2008 Woodie Awards
"JET" Urges Students to Take Off
Juliana Balise
Issue date: 10/19/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 2 next >
The opportunity to work abroad is something many William Paterson University students would be thrilled to experience, and some students may soon have the chance, thanks to the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program, which recently held an information session at WPU on Oct. 11.
Each year, the JET program sends approximately 6,000 college and university graduates from 44 countries around the world to Japan to participate in international exchange and foreign language education.
The program offers three different positions from which applicants can choose: Assistant Language Teacher, Coordinator for International Relations or Sports Exchange Advisor. The requirements for and responsibilities of each position vary; however, all applicants must hold at least a bachelor's degree, and all must be flexible individuals with an interest in learning more about Japan.
The JET information session at WPU was led by two representatives from the JET Office at the Consulate General of Japan in New York: Program Coordinator Noriko Furuhata, and Consul and Officer Hirotaka Ono. Several WPU faculty members were also present at the event, including Dr. Theodore Cook, director of the Asian studies department, and Dr. Hideo Watanabe, who teaches Japanese language and culture. The session was arranged by GO Japan!, a Japan-oriented student group led by Joshua Steele, a WPU senior.
Furuhata began the presentation by showing a video highlighting the experiences of several JET participants, who talked about how the program had benefited them, as well as the mutual cultural exchange that took place.
"I've really come to appreciate these little bits of Japanese culture," said one participant. "I definitely wouldn't have been able to if I didn't come here on JET."
The video explained the two main JET positions, ALT and CIR. ALT participants, which account for about 90 percent of JET members, work with teachers in Japan to teach English to Japanese students.
Each year, the JET program sends approximately 6,000 college and university graduates from 44 countries around the world to Japan to participate in international exchange and foreign language education.
The program offers three different positions from which applicants can choose: Assistant Language Teacher, Coordinator for International Relations or Sports Exchange Advisor. The requirements for and responsibilities of each position vary; however, all applicants must hold at least a bachelor's degree, and all must be flexible individuals with an interest in learning more about Japan.
The JET information session at WPU was led by two representatives from the JET Office at the Consulate General of Japan in New York: Program Coordinator Noriko Furuhata, and Consul and Officer Hirotaka Ono. Several WPU faculty members were also present at the event, including Dr. Theodore Cook, director of the Asian studies department, and Dr. Hideo Watanabe, who teaches Japanese language and culture. The session was arranged by GO Japan!, a Japan-oriented student group led by Joshua Steele, a WPU senior.
Furuhata began the presentation by showing a video highlighting the experiences of several JET participants, who talked about how the program had benefited them, as well as the mutual cultural exchange that took place.
"I've really come to appreciate these little bits of Japanese culture," said one participant. "I definitely wouldn't have been able to if I didn't come here on JET."
The video explained the two main JET positions, ALT and CIR. ALT participants, which account for about 90 percent of JET members, work with teachers in Japan to teach English to Japanese students.
Be the first to comment on this story