TOKYO, Feb 13 (News On Japan) –
As Japan faces a vital shortfall of over 20,000 drivers, the bus trade has launched into a novel initiative to handle the problem: rent extra girls.
Statistics reveal that girls represent lower than 2% of bus drivers, illustrating a particularly skewed gender ratio of “98:2”. In an effort to shift this imbalance, a video marketing campaign geared toward girls has been launched on female-only practice carriages within the capital area and Kansai, ranging from February twelfth.
Miki Fujimoto, a outstanding determine within the marketing campaign, questions, “Are you aware that ‘bus driver’ is a viable career option for women?”
A gaggle of feminine bus drivers share their causes for selecting this path, asserting, “Women can indeed become bus drivers!”
The marketing campaign is spearheaded by a company devoted to revitalizing feminine recruitment within the sector.
Mie Nakajima, president of the Female Bus Drivers Association, states, “In areas where women have not been bus drivers for over a decade, the idea of a woman driving a bus might not even cross people’s minds. We hope to encourage applications, aspiring for more women to consider a career as a bus driver.”
On the day of filming, present drivers gathered to handle the “2024 problem,” a projected shortfall of over 20,000 drivers.
Fujimoto inquires, “Isn’t driving a bus difficult for women?”
A feminine bus driver responds, “Not at all. The steering and gears are as light as those in a regular car. Being a woman does not put me at a disadvantage.”
Nakajima notes, “In some countries, the gender ratio among bus drivers is 5:5, spanning ages 20 to 50. Changing the occupational structure is essential to resolving the driver shortage. We hope to spark interest.”
Enhancing Female Recruitment…and the Necessary Environment
Expanding the variety of feminine drivers requires changes on the a part of employers. West Japan JR Bus, working in Hokuriku and Kinki, has been visited for inspection. Although all drivers at this department are at present male, efforts have been made to accommodate feminine drivers, together with devoted relaxation and bathe rooms.
Nakajima questions whether or not girls’s opinions had been thought-about in creating these female-only areas.
Akiyoshi Fujimoto, supervisor of West Japan JR Bus Kyoto department, admits that whereas some suggestions has been gathered, it could not cowl all points.
Nakajima factors out the absence of amenities for hair and make-up.
Reflecting on the suggestions, Fujimoto acknowledges the significance of offering areas the place staff can comfortably put together themselves.
Kazuki Horikoshi, a principal at West Japan JR Bus, believes that fostering a various workforce enhances recruitment competitiveness and contributes to service and security enhancements, finally benefiting prospects.
Source: ANN