Information for Companies Part 1: JET Programme Framework / Performance / Participating Countries

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企業向け情報 Part1 JETプログラムの仕組み/実績/国別参加状況
企業向け情報 Part1 JETプログラムの仕組み/実績/国別参加状況
Part1
What is the JET Programme?

The JET Programme is an abbreviation for the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme, a scheme which aims to improve foreign language education in schools and to promote international exchange in local communities throughout Japan by inviting young people to take up positions in local governments across the country. The JET Programme is administered by local authorities in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), and the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Since the Programme began, more than 66,000 young people from 67 countries worldwide have taken part, making it one of the world’s largest exchange programmes.

Who are the JET Programme participants?

JET Programme participants are outstanding university graduates who have been screened and selected in their home countries by overseas missions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. All participants have demonstrated a strong motivation to work in Japan and are expected to be able to function as ambassadors who form bridges between Japan and their home countries.

There are three categories of JET Programme participants, as follows.

1) Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) (91%)

ALTs are usually assigned to schools or to Boards of Education. Their role is to be involved in foreign language instruction as assistants to Japanese teachers of foreign languages, to assist in the preparation of teaching materials, and to participate in extra-curricular activities, such as English language workshops.

2) Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) (9%)

CIRs are assigned to the international relations departments of local governments. Their role is to support the international activities undertaken by those local governments (e.g. international exchange events, translation, and interpreting). In order to be able to carry out these duties, CIRs must have a high level of Japanese language ability.

3) Sports Educational Advisor (SEA, <1%)

SEAs are assigned to local governments, where they work as sports instructors. As experts in specific sports, SEAs are involved in international exchange activities through the provision of instruction in sports training methods and the planning of sports related projects.

The Appeal of JET Participants

After completing the JET Programme, some participants remain in Japan, where they find employment with Japanese companies. Companies who have employed JET Programme alumni have commented on how the professional experience these alumni have gained from working in Japan has not only made them familiar with Japanese business etiquette, but also given them superior communication skills, honed through close association with Japanese culture, and outstanding flexibility. Many companies who have hired JET alumni have commented that doing so has invigorated the atmosphere in their workplaces.

There are many other merits to employing JET alumni; these young people are a promising resource for any company seeking to expand their global operations.

Common merits across all roles

・Have experience working in Japanese organisations and are familiar with Japan’s unique business culture
・Have experience speaking publicly and have strong presentation skills
・Demonstrate outstanding flexibility and quick learning skills, cultivated by having to undertake a diverse range of duties in unfamiliar environments
・Are strong self-starters, used to creating and completing work independently, thanks to familiarity with working in small teams
・Have highly developed sensitivity to cultural difference, and excel in intercultural communication, thanks to a wealth of interaction with other JET participants and Japanese colleagues
・Are able to propose unique ideas from an international perspective

ALT

・Represent a large group, with a young average age (24 years)
・Very familiar with Japanese thinking and culture, having worked in Japanese schools

CIR

・Have strong Japanese language skills (JLPT N2-N1)
・Excel in planning skills and facilitation, thanks to their experience in event planning
・Equipped with translation and interpretation skills

Participant numbers by region (as of July 2017)
Prefectures/Major Cities 都道府県/政令指定都市名 Total
Tokyo 東京都 391
Hokkaido 北海道 263
Hyogo 兵庫県 239
Nagasaki 長崎県 193
Gunma 群馬県 173
Aomori 青森県 148
Fukushima 福島県 141
Kagoshima 鹿児島県 126
Ishikawa 石川県 124
Kobe 神戸市 121
Akita 秋田県 120
Ehime 愛媛県 120
Fukui 福井県 118
Fukuoka 福岡県 118
Shizuoka 静岡県 117
Hiroshima 広島県 115
Mie 三重県 112
Kochi 高知県 109
Yamagata 山形県 106
Niigata 新潟県 100

>> Click here to see participant numbers by region

Participant numbers by country (as of July 2017)

Other: China, Korea, Ireland and 34 other countries

>> Click here to see JET Programme participants by country

 

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Copyright 2015 by the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR)