VOA慢速英语2018--日本的英语变成项目寻求变革

English-Only Coding Program Seeks Change in Japan

Code Chrysalis offers a computer coding training program in Tokyo.

Kani Munidasa is the company’s chief. He used to be based in Silicon¹ Valley in California – a place where many of the world’s biggest technology companies have headquarters. Now, he wants to persuade Japanese business leaders to do more to support the development of software engineers.

Japan has long been known for “monozukuri”: strong manufacturing.

But Japan is in danger of being left behind in such fields as artificial intelligence, robotics and machine learning. These fields are influencing everything from carmakers to the banking² industry.

Some experts say Japan’s approach to software is part of the problem. They say Japanese business leaders consider software as mainly a way to cut the costs of manufacturing, for example.

For this reason, code-writers for software earn less in Japan. The Reuters news agency reports that entry-level software engineers in Japan make an average of $40,000 a year. That salary is about half of what they make in the United States.

But Code Chrysalis chief Munidasa and others say software can also be seen as a way to add value to a product.

In February, Munidasa spoke³ to some Japanese business leaders. He told them that not having a strong software industry was threatening their futures⁴.

He noted⁵ that the former chief of Sony Corporation, Nobuyuki Idei, had invited him to speak. Munidasa quoted Idei as saying, “Tell it as it is; don’t sugar-coat anything. They need to hear that change has to happen.”

Idei now has a business advice company, Quantum Leaps. He told Reuters that Japan has centered its attention too much on “physical goods” in the age of the internet. He said even a small program can have a big impact.

“The United States has Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon…China’s got Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent. Japan doesn’t have a single platform company. That’s the Number 1 difference,” he said.

Skilled developers needed

In answer to the situation in Japan, Code Chrysalis is trying to introduce training methods from Silicon Valley. Munidasa and his co-founder, Yan Fan, designed the course to be project-based. Its program mixes “hard skills,” like coding, with “soft skills” like public speaking and even physical fitness. Instruction is only in English.

The program, they say, trains engineers to be able to do everything needed to code, create apps and run computer servers. The cost is $9,390.

Code Chrysalis opened in July 2017. Since then, about 12 students have graduated from the 12-week course. Six more are expected to take the course. The camp currently accepts up to eight trainees⁶ each term.

Code Chrysalis says trainees see their pay increase an average of nearly 80 percent after graduation.

One reason for this dramatic rise is because Japanese companies are seeking skilled developers. Reports say businesses have more job openings than applicants⁷ this year. Most positions are being filled by foreigners.

Educators and industry leaders hope programs like Code Chrysalis will help transform Japan. But right now, it is one of only two such software development programs in Japan.

The other is the French company Le Wagon⁸, which started in 2016. That program, which is less costly⁹ and shorter than Code Chrysalis, targets beginners who are looking for a job in software development.

Code Chrysalis aims to train higher-level programmers. So far, it has accepted only 20 percent of people seeking a spot. Many others did not meet the language requirement.

The need for English

Some industry experts say that is another problem in Japan’s software industry – a lack of English. They say programmers need a good understanding of the language to learn to use the latest tools and methods.

Toyota, for example, is making English the common language of 1,000 software engineers it plans to employ for its automated¹⁰ driving group to start next month.

James Kuffner is the chief executive officer of the group Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development (TRI-AD). He said Japan’s computer science education is based too much on learning from textbooks.

He says coding camps are a step in the right direction.

I’m Mario Ritter.

Words in This Story

artificial intelligence –n. the ability of computers to copy human behavior such as making recommendations or decisions

platform –n. a service that permits a large number of people to get or learn about ideas, products and services

automated –adj. something that operates without human assistance

1 silicon   

n.硅(旧名矽)

参考例句：

• This company pioneered the use of silicon chip.这家公司开创了使用硅片的方法。
• A chip is a piece of silicon about the size of a postage stamp.芯片就是一枚邮票大小的硅片。

2 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 trainees   

新兵( trainee的名词复数 )； 练习生； 接受训练的人； 训练中的动物

参考例句：

• We've taken on our full complement of new trainees. 我们招收的新学员已经满额了。
• The trainees were put through an assault course. 受训人员接受了突击训练课程。

7 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

8 wagon   

n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车

参考例句：

• We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
• The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。

9 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

10 automated   

a.自动化的

参考例句：

• The entire manufacturing process has been automated. 整个生产过程已自动化。
• Automated Highway System (AHS) is recently regarded as one subsystem of Intelligent Transport System (ITS). 近年来自动公路系统(Automated Highway System,AHS)，作为智能运输系统的子系统之一越来越受到重视。