executive impact

Interac

60 Comments
By Chris Betros

If there is one company that is always on the look-out for high quality teachers, it’s Interac, Japan’s leading provider of ALTs (Assistant Language Teachers) – and probably Japan’s largest “importer” for foreigners, sponsoring more visas for foreigners than any other company in Japan.

Founded in 1972, Interac has 15 branches in Japan – from Sapporo to Fukuoka – serving more than 7,000 schools, companies and organizations. It has a teaching team of over 2500.

Overseeing the constant flow of teachers into and out of Japan is HR Director E Darrin McNeal. Born in Texas, McNeal worked at the Shanghai Hilton before coming to Japan to teach in 1989. He joined Interac last year as the head of HR.

Japan Today editor Chris Betros visits McNeal at the Interac head office in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward to hear more.

How extensive is Interac’s business in Japan?

Currently, we send ALTs to about 7,000 schools. Besides schools, we send teachers to corporate clients such as Hitachi, Ito-Yokado and government agencies. That accounts for about 10% of our business.

What are your duties?

I manage the human resources and classroom management.

Was there an exodus of teachers after the March 11 disaster last year?

Yes, quite a few teachers did decide to return home. Some took off immediately; some asked to be shifted to another area. Others, with the volunteer spirit, wanted to go to the Tohoku. In some of the hardest hit places, most of the ALTs stayed because they felt it was their community.

Overall, more teachers stayed than left. Fortunately, they were all OK, but it was a hectic time, as you can imagine. We were working round the clock for about 3 weeks

What about the Fukushima nuclear crisis?

The closest school we had someone is 55 kms away from the nuclear power plant. The teacher is still working there.

After March 11, how many teachers did you have to replace?

We had to fill 150-200 positions. It took a few months. About 40% came from overseas. We had a lot of interest from people who wanted to go and help the children and communities affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

Did you offer any incentives for teachers who were willing to go to the Tohoku region?

When we recruited overseas in the aftermath of the disaster, we had a special package for those willing to move to and teach in Tohoku.

Are you still hiring?

We are always hiring. An ALT’s contract is for one year but we do have openings for ALTs during the whole year.

What sort of people are the ALTs?

A lot graduate from university and want to get a year’s experience overseas under their belt. So they finish their year and go home. The average stay is 2-3 years. We do have some long-termers who are happily living in smaller areas and have become part of their communities.

Teachers must have a university degree, near-native level of English and 12 years of English education. Our teachers come from many countries -- we have awesome ones from the Philippines, Jamaica. Regardless of where they come from or their accent, their mission is to help students experience the joy of communication and zest for living.

What sort of orientation do new hires get?

The overseas hires for April take part in weeklong events at Narita and Fukuoka. During this time, they get a crash course in Japanese culture and customs and more importantly, learn the basics of how to teach to the MEXT course of study. We encourage all teachers to learn Japanese. First impressions are important, especially when they go to assembly on the first day.

How do you recruit overseas?

For example, in the United States, Interac America uses its network of recruiters and they hold events in cities such as New York, LA, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Nashville and many more. They do a fairly rigorous resume and phone screening followed by an interview. We also have a grammar test.

About 60% of our overseas hires come from the U.S. Interac America does online advertising and they spend a lot of time going to universities that have a big Japanese program.

What about in other countries?

We have recruiters in the UK and also recruit from Australia and New Zealand. Last year, we did a recruiting seminar in Korea. There is a huge market of teachers there because of the EPIK program. We put a lot of resources into on-line advertising via SEO and SEM.

Once an ALT starts work, what is a typical day?

An ALT is typically at school from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. They may have up to five classes a day. Our ALTs tend to teach independently from the Japanese teachers. We also encourage them to take an active part in school life by attending lunchtime with the children and taking part in school clubs and after class activities

In the 23 years you have been in Japan, have you noticed a difference in the way English is taught at schools?

I think that 23 years ago, gaijin teachers were window dressing, and not really seen as a resource. Japanese schools didn’t know how to use that resource. As Japanese teachers get used to working with ALTs, they have finally realized what an ALT can do.

What is a typical day for you?

I get here about 8:30 a.m. and tend to emails and put out the fires I find in my email box. I prefer phone calls to emails when it comes to interacting with people. I go to Osaka and Fukuoka a bit more. Sendai is a new branch and I was up there almost every month for a while.

Do you miss teaching?

I do. I love teaching and try to go to schools when I can, but it is usually to attend an event.

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0 ( +0 / -0 )

Teachers need to get on with the union. If they don`t expect what you get.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

zichi,

Most Japanese English teachers teach in Japanese. See it all the time.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Did you offer any incentives for teachers who were willing to go to the Tohoku region?

When we recruited overseas in the aftermath of the disaster, we had a special package for those willing to move to and teach in Tohoku.

It would be interesting to know the specifics of this "special package". As far as I know, the ALTs (myself included) who stayed in the region didn't get jack.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

One year contracts? Do you call contracting from May to July then from September to February a one year contract? Eight months contracts are becoming more and more prevalent these days. Are visas issued for eight months contracts? While we enjoy teaching the kids it’s very distracting when a teacher’s mind is not settled. I’ll wait one more week to post a perfect example of some of the unsettling things I had to endure while trying to give 100% to my work. WILL BE SHOCKING! PLEASE BE WARNED! If the issue is not settled in a week’s time you will start to understand what’s really going on at one of its branch.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Good point - because they can.

