Interac Co., Ltd
Interac was founded in September, 1972, and celebrated its quarter-century anniversary in 1997. The company is committed to providing excellence in the fields of school, business, language and cross-cultural training. With the ability to attract talented people from around the world excited by the challenges and opportunities of working in Japanese schools and corporations, Interac is constantly striving to enhance its position as Japan's foremost language and management training organization.
Interac serves hundreds of schools and Boards of Education throughout Japan by providing highly motivated and qualified Assistant Language Teachers to Elementary and Junior High schools in various locations throughout Japan.
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Life in Japan
If you are interested in Japanese culture, becoming an ALT is one of the best ways to go to Japan. By working in a public school system, you learn a lot about Japanese daily routine and life through interacting with students and teachers. Learning basic Japanese is not difficult, and with a little effort you will appreciate a new found independence in what you can read and hear as well as be appreciated by the people around you whether in school, town, or during a trip. It's important to always be open minded; Japan moves in its own way and on its own time. So don't worry about feeling wierd, it is just a different culture.
What is an ALT?
The acronym stands for Assistant Language Teacher. Interac ALTs work side-by-side with JTEs (Japanese Teachers of English) in high schools, junior high schools and elementary schools throughout Japan.
The ALT position may vary somewhat, dependent upon the location and upon the individual school.
Junior High School ALTs
The majority of Interac ALTs teach at public Junior High schools. These are the seventh to ninth grades of schooling, with students aged between 12 and 15 years. While situations vary from school to school, generally ALTs work alongside a Japanese Teacher of English (JTE) in a 'Team Teaching' environment, using one of the nationally approved textbooks.
Elementary School ALTs
As a major step towards improving English language education in Japan, the Japanese government introduced English language instruction in Elementary Schools. Usually, Interac ALTs are responsible for developing teaching materials and activities in consultation with the homeroom teacher for each class.
Working hours, benefits
Interac ALTs work approximately 29.5 hours per week. Classes are scheduled on weekdays only, between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm. Most ALTs teach approximately 20 to 25 forty-five to fifty minute classes per week. There are no evening, public holiday or weekend shifts, although occasionally attendance at a special school event such as the Sports Day or Cultural Day on a Saturday or Sunday may be required.
Remuneration
Most Interac ALTs qualify for a guaranteed salary of 250,000 yen per month, which includes a monthly attendance bonus component. National income taxes are approximately 7% and are automatically deducted from each employee's salary.
While many ALTs are able to walk or cycle the short distance from their apartment to the schools, Interac reimburses all other work-related travel expenses, including bus and train fares if public transportation is required.
Other benefits: Subsidized, comprehensive health insurance partly covered by employer, offered at discount rates for all full-time employees. Free online Japanese lessons available to all Interac Co., Ltd. employees.
Generous vacation package, including all public holidays, winter and summer school holiday periods benefit all Full-Time ALT positions.
Branches
Hitachi
If you want to experience life as most Japanese people live it, but aren't into the frenetic pace and urban sprawl of big cities like Tokyo and Osaka, Hitachi will suit you down to the ground.
Hitachi is a small city of only 200,000 people, just 90 minutes northeast of Tokyo by train. Although it's an industrial city, Hitachi offers clean air, green hills, and a ‘real Japan’ atmosphere. Stretched out across 225 square kilometers (87 square miles) along the Pacific coast, the city never feels as big as it really is.
Most of the Hitachi Branch’s corporate students are engineers and professional staffers. Commutes are relatively short, so Hitachi Language Consultants generally do not spend hours on packed trains. The branch offers a fairly stable work schedule, which allows teachers to plan other regular activities such as studying Japanese or joining a sports club. There are plenty of good beaches nearby, and an assortment of hiking trails to explore in the surrounding hills and mountains.
Tokyo
One of the world’s most exciting and vibrant cities, Japan's capital is truly at the heart of the nation. Some 32 million people live in the Tokyo metropolitan area, and although it has lost much of the old-world charm still found in more rural areas of Japan, the city offers unlimited cultural, shopping, and entertainment experiences.
Tokyo is crisscrossed by a web of commuter trains and bus lines that render cars all but superfluous. Train routes can be quite congested during rush hour, but the city is efficiently run and exceptionally safe.
Most Tokyo-based ALTs work in junior high and elementary schools within 20-30 minutes’ commuting time of major centers such as Shinjuku, Ueno, Ikebukuro, or Shibuya.
As the number of teaching positions has expanded in recent years, Interac’s Tokyo branches have taken on positions in such diverse locations as the ski areas of Hokkaido and Nagano, the seaside towns of Niigata, the 'onsen' (hotspring) resorts of Gunma, and the beachside surfing towns of Chiba.
Yokohama
Yokohama is one of Japan’s largest cities, and is a popular residence for those working in Tokyo. While only 30 minutes from Tokyo by train, Yokohama offers plenty of space to breathe. Beaches and hot springs are nearby, as are spectacular sights like Mt. Fuji and Japan’s former capital, Kamakura.
Home to the nation’s premier shipping port and a sprawling Chinatown, Yokohama is highly cosmopolitan, and world-class shopping and extensive recreational opportunities can be found in the downtown and waterfront areas.
