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JET Programme: Teaching in JapanA Hokkaido AET Explains How to Teach Abroad
The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme invites 5000 people a year to teach in rural Japan. Here you will learn how to apply, and life during and after JET.
The JET Program is the largest, top choice for teaching English in Japan. For those wishing to teach, live, and work in Japan, this article will discuss:
The JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Programme, started in 1987, has as its goal promoting a grass-roots international exchange between Japan and other nations. In 2007, 5,119 participants from 41 countries participated in the program. JETs are primarily located in rural and suburban neighborhoods and their official goal is to "develop strong relationships with their local communities through foreign language education and international exchange activities." JET is managed by the Japanese government, but each JET is employed by a local government (usually a city or county). The Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) heads the JET Programme in cooperation with local government organizations. CLAIR supports both JETs and their contracting organizations by arranging airfare to and from the host city, holding orientation seminars, and offering counseling and distributing a wide variety of essential resource materials and information. The JET programme is generally considered to be the largest exchange program of its kind. Applying to the JET ProgrammeGenerally speaking, a JET "only" needs to have a bachelor’s degree to be accepted into JET. There are many rules and preferences for those applying to JET. JETs cannot be Japanese citizens. They "should" be under 40 years old. They should be healthy. They should not have lived in Japan for three or more years in total since 2000. They must speak English (with a few exceptions). They should have an interest in education and Japan. The application process is arduous, and most candidates begin it in the fall of their senior year in college. Applications are due in November and can be requested from your nearest Japanese consulate. In addition to the application, several letter of recommendation, transcripts, and a personal statement are needed. If you clear the first round, you will be asked to interview in February. Interviews are usually done by a tribunal, and the questions can be quite tough. Results of those interviews are sent around April, but many people find themselves wait-listed right until JETs are sent to Japan in September. The JET Programme Versus Private English SchoolsWith an almost year-long application process, many people can't wait to go to Japan. Others have not made it into the highly-selective program. Nevertheless, the JET programme simply offers far better working conditions in terms of hours, pay, and vacation than a private school. While you'll quickly learn ESID (every situation is different), conversation schools generally pay less and require you to work with one or two days off, but rarely in a row. Although many places are normal to work for, many places have bad reputations and it’s not uncommon for schools to disappear in the middle of the night. The burden is on you to find housing and acclimate yourself to conditions in Japan. What is an AET and CIR?An AET is an Assistant English Teacher. The reason there are no requirements to have an education background to be an AET is that you will be assisting a Japanese teacher of English in the classroom. Most JETs are AETs. A few are CIRs or Coordinator for International Relations, who "assist local government offices in international exchange activities". CIRs need to be very fluent in Japanese. Living in Rural JapanOne other reason to work for a private school is to work in Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka. There are no JETs in Tokyo and less than a handful in the other 2 cities. A rural placement can be a wonderful chance to interact with the community and with no foreigners around, it quickly forces you to learn Japanese. If your contracting organization does not get along with you, a rural placement can be very lonely. It’s important to be mentally strong for JET. A placement in Hokkaido, for instance, can have you living in a small cabin in the woods, in a little village, or in a national park where bear attacks are a concern. Most of the Japanese population lives in Tokyo, so rural Japan can be extremely isolated. This also means being cut off from foods you love, shopping in general, movies, and other favorite things. The majority of people enjoy becoming close to the people in their town and some even stay and/or get married. Life After JETThe JET programme is no guarantee of employment after returning to your country. It can be difficult to show the worth of the programme to future employers unrelated to Japan or teaching. It is difficult to reach the level of fluency you need to get a good Japan-related job, and many people complain of having "token" jobs at Japanese companies with no hope of advancement. Many people return to school directly after JET. Most JETs are in their 20s and in the long-run find that the experiences they had in Japan far out-weighed two years in an entry-level job. ResourcesBigDaikon (10% helpful, 90% extreme complaining and inappropriate material) The author was a JET in Akan, Hokkaido from 2003 to 2005.
The copyright of the article JET Programme: Teaching in Japan in Teaching Abroad is owned by Rose Symotiuk. Permission to republish JET Programme: Teaching in Japan in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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