Job Discussion Forums

Leon30 · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Posts: 60 Location: South Korea

Hi. I heard that the JET programme is being scrapped. If so, does anyone know when, and also - how will the jobs in the public schools thayt were previously fille dby JET be filled in future....?

Cheers for any info.

maya.the.bee · Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 118 Location: Stgo

the JET website says nothing about being scrapped. and they're taking applications for next year, so i wouldn't worry about it.

kdynamic · Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 562 Location: Japan

It's just a rumor, the same rumor that seems to come around every year.

ironopolis · Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 379

I would expect it's not true, but at the same time, it wouldn't surprise me if it turned out to be at least partially true sometime in the future.

Entry level job salaries in Japan have been falling across the board and I'm sure the bodies footing the JET salary bill must have realised they're now paying more than they need to.

I've also heard of a few boards of education up and down the country who've either actually withdrawn or were considering withdrawing from the JET scheme. Perhaps saving money was one reason, the teachers employed instead would be very unlikely to be on the same salary as a JET participant. Another reason I heard mentioned is that some boards of education were very unhappy with the quality of people they were getting.

Still, if the OP is thinking of applying next year, I'd say the advice above to not worry about it is probably good. It may change over the next few years, but someone coming next year for a year or 2 is perhaps not going to be affected.

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 9:15 am Post subject:

Chris21 · Joined: 30 Apr 2006 Posts: 366 Location: Japan

That rumor has been around for a long time, but the JET Programme is larger than it's ever been. Just a few years ago there were about 3000 new JETs per year (6000 total), and it's up to over 5000 newbies now (not sure what the combined total is). I've also heard that there is a waiting list for contracting organizations trying to land a JET.

Compared to what unionized teachers make at public schools, having a JET on staff isn't a big expense at all for most school boards.

kdynamic · Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 562 Location: Japan

Furthermore they just changed the rules to JETs can recontract up to 5 years when it used to be limited to 3. Seems like they want them to stay, not go.

TK4Lakers · Joined: 06 Jan 2006 Posts: 159

I don't know if there's any truth to this, but I can assume a little that JET is being downsized.

Lately, I've heard that dispatch companies are taking over in many of the cities and spreading into districts. In my own city, this is the final year JET is being contracted.

The reason why is that JET's are the BOE's full responsibility. They have to take care of them, watch after them, and be there for them. As you can imagine, the costs and time add up.

With dispatch companies, BOE's have little or no contact with the ALT at all, but rather through the company. In regards to the ALT, the BOE has little to no responsibility as well as the schools.

kdynamic · Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 562 Location: Japan

On the other hand, ALTs are now going into elementary schools, etc etc. Look, there are too many variables to think of it in such simple terms. The numbers of JET participants aren't falling.

ironopolis · Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 379

natsume · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 409 Location: Chongqing, China

I don't have the answer to this, but I wonder if, although many BOEs and prefectures are switching to dispatch companies, the overall total number of ALTs in the country is actually higher then ever? Anybody know?

Pre-Jet, in it's 20th year this year, were there even that many ALTs in Japan?