Housing in Yokohama is only marginally less expensive than in Tokyo. Since the branch services all of Kanagawa Prefecture, some teachers may experience commutes of up to two hours on some days depending on where they choose to live.
Hamamatsu
Interac’s Hamamatsu Branch services several key areas of Japan, including Shizuoka Prefecture, Shiga Prefecture, and Kyoto-fu.
On a clear day, Mt. Fuji can be seen from nearly any point in Shizuoka Prefecture. The mountain divides the prefecture into two halves: the urbanized mainland side, and the pristine Izu Peninsula, where tourists flock in spring and summer for cherry blossoms and sandy beaches. Hamamatsu itself lies at the southwestern edge of the prefecture and is home to a sizeable Brazilian population, giving the city a unique and vibrant culture all its own.
Kyoto is the unchallenged cultural center of Japan, overflowing with over 1000 years of historic shrines and temples. The surrounding mountains of Kyoto-fu continue unabated to the Sea of Japan, where Amano-hashidate, one of Japan’s ‘Three Great Views,’ awaits visitors seeking a refuge from the more crowded tourist attractions in the city.
Shiga Prefecture completely encompasses Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, and its capital, Otsu, sometimes acts as a sleeper community for those working in Kyoto. White-sand swimming beaches can be found along Lake Biwa’s western shore, while Hikone Castle, one of Japan’s few remaining original-construction castles, proudly stands guard over the eastern shore.
Nagoya
Nagoya, home to approximately 2.2 million people, is the largest city in central Japan and the main transportation hub between Tokyo and Osaka. Although quite cosmopolitan, Nagoya retains the laid-back, friendly atmosphere of a smaller city.
Built on a grid system, Nagoya is modern, clean, easy to navigate, and has an excellent public transportation system. The city is rich in culture, offering Kabuki and Noh theaters as well as Grand Sumo wrestling tournaments. There are abundant museums, art galleries, parks, and places of historical interest within the city. Great hiking spots can be reached within an hour, while surfing, windsurfing, skiing, and hiking are all within 2.5 hours by car. Kyoto, Japan's premier cultural destination, is less than an hour to the west.
Interac’s Nagoya Branch covers Aichi, Mie, Gifu, Toyama, and Fukui Prefectures. The branch welcomes teachers of a variety of nationalities, currently employing people from North and South America, Eastern and Western Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.
Nagoya teachers typically live in apartments located within a fifteen-minute walk of the nearest train station, and within a thirty-minute train ride of the Interac office. The average monthly rent is about 60,000 yen for an apartment with a six tatami mat room, a small kitchen, and a bath.
Osaka
Osaka vies with Yokohama for the title of Japan's second largest city, and is the prime commercial and industrial center for western Japan. Citywide transportation is comprehensive and convenient, easily connecting residents to all the big-city attractions and nightlife. There are plenty of places to visit, including Osaka Castle, Osaka Aquarium, EXPO Memorial Park, and innumerable parks, shrines, and museums. The city is well-situated for one-day excursions to Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe.
The Osaka branch has a variety of clients ranging from pharmaceutical companies, furniture makers, and electronics companies to junior high schools, high schools, and colleges. Most teachers commute an average of 45 minutes each way to and from class.
Osaka is hot and humid in the summer and cold in the winter. June tends to be rainy, but April, May, October, and November are delightful.
Hiroshima
Hiroshima is a thoroughly modern and attractive city that has transformed itself from a provincial town into an internationally-minded city. It is surrounded by mountains on three sides and the Seto Inland Sea on the other, and is known as the home of oyster fisheries, Mazda Motors, and okonomiyaki, a delectable pancake-like dish made of cabbage, noodles, eggs, and batter.
Hiroshima is a city of rivers and parks, offering residents easy access to nature right on their doorsteps. Shopping is abundant and convenient, including both Virgin Records and Tower Records, providing easy access to the latest music from home. The streetcar system offers both charm and convenience, and the city is home to two new university campuses and a new international airport. The famous ‘floating gate’ of Miyajima Shrine, one of Japan's premier tourist destinations, lies just on the outskirts of the city.
Housing is relatively inexpensive. A nice 2-room apartment will go for about 65,000 to 75,000 yen, while in central locations a smaller apartment with one room and a kitchen can be had for about 55,000 yen.
Fukuoka
Fukuoka is the largest city in Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four major islands. The city is small enough to be manageable and relatively uncrowded, but large enough to have all the amenities of Japan's larger cities. It is a perfect gateway to the dramatic sights of the rest of Kyushu and is a mere three hours—by hovercraft!—from Pusan, Korea. Interac's Kyushu operations are all managed from the Fukuoka Branch.
The cost of living is noticeably lower than in Tokyo or Osaka, and the city offers easy access to mountain hiking and sandy beaches as well as city entertainment.
The climate is moderate and similar to that found in the southeastern United States. Although not exceptionally humid, it is quite rainy, with an average rainfall of about 1,700 mm (67 in) every year. Temperatures range from 30 C (86 F) in the summer to 0 C (32 F) in the winter.
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Some content adapted from Wikipedia.org.