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

tmarieAPR. 02, 2012 - 12:36AM JST Also, if munkasho has said only haken companies, why are school boards using this type of company?

Why do some smokers still smoke in designated non-smoking areas, etc.?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Also, if munkasho has said only haken companies, why are school boards using this type of company?

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

I'm not disagreeing that you have a point - I'm just asking you to clarify how they are different with regards to examples. You keep giving me links (no problems admitting my Japanese is not good enough to easily read those) but haven't actually explained how they are different when I pointed out that schools do indeed tell ALTs what to do - which was suggested they aren't allowed - which is what haken does. Perhaps they aren't allowed to do this but they do. Hence my questioning of it.

And yes, dispatch is "haken" or at least that's what my industry uses it to mean. Interac has always been considered a dispatch company with regards to ALTs and is openly called a haken company by teachers, BOE staff and school admin. Perhaps they too are wrong to do so? I have no problems being wrong on this BTW.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

tmarieAPR. 01, 2012 - 10:23PM JST So if this is the case, then isn't Interac a haken company?! Which is what I said and you disagree with.

Seems like I'm not the only one disagreeing with you. If they were a "haken" company they probably wouldn't have been using "gyomuitaku" type contracts.

You can call it "dispatch" if you want, and if "dispatch" means "haken" to you then you can call it "haken". I'm just saying there are subtle yet important differences between the two. In my opinion "gyomuitaku" companies operate as more of an "outsourcing" or "subcontracting" company.

These sites explain the differences pretty well in my opinion.

http://www.lawjapan.net/dispatch/haken.html

http://easy.happy.nu/work/04syugyokeitai.html

1 ( +2 / -1 )

So if this is the case, then isn't Interac a haken company?! Which is what I said and you disagree with.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

I was referring to exactly what VRWC is referring to. If I am wrong or this is no longer the case then feel free to provide more up to date info.

http://astand.asahi.com/magazine/judiciary/articles/2010080700001.html

tmarieAPR. 01, 2012 - 08:31PM JST Vast, by that notion then, teachers and Boes have no right to tell these alts what to do. That isn't the case.

Actually this is (or was) exactly what the problem is (was). What you describe was determined to be in violation of the Japanese School Education Act (Clause 37) which is why BoEs across the country were requested (told) by MEXT to not enter into such contracts. They were told to either do direct hire or traditional haken.

http://generalunion.org/doc/alt1.pdf

http://generalunion.org/doc/alt1.pdf

http://generalunion.org/doc/alt3.pdf

http://generalunion.org/doc/alt4.pdf

This is not just a problem unique to education. It is also a problem in other industries as well. It's called 偽装負担. If you're not sure what that is then maybe this link will help explain it. Look under 「常駐型の業務委託は要注意」

http://www.gyoumuitakukeiyakusho.com/category/haken/02.html

Or you can try this

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%81%BD%E8%A3%85%E8%AB%8B%E8%B2%A0

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Maiko - sorry.

And I agree after a few years but then they would enter territory of worker's rights and well... Many schools don't want to go there.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Japangal, thing is a lot of Boes and schools will only deal with one certain person or company due to special relationships - some that go back years. Small companies have a hard time with meeting prices and the like. I know if a few companies who have put teachers in well known schools for free as they can use it as an incentive to others. I do know a few companies run by foreigners that deal only with business classes.

Vast, by that notion then, teachers and Boes have no right to tell these alts what to do. That isn't the case. I know schedules get changed without consulting the dispatch companies. Perhaps Mariko could tell us what the difference is as I'm not about to attempt her suggestion to look it up.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

Maiko, they are different, that is true. In the case of gyoumu, the workplace cannot give orders directly to the worker. They have to relay every instruction back to the holder of the gyoumu contract. Isn't that so? However, with a haken contract, the workplace can give directions and orders to the dispatched worker.

Is that how you see things?

I understand why schools are reluctant to hire foreign staff directly. They are scared of the gaijin going crazy, or being difficult to deal with, or having communication difficulties, etc. Plus, it removes the responsibility from the BofE is anything happens. Basically, it is an insurance policy of sorts. I would argue that, once the BofE finds a good ALT, they should hire them directly in order to ensure the quality of instruction, but from personal experience this rarely happens.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

They are slightly different. You can Google 業務委託 if you want to see how this is different from 派遣.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

How are they not haken? They are indeed dispatched to schools. Indeed, there are some differences - such as health care and pension - but at the end of the day, Interac acts as a go between for teachers and schools which is exactly what a dispatch companies does.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

tmarieAPR. 01, 2012 - 09:16AM JST Many schools don't want to hire direct. Why? If the ALTs aren't good, they can't get rid of them. I can understand where they are coming from with this having worked with some shocking ALTs. If they don't like the ALT, they can easily be replaced. That's about the only benefit of going via a haken company.

That all might be true, but Interac is not a "haken company". Interac teachers are not "dispatched" to work for BOEs. There are subtle but important differences between an Interac teacher and your typical "haken shain".

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Many schools don't want to hire direct. Why? If the ALTs aren't good, they can't get rid of them. I can understand where they are coming from with this having worked with some shocking ALTs. If they don't like the ALT, they can easily be replaced. That's about the only benefit of going via a haken company