Udemy, Benesse and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offer Quality Education to SMEs in Tokyo

Global learning company and local publishing powerhouse are providing dynamic content for effective skill development in Japan

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Udemy (Nasdaq: UDMY), a leading destination for learning and teaching online, together with Benesse, its long-time partner in Japan, today announced a new program with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to accelerate the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Tokyo.

In collaboration with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Udemy and Benesse will support SME growth by providing the most relevant courses on core emerging technologies and skills, creating a one-stop shop for upskilling and reskilling employees as part of the government’s “DX Reskilling Support Project.”

By March 31, 2023, Udemy and Benesse aims to provide up to 500 employees from 250 SMEs located in Tokyo curated education plans to develop various skills needed to drive digital transformation. This includes:

• A "learning curriculum" optimized for each individual based on a skills assessment
• "Case studies" with lecturers who are real-world instructors and practitioners
• A "learner community" together with mentors, colleagues and peers to encourage a culture of effective learning
  

Starting in August 2022, the program will provide courses taught by Japanese instructors in Japanese on diverse topics through the Udemy Business platform, offering corporate customers an employee training and development platform with subscription access to thousands of courses, learning analytics, as well as the ability to host and distribute their own content.

Narrowing skills gaps and training employees amid digital transformation is a top priority for SMEs worldwide, particularly amid today’s uncertain economy.

“It is important to utilize new digital technologies in order to improve business efficiency, attract customers and expand sales channels. Many SMEs today are facing challenges with not knowing how to proceed or having difficulty in training talent in-house,” says Masahiro Nakabayashi, Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs, Tokyo Metropolitan Government. “We launched this project to provide integrated support for SMEs in Tokyo, from developing reskilling plans to providing access to courses on emerging technologies. We look forward to promoting this project together with the Benesse-Udemy team.”