TOKYO,November 1, 2017 - Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) announced today that it will strengthen its education system for installation technicians, including by constructing an elevator training center at the Inazawa Works, the company's mother factory for the manufacture of elevators and escalators. In light of the increasing global demand for elevators, the company plans to use the facility to enhance the quality of its elevator installations and deliver higher levels of safety, peace of mind and comfort. The training center is scheduled to begin operation in October 2018. The aim is to raise the number of new-installation technicians in Japan to 1,000 and installation supervisors outside Japan to 350 by the fiscal year ending in March 2020.

Rendering of elevator training center

Details of New Training Center

Location 1 Hishi-machi, Inazawa, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
(premises of Mitsubishi Electric Corp.'s Inazawa Works)
Building perimeter 411m2 (floor area: 2,182m2) Start of operation October 2018
Structure Steel construction (6 stories) Investment 990 million yen
Main Facilities • Eleven shafts for hands-on installation training
• Eight elevators for hands-on training
• Hazard simulators

Background and Aims

Mitsubishi Electric has been providing practical training in elevator installations at the training facilities of associated companies in Japan and overseas. Due to the increasing scale of the global markets for elevators and escalators, the company is facing a shortage of installation technicians, so it urgently needs to expand the scale and expertise of its installation workforce.

The new facility will be part of a highly practical and effective new training system. The new curricula will include working in realistic mock installation sites and safety awareness will be enhanced through training incorporating virtual-reality (VR) and augmented-reality (AR) technologies. As a result, the company expects to realize accelerated education focusing on user and technician safety and installation quality.

Features

1)
Enriched curricula to quickly upgrade installation skills and improve installation quality
- Trainees will use actual equipment in highly realistic mock environments and benefit from efficiently systemized training curricula
- Skills certification system will help to ensure installation quality
2)
Experiential training in simulators to heighten awareness of potential hazards and work safety
- Simulators incorporating VR and AR technology will enable trainees to experience hazard-like conditions that could conceivably occur at installation sites
- Technicians will be able to master installation-safety procedures by using actual equipment for extensive practice in special safety precautions, such as carrying heavy equipment, welding and working in high places
3)
Stronger education for trainees outside Japan to upgrade global installation capabilities
- Strengthened education for installation supervisors and the new Trainee Certification System will elevate installation skills and safety awareness at elevator and escalator sales companies outside Japan.

Note that the releases are accurate at the time of publication but may be subject to change without notice.