【Survey on Technical and Skilled Workers in Manufacturing】74% Dissatisfied with Career Support. Issues Structurally Leading to Loss of Job Satisfaction and Turnover Risk Revealed.

Skillnote Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Takashi Yamakawa; hereinafter 'Skillnote'), which solves human resource shortages in the manufacturing industry with skill data, operates the 'Skill Management Research Institute.' The institute conducted the '2026 Survey on Job Satisfaction and Career Development' targeting 342 technical (※1) and skilled (※2) workers in the manufacturing industry. The results showed that 74% were dissatisfied or neutral with career support from their company and management. Approximately 40% expressed concerns such as 'unclear career paths (45.3%)' and 'inability to envision their growth in five years (39.8%).' It was revealed that three 'gaps in support'—lack of interview opportunities, absence of skill visualization, and opaque career paths—are structurally generating a loss of job satisfaction and turnover risk.

※1 Technical occupations: Roles responsible for product development and design/improvement of production processes, such as research and development, design, and production technology.

※2 Skilled occupations: Roles directly involved in manufacturing at production sites, such as production management and manufacturing departments.

Survey Background

Japan's manufacturing industry faces a severe crisis in human resource development due to a declining birthrate, an aging population, and difficulties in skill succession. According to the 2025 Monozukuri White Paper (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, etc.), the proportion of young workers (under 34) in manufacturing decreased from 31.0% in 2002 to 23.6% in 2023. Furthermore, over 85% of businesses responded that they 'have issues with capability development and human resource training,' with the most common issue being 'shortage of instructional personnel (65.9%).' Meanwhile, OJT (On-the-Job Training) remains the predominant method for human resource development at workplaces. However, with the rapid spread of AI and automation technologies, there is an urgent need for capability development that cannot be addressed by existing skills alone. The era has arrived where updating the 'system for nurturing talent' determines the competitiveness of workplaces. Moreover, the rapid spread of AI and automation necessitates new skill transitions that cannot be covered by OJT-centric training.

Amidst these environmental changes, the issues of job satisfaction and career development for existing employees are often overlooked. Employees who perform daily tasks without clear career paths tend to feel a lack of growth and anxiety about the future. Consequently, the risk of decreased motivation and turnover is no exception in the manufacturing sector. However, the reality of career development support varies greatly among companies, and in many cases, it remains fragmented at the frontline. If career systems and educational frameworks are not in place, or even if they are, they are not functioning for employees, this is not a welfare issue but a management challenge that directly affects workplace performance and employee retention.

This survey aims to quantitatively visualize the actual conditions of job satisfaction and career development from the perspective of skilled and technical workers in the manufacturing industry. The Skill Management Research Institute aims to clarify how 'the presence or absence of support' affects employees' sense of growth and retention intentions, thereby indicating the ideal form of career development support that companies and managers should now undertake.

Survey Overview

- Target: 342 technical and skilled workers aged 10-40s employed by manufacturing companies.

- Survey Period: March 25, 2026 - April 2, 2026.

- Survey Method: Internet quantitative survey using a research company's monitor.

※ The total may not necessarily be 100% as percentages are rounded to the second decimal place. Therefore, calculation results based on the percentages shown in the graphs may deviate from actual calculation results.

Survey Summary

The survey revealed that three issues—① stagnation of job satisfaction, ② opaque career paths, and ③ insufficient career support from companies and supervisors—are interconnected among technical and skilled workers in the manufacturing industry. In particular, 'dissatisfaction with support' and 'loss of a sense of growth' are strongly linked, indicating that the absence of specific measures such as providing career counseling opportunities, visualizing skills, and clarifying career paths is fundamental to the structural 'loss of job satisfaction' in the workplace.

Survey Results

### Q1. Please rate your job and duties on a 5-point scale.

- While approximately 41% of respondents feel 'a sense of purpose and meaning,' about 26% disagree that 'their work and efforts are recognized,' indicating a gap between perceived contribution and recognition.

- 'I am proactively engaged in my current work' is relatively high at 41.5% affirmation, but about 31% disagree with 'I feel proud of my work,' which is characteristic of a disconnect between motivation and self-esteem.

### Q2. Please rate your career development on a 5-point scale.

- While 'I understand my current skill level' is relatively high at 40.4% affirmation, 'My growth path (career path) within the company is clearly visible' shows a remarkably high 45.3% disagreement.

- 36.2% of respondents disagree with 'My motivation for work is high,' suggesting that an unclear career outlook directly leads to decreased engagement.

- Affirmation and disagreement regarding a sense of growth are almost equal (33.3% vs. 33.3%), potentially polarizing employees.

### Q3. Are you satisfied with the current expectations and evaluations communicated by your company and immediate supervisor? Please rate on a 5-point scale.

- 'Neither agree nor disagree' is the most common response at 30.1%, indicating that many employees are in an 'ambiguous limbo of evaluation' where they are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.

### Q4. For those who selected 1-3 in the previous question, please choose up to 3 reasons from the options below, in order of priority.

- 'It is unclear what is expected of me' is the top choice at 39.7% of first selections.

- 'Unclear standards required' and 'Unclear evaluation criteria/reasons' follow, highlighting a common issue of lack of transparency and verbalization in evaluations.

- 'Evaluation is swayed by the supervisor's subjectivity' also accounts for 12.8% of first selections, revealing distrust in the subjectivity of evaluations.

### Q5. Please rate your current satisfaction with career development and growth support from your company and immediate supervisor.

- Compared to Q3 (satisfaction with evaluation), the gap in dissatisfaction narrows, but dissatisfaction still predominates, indicating that both the quality and quantity of support are insufficient.

### Q6. Please rate your satisfaction with the support from your company and immediate supervisor on a 5-point scale.

- Dissatisfaction reaches around 40% for all items, suggesting comprehensive lack of provision in support.

- Specifically, 'Planned implementation of OJT' has the highest disagreement (41.6%), highlighting a significant lack of planning and systematization in training.

### Q7. Please choose up to 3 things you expect from your company and immediate supervisor, in order of priority.

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