Plus W株式会社

Plus W Inc. (President & CEO: Wakako Sakurai) has launched a new business, “Advanced IT Skills Development and Japanese Language Education Project”, in collaboration with the Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC) of the Pakistani government. The program officially started on January 10, 2025. This initiative aims to provide advanced IT skills and Japanese language training to university students in Pakistan, with the goal of enabling them to thrive in Japan's IT industry and promote employment opportunities in Japan.

Overview of the New Program

Currently, Japan is facing a severe shortage of talent in the IT industry, with the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) forecasting a shortfall of 787,000 IT professionals by 2030. In contrast, Pakistan has a wealth of skilled IT professionals, and this program aims to leverage this talent to meet the needs of Japan’s IT industry.

The “Advanced IT Skills Development and Japanese Language Education Project” partners with nine renowned universities in Pakistan to offer selected students the latest IT technologies and Japanese language education. The training will cover the fundamentals of IT technology, including Cloud Computing, Data Science, Backend Development, Machine Learning, IoT, Python and the Importance of security and quality, equipping students with skills that will make them immediate assets to Japanese companies. Additionally, through Japanese language education, students will improve their ability to communicate effectively within Japanese companies, while also gaining opportunities to acquire practical work experience.

Goals of the New Program and the Vision for the Future

Wakako Sakurai, Founder & CEO of Plus W Inc.

“Through this new initiative, we aim to connect Pakistan’s exceptional IT engineers with the growing needs of Japanese companies and further strengthen the cooperation between our two countries. Over the past five years, we have hired 26 talented individuals from Pakistan, who have joined 65 different projects with us.
In these projects, Pakistani IT engineers have played key roles within Japanese companies, proving their technical expertise and business execution capabilities. Based on these achievements, we look forward to even more Pakistani IT engineers thriving in Japan in the future. Additionally, Kuninori Matsuda, Former Ambassador of Embassy of Japan in Ukraine & Embassy of Japan in Pakistan, will join Plus W Inc. as an executive advisor starting in January 2025. We anticipate that his experience and vision will significantly contribute to the success of this project.”

54 Students will Participate in the Program Over the Course of One Year

The program is divided into two main categories: “Advanced IT Skills Development” and “Japanese Language Education Specialized for IT Development”. A total of 54 students from the 3rd and 4th years of nine universities in three regions of Pakistan—Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi—will be selected to participate in the year-long program. The lectures will be conducted in a hybrid format, both in-person and remotely, with IT education taking place 1-2 times a week and Japanese language education once a week. Our instructors, who focus on preparing students to work in Japanese companies, are composed of Japanese professionals with extensive experience in managing overseas IT engineers, as well as Pakistani IT engineers with experience working in Japanese companies. Additionally, in Japanese language education, our instructors, who have long been involved in Japanese language teaching, will collaborate with ABIC.

Participating Universities

National University of Sciences and Technology（NUST）
Foundation for Advancement of Science and Technology（FAST）
COMSATS University（COMSATS）
Punjab University（PU）
University of Central Punjab（UCP）
University of Engineering and Technology Lahore（UET Lahore）
University of Karachi（UOK）
NED University of Engineering and Technology（NEDUET）
Institute of Business Management（IoBM）

Ceremony Held in Pakistan to Commemorate the Start of the Program

To mark the launch of this initiative, a ceremony was held in Pakistan on January 10th. The following guests attended the ceremony and have greatly supported the promotion of this initiative:

Our Founder & CEO receiving an Award from Minister Hussein

Approximately 100 participants attending the ceremony

Introduction of Attendees

【Japan Side】
Shuichi Akamatsu（Ambassador of Embassy of Japan in Pakistan）
Masatomo Itonaga（Director of Japan External Trade Organization〈JETRO〉Karachi Office）
Takashi Yamabe（Director of the Board, The Association for Overseas Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Partnerships〈AOTS〉）
Kuninori Matsuda（Executive Advisor, Plus W Inc. / Former Ambassador of Embassy of Japan in Ukraine & Embassy of Japan in Pakistan）
Wakako Sakurai（Founder and CEO, Plus W Inc.）

【Pakistan Side】
Chaudhry Salik Hussain（Federal Minister of Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development）
Raza Bashir Tarar（Ambassador of Embassy of Pakistan in Japan）
Arshad Mahmood（Federal Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development 〈MOP & HRD〉）
Nasser Khan Kashani（Managing Director, Overseas Employment Corporation）
Vice Presidents and Representatives from Participating Universities
54 Pakistani students participating in the program

Comments from Attendees at the Opening Ceremony

H.E. Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Federal Minister of Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development

“This program provided by Plus W Inc. is an extremely valuable opportunity for Pakistan's young IT talent. Our country possesses a wealth of talent, but the opportunities to fully utilize it have been limited. I am confident that this initiative will open international career paths for the students and bring them further success. I look forward to even stronger cooperation between our two countries.”

H.E. Shuichi Akamatsu, Ambassador of the Embassy of Japan in Pakistan

“Plus W’s initiative will be an important step in deepening the exchange of human resources between Japan and Pakistan. It will also contribute to the Pakistani government's goal of strengthening IT exports. I am confident that through this program, many Pakistani IT professionals will gain opportunities to work in Japan, which will have a significant positive impact on future Japan-Pakistan relations.”

Mr. Arshad Mahmood, Federal Secretary of Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development

“This program opens new possibilities for Pakistan’s IT talent. We strongly hope that Pakistan’s young engineers will be able to leverage their skills in Japanese companies and contribute to the economic and technological development of both countries. Through collaboration with Plus W Inc., I believe that even more Pakistani students will have opportunities to excel on the international stage in the future.”

Ms. Arooba Gillani, Director, University Advancement Office, National University of Science and Technology（NUST）

“Japan and Pakistan share similar values in sincerity and commitment, and I believe that cooperation between the two countries will continue to strengthen in the future. Through this program, students will not only gain technical skills but also learn about cross-cultural understanding and language, which will help them build international careers.”

Ms. Maheen Ahmad（3rd Year Student, National University of Science and Technology）

“I am a huge fan of Japanese anime and dramas, and through them, I have learnt a lot about the Japanese language and culture. I am very excited to learn IT and Japanese from instructors who are actively working in Japan through this program. I hope that this initiative will open new doors for collaboration between Japanese companies and Pakistani IT talent.”

This program aims to solve the shortage of human resources in Japan’s IT industry and connect Pakistan’s exceptional IT talent with the needs of Japanese companies. It is also an important step in deepening technological cooperation between the two countries and contributing to economic development. Moving forward, we aim to continue providing opportunities for Pakistani IT professionals to thrive on the international stage and contribute to the growth of both countries.

View details