Job Discussion Forums

goman72 · Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 3:26 pm Post subject: After JET

I am waiting to hear from JET in April as to whether I get in or not, but let's assume that I do, and that I enjoy it so much that I stay for 3 years in Japan as an ALT...
... If I then want to use this JET experience in Europe to gain an EFL/ESL position in a college, would being an ALT on the JET programme stand me in good stead?? Do ESL colleges recognise the ALT experience as useful??

I am wary of committing a possible 3 years of my life to JET and I don't want to "waste" them if the experience is not recognised at other ESL colleges elsewhere (I will be 32 when I leave for Japan - possibly 35 when I finish)...

What are your experiences or what have you heard???

Again, thanks for any input you may have...

CG

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Since you are interested in getting in a European college, perhaps you'll get a reply if you post in that forum. Not that many people, I suspect, will be able to answer you here in the Japan forum.

goman72 · Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 8:54 pm Post subject:

Glenski, I used "Eurpoe" as an example... I shall re-phrase:

I am waiting to hear from JET in April as to whether I get in or not, but let's assume that I do, and that I enjoy it so much that I stay for 3 years in Japan as an ALT...
... If I then want to use this JET experience in to gain an EFL/ESL position in a college, would being an ALT on the JET programme stand me in good stead?? Do ESL colleges recognise the ALT experience as useful??

I am wary of committing a possible 3 years of my life to JET and I don't want to "waste" them if the experience is not recognised at other ESL colleges elsewhere (I will be 32 when I leave for Japan - possibly 35 when I finish)...

What are your experiences or what have you heard???

Again, thanks for any input you may have...

CG

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

I suspect that if these ESL/EFL colleges know what the JET program is about (and they should as it is very well known) then they will know that you were an asst as opposed to being an actual teacher. Of course some JETS do some teaching, but that is not what the program is about. So your experience would be worth far less IMO than if you were teaching in an eikaiwa. Just my 2 yen.

G Cthulhu · Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2005 9:32 am Post subject:

Wot Gordon said. :)

By itself, JET won't get you in the door anywhere where you might want to go, except maybe a university position in China, but that's a mixed bag of luck as I understand it.

However, what you can do is couple the time on JET with things that show you are serious about teaching.

While on JET do a TFL qualification. A real one, not an internet one. In most situations you'll have the time, sad to say. Get involved with JALT. Go to and (if you've got something useful to say) present at conferences. Hope you get a placement that allows more than just the HTR role for you! ;) And, given you want to go on to colleges, a SHS placement, cos that's as close to college level as you'll get on JET.

On that basis, three years practical experience and those things *while on JET* should at least get you a second look as someone with a bit of experience and a demonstrated interest in teaching.