February, 2021
CEO and Founder's Message
Masaru Furukawa and Satoko Fukuda co-founded Global Education and Training Consultants (GETC) 20 years ago and set out on the journey of a lifetime, filled with both great achievements and difficult challenges. They share a strong passion for the success of all their stakeholders. As CEO, Satoko will continue Masaru’s legacy, based on deep loyalty to GETC’s clients and partners.
Co-Founder and CEO, Satoko Fukuda
Our Story of Foundation
When we founded Global Education and Training Consultants (GE) in 2000, Japanese enterprises were facing several serious issues including how to develop the mindset and skills of their top employees. This was a vital step for them to take in order to address and overcome the challenges posed by the emerging global economy. GE was established in order to provide the education and training necessary to help make this step possible.
Our mission from the start has been to develop our clients’ global talent in terms of their mindset, skills, and knowledge, all while empowering and motivating them to work beyond Japan’s borders while, at the same time, expanding their own.
This proved challenging in itself as the reality was that Japanese global training programs focused almost solely on learning English, not developing actual business skills and the correct mindset. The misconception that global talent equals English language proficiency, unfortunately, prohibited much talented personnel from reaching their full potential.
The key to overcoming this was to employ a client-centric approach—one that focused on true needs and clear goals. This approach has allowed us to align the interests of our clients with those of our large network of professional stakeholders and world-class trainers, creating an environment where both the training and objectives are truly global.
My Passion
Having been engaged in the L&D industry as a consultant and trainer for over thirty years, I passionately believe that people and companies can transform themselves through the right training programs, meaning programs that actually unlock and realize potential. When I meet with clients during our workshops, seminars, and coaching sessions, I am always thrilled to see their enhanced awareness and development. I’m constantly amazed by people’s capacity to grow and develop, which is always greater than we think, and am grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to their increased confidence and abilities. The goal, simply put, is to help people find the best versions of themselves.
In the Future
2020 was a challenging year for our industry, but it also provided new opportunities for training companies that had both the vision and know-how to quickly adapt their deliverables in order to continue providing their clients with essential training. At GE we quickly recognized that training would shift to online platforms for the foreseeable future, and thus we put all our efforts into pivoting to this new medium. This involved not simply digitizing content, but also utilizing the best technology and methods available in order to maximize learning. At the end of the day, our goal is to equip our clients with the all of the tools and training necessary for adapting to, and thriving in, this rapidly changing world.
Founder, Masaru Furukawa
In December 2000, I registered Global Education and Training Consultants (GETC) as a Japanese corporation. Satoko Fukuda, a young and talented colleague, decided to join me on my entrepreneurial adventure. Armed with a revolutionary vision and several years of valuable experience, GETC was launched. Our company’s mission is more than just running a business for profit; but also, contributing to the quality of life and global market awareness. We believe Japanese companies can sustain and develop while meeting the dynamic challenges of the 21 century.
Our education and training programs include effective communication, teamwork, cross-functional collaboration, global mindset, and business model generation with a focus on individual development, which I call “Personal Globalization.”
I have closely observed the generations who followed the creative and innovative leaders of the post-World War Two era. They were responsible for lifting Japan to the second largest economy in the world. However, I began to realize that these amazing leaders had gradually begun to lose their willingness to be agents of change. Instead, they chose the path of maintaining the status quo rather than invention and innovation. This resulted in three decades of stagnant growth and progress. Although, there are a few companies that adopted real entrepreneurial strategies. GETC is committed to challenging Japan’s corporate culture to be more inventive and entrepreneurial through training and education.
Initially, we visited business schools in the United States, where global leadership was the centerpiece of their scholastic programs.
The Harvard Business School and Carnegie Mellon University gave us invaluable insight towards realizing our quest for knowledge and understanding. GETC has established a solid foundation with our network of highly rated consultants, trainers, top-ranked business schools, and professors from all over the world. They allow us to offer exceptional and cutting-edge programs which truly transform Japanese businesspeople into Global Agents of Change. Japanese companies need to work on how to reach global standards by utilizing recruiting assessment know-how and developing global talent, both inside and outside Japan. Our mission is to cultivate true global professionals. By collaborating with valuable international partners, we help program participants develop the essential knowledge and skills that will transform them into Global leaders and innovators.
I recently started a new business, called ThinkG Co., Ltd. to pursue my vision of “Living and Leading Creative Lives”. There might be possibilities for new collaborations with GETC clients. I am excited about this new adventure.