulated losses.
In addition to poor business performance, there are also other factors such as labor shortages and rising prices of materials.
There is a serious shortage of workers.
Not only are there few young people who want to become scaffolders, but there is also fierce competition among scaffolding companies to attract talent.
According to a survey conducted by Tokyo Shoko Research in April 2024, approximately 80% of the 16 scaffolding companies surveyed responded that they were experiencing a shortage of full-time employees.
Not only is there a lack of successors, but the number of businesses going out of business is also increasing due to a lack of craftsmen.
2. The aging of craftsmen
https://www.nikkenren.com/publication/handbook/chart6-4/index.html
Quoted from the Construction Industry Digital Handbook (May 2024)
By 2023, approximately 36% of construction workers will be aged 55 or older, and approximately 12% will be aged 29 or younger, making the aging of the workforce significantly higher than in all industries.
In order to maintain the construction industry's production system into the future, it is essential to encourage young people to find employment in the construction industry and to ensure a generational change.
3. Declining student interest in the construction industry
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000114.000058834.html
Quoted from PR TIMES (2022/12/05)
According to a survey on industry aspirations and interest conducted by Intertour Co., Ltd. in 2022, 3.3% of students aspire to work in the construction and architecture industry.
26.1% of students answered that they had no interest in this field, which is second only to the nursing care and welfare industry.
The technology in the scaffolding industry is declining
The aforementioned aging population and shortage of young people are not simply a problem of labor shortages .
The real problem is that technology will no longer be able to be passed on, it will be lost, and the entire industry will decline .
Scaffolding is a technical profession and a world of craftsmen, so it is important to pass on skills .
The techniques are passed down from veteran craftsmen who are the source of the skills to young craftsmen who are the recipients of the skills.
However, the number of veteran craftsmen who are the source of technology transfer is decreasing due to retirement due to aging and injury, and it is difficult to recruit young craftsmen to pass on the skills, resulting in a high turnover rate.
Furthermore, scaffolding is an old-fashioned industry where there is still a strong tendency to "learn by watching the work of your seniors." As a result, scaffolding construction techniques are not systematized, and there are no established training methods.
For the reasons mentioned above, the transfer of skills from veteran craftsmen to young craftsmen is extremely inefficient.
To promote technology succession in the scaffolding industry
So, what can scaffolding companies do to ensure smooth technology transfer?
To achieve this, we felt it was necessary to solve the current problems with technology transfer, which can only be achieved through on-site practice .
OJT (on-the-job training) is certainly effective, but it has various problems, such as danger, fatigue, time constraints, location constraints, and being affected by weather .
After carefully considering how to solve these problems through technology transfer and education,
We thought that education using scaffolding models would be one of the best methods.
Education using scaffolding models has the following benefits:
1. There is no risk of injury even if you fail. 2. Learning can be done indoors and is not affected by the weather. 3. The components are lightweight and do not cause fatigue, allowing for repeated practice. 4. You can develop the three-dimensional sense necessary for actual scaffolding construction.
Education using scaffolding models eliminates the shortcomings of OJT and can be said to revolutionize education in the scaffolding industry.
Launch of scaffolding model brand CUMI
Therefore, we have launched a new brand called "CUMI" with the mission of passing on construction technology.
CUMI's philosophy is to innovate in education for the scaffolding industry and to elevate the status of the industry .
Features of the scaffolding model CUMI
CUMI's wedge-shaped scaffolding model CATASTA has three features: a wide lineup, exquisite design, and an affordable price.
If your company seems to be facing challenges with scaffolding education, we are confident that CUMI CATASTA will be an effective tool.
