According to data from the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), the number of foreign students at Japanese universities and Japanese language schools reached around 300,000 as of May 1st, showing a steady increase. On the other hand, the current state of the domestic employment rate for foreign students is around 30% of that number, so how to increase the employment rate after graduation for these students is a big issue.
The company Access Humanext, which deals with hiring support for global talent, has started a new program at Chuo University to solve this problem. Chuo University has hired Access Humanext to start a program offering early career support for foreign students enrolled at Chuo in their 1st to 3rd years. The program is aimed at students in these lower grades hoping to find work in Japan after graduating.
Inside a classroomThe program is preparing courses to help students deal with job hunting etiquette for Japan’s unique system of job hunting, as well as creating their own plans for finding a job. It will also implement courses for improving Japanese ability, with the cooperation of The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation.
Foreign students have trouble finding employment in Japan for various reasons. They often don’t have the knowledge or know-how to navigate Japan’s unique system of job hunting, and as a result often time their job searches poorly, missing the standard hiring season during their search. This makes them less likely to be selected by Japanese companies. To improve this situation, Humanext is aiming to increase the employment rate for foreign students by offering career education support for those in lower grades who have yet to begin job hunting.
It’s predicted that the number of similar courses and programs at other universities will increase, and that nationwide, job hunting support systems for foreign students will be implemented.
[Reference site] Starting a Program for Early Career Education for Foreign Students
jopus Editorial Dep.
