The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) ITPO Tokyo Office, in cooperation with the Government of Japan, has launched the “Industrial Vocational Training Program in Africa through Technology Transfer from Japan”. The program aims to contribute to inclusive and sustainable industrial development by strengthening the capacity of local engineers and technicians in Africa by deepening their knowledge and skills of technologies possessed by Japanese companies. For more information, please check the official program page.

As part of this program for Phase 1, in November 2023 a two-week training programme was organized with Ebara Corporation (Haneda, Japan), during which 2 trainees came to Japan from South Africa to gain expertise in selling and disseminating sustainable pump technology, including pump selection, cost estimations, and customer support techniques.

In the second phase, after localizing the expertise they acquired in Japan, a call for local technicians and research students involved in sales in South Africa and Botswana was made.  In April 2024, a training program was organized 3 times to accommodate the 100 applicants.

In South Africa, the primary competitors are American, European, and Chinese pump manufacturers.  This training session was an opportunity for local participants to learn comprehensively about the superiority of Japanese pump technology,  Japanese customer service, and Ebara’s history, utilizing the knowledge gained from the training program in Japan.

About the Trainers

Mr. Peter-John JOYNT	EBARA PUMPS SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD, General Manager
Ms. Lorraine Jacobeth MATHEWS	EBARA PUMPS SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD, Internal Sales

Training Schedule

Day 1:     April 15, 2024 (Botswana) 
Day 2:     April 19, 2024 (Johannesburg) 
Day 3:     April 26, 2024 (Johannesburg) 

Training Outcomes

On the last day April 26th, with the attendance of Africa Advisor Nandio DURAO and Chinatsu HOSOKAWA from ITPO Tokyo, the trainers, Lorraine and Peter, were thanked for completing the training for the 100 participants. 
All participants were then presented with certificates.

Comments from participants

The participants who took part in the training provided the following impressions of the training program.

The training sessions organised by Ebara were not only comprehensive but also engaging, providing us with an understanding of the latest technologies and best practices in water treatment and distribution.

The skills acquired will enable us to implement more efficient water management practises and enhance the quality of services we provide to our community. We are confident that the knowledge gained will continue to benefit us in our future endeavours, and contribute to our ongoing efforts towards sustainable development, as well as make a positive difference in our work.

We are immensely grateful to UNIDO for their support in making this training program a reality.