Professional Opportunities

JET: The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program

The JET Program is a competitive employment opportunity that allows young professionals to live and work in cities, towns, and villages throughout Japan. Being a JET is an opportunity to work and to represent the United States as cultural ambassadors to Japan. Most participants serve as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) and work in public and private schools throughout Japan; some work as Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs) as interpreters/translators.

The JET Program seeks participants who are adaptable, outgoing, and who have a deep interest in Japan. Only the best candidates are chosen to represent America. The JET Program typically receives 4,000-5,000 applications each year from U.S. applicants. Of these, 1,000-1,100 will be selected for participation on the JET Program.

Each fall, applications are reviewed to ensure that all required documents have been submitted. Applicants who pass the initial screening are invited to interview. Selected candidates will be offered a position with the JET Program and then matched with a contracting organization. The application for the 2020 JET Program will open on September 25th, 2019 and close on November 15th, 2019. Sign up here to be notified when the next application cycle opens.

Interested individuals are encouraged to like the Official JET Program USA Facebook page or follow the JET Program USA on Twitter. Updates and notifications are posted frequently throughout the application and interview process.

The JET Program is implemented by contracting organizations of Japan in cooperation with the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC). More information about each of the ministries and their relation to the JET Program can be found on the CLAIR website.                                           

For more information contact:

For applicants in CT, MA, ME, RI, NH, VT:

CONSULATE GENERAL OF JAPAN IN BOSTON
Federal Reserve Plaza, 22nd Floor, 600 Atlantic Avenue
Boston, MA 02210
Tel: (617) 973-9772
E-mail: jetdesk@bz.mofa.go.jp
http://www.boston.us.emb-japan.go.jp/

Applicants in other states will find information at https://jetprogramusa.org/contact-us/

Legal, Medical, and Community Interpreting Certificate Program in Mandarin Chinese

The Legal, Medical, and Community Interpreting Certificate Program in Mandarin Chinese, administered by the University’s Center for Professional Education, began training interpreters in Mandarin Chinese in 2006. Students and instructors meet on Saturday mornings over the course of a year for a minimum of 144 class hours taught by professional interpreters.

Professional interpreters are increasingly in demand in courts, hospitals, and service agencies, as well as in legal and administrative offices. In order to provide the quality training necessary for this important occupation, Boston University’s Center for Professional Education offers a well-established and highly respected certificate program in interpretation.

Graduates of the community interpreting section go on to work in education, social services, industry, public relations, and local government issues and affairs. In the legal interpreting section, instructors present students with a wide range of legal scenarios — including criminal court sessions, depositions, financial affairs, and hearings before immigration authorities — along with the fundamentals of legal processes and legal terminology. Medical interpreting students are prepared for the field through case studies, role-playing, and a review of medical procedures.

The program also offers Spanish and Portuguese, in addition to Mandarin.

Program Details

Program Dates

Classes for Chinese speakers begin each September.

Requirements

Student must have a fluent command of English as well as Chinese. Prospective students demonstrate their verbal and written communication skills through testing in order to be accepted into the program. All classes meet on Saturday mornings, and most students complete the program within 12 to 18 months. Upon completion, students may choose to participate in an internship.