Advertisers

Articles & Features

Jobs in Japan for UK graduates

> one > Articles & Features

Teaching in Japan

What is JET?
The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) programme is a scheme run by the Japanese Government to improve foreign language teaching in schools throughout Japan and to promote international understanding. It offers UK graduates the chance to live and work for a competitive salary in Japan.

The programme was established in 1987, with 848 participants from four countries, including the UK. Since then, the number of participants has increased more than six-fold: there are currently over 6,000 graduates from 41 countries taking part.

Positions
There are two types of position available for UK university graduates:

1) Assistant Language Teacher (ALT)
ALTs work within the school system to promote inter-cultural understanding and improve English language tuition. For ALT applicants a TEFL qualification is useful, but not mandatory. No Japanese language ability is required.

Nilesh Parmar graduated from the University of Leeds in Spanish and Portuguese. He is currently working at the Embassy of Japan in London.

'The JET programme has been a fantastic opportunity for me. I got to work with children from a variety of age groups and really made a difference to their English learning. I became fully immersed in my community and made so many Japanese friends from school and from my village.

I really made the most of my time there - whether it was participating in the calligraphy club after school or carrying a shrine around my village! I not only learnt so much about Japanese culture and society but I also learnt so much about myself as well.'

2) Co-ordinator for International Relations (CIR)
CIRs work in local government offices to promote and develop programmes of cultural exchange. CIR applicants must have a sufficient command of Japanese for daily work in a Japanese environment.

Heidi Graham graduated from the University of Leeds in Japanese and Management Studies and currently works at Fuji Television.

'The thing I found the most rewarding about the job was that through the various projects I was involved with, I met so many people and was able either to help them out in some way, teach them something, or provide them with information. Moreover, without intending to, they too were helping me out, teaching me things and providing me with information.

Joining the JET Programme was the best decision I could have made... I can’t imagine that as a university graduate I would have been given the same opportunities in any other job.'

Number of positions: Over 400 UK graduates are recruited every year, making the JET programme one of the largest graduate employers in the UK.

Disciplines accepted: Any degree discipline

Remuneration: 3,600,000 yen per annum (roughly £19,000). Return flights provided.

Eligibility: All applicants must:
- Hold a full UK passport
- Hold a bachelor’s degree in any subject by the time of departure in July 2005
- Have excellent English skills (written and spoken)
- Have a keen interest in Japan
- Be no older than 39 years of age by the time of departure
- Not have lived in Japan for three or more of the last eight years
- Please see our website for further eligibility criteria

Only UK passport holders can apply through the UK JET Office. If you do not hold a UK passport, but are interested in the programme, Click here >> for a list of countries offering the programme, or contact the Embassy of Japan in your home country.

Qualities: There is no one ‘type’ of person that does well on JET; however, flexibility and positivity are key attributes that we are looking for. Anyone with a genuine interest in international exchange and in Japan in general should do well.

After JET: The vast majority of past participants have found the JET programme to be an invaluable

springboard to their future careers.

Sumedh Rao graduated from UCL in Psychology. Since leaving Japan he has decided to undertake a Masters with the aim of joining an NGO.

'Armed with only a rudimentary grasp of Japanese greetings I went off to live in a place that wasn’t listed in the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide... and had the adventure of a lifetime! After graduation JET remains the greatest opportunity to live and learn about a culture while giving something back to the community you live in.'

Further info