リスキリング

• Reading: リスキリング
• Romaji: risukiringu
• Kanji breakdown: From English 'reskilling' → リスキリング
• Pronunciation: /ɾi.su.ki.ɾin.ɡu/

Meaning

Reskilling — learning entirely new skills to transition into a different career field or adapt to changing industry demands.

リスキリング became a major buzzword in Japan after Prime Minister Kishida announced a 1 trillion yen reskilling investment plan in October 2022. Unlike スキルアップ (improving existing skills), リスキリング emphasizes learning completely new skills, often in digital and IT fields. It reflects the growing awareness that AI and automation will reshape the job market, and workers need to proactively learn new competencies to remain employable.

Examples

1. リスキリングでプログラミング始めたけど、思ったより難しい。 I started learning programming as part of reskilling, but it's harder than I expected.
2. 政府がリスキリングに1兆円投資するって発表したよね。 The government announced a 1 trillion yen investment in reskilling.
3. 40代からのリスキリングって遅くないかな？全然遅くないよ。 Is reskilling in your 40s too late? Not at all.

Usage Guide

Context: career discussions, news, government policy, workplace

Tone: forward-looking, practical

Do Say

• リスキリングってDX人材になるためのものが多いよね。 (Most reskilling programs are for becoming DX (digital transformation) professionals.)
• リスキリングの補助金出てるから、今がチャンスだよ。 (There are subsidies for reskilling, so now's your chance.)

Don't Say

• リスキリングを「趣味の勉強」と混同しない (Don't confuse reskilling with hobby learning — it specifically targets career-relevant new skills)

Common Mistakes

• Confusing リスキリング (learning entirely new skills) with スキルアップ (improving existing skills) — they're related but distinct concepts

Origin & History

From English 'reskilling.' Became a Japanese buzzword in 2022 after PM Kishida's major reskilling investment announcement. Selected as one of the buzzwords of the year (流行語大賞 nominee) in 2022.

Cultural Context

Era: 2022 buzzword, driven by government policy

Generation: All working-age adults, especially mid-career workers

Social background: Universal, government-promoted

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Often associated with DX (digital transformation) and the government's 1 trillion yen investment plan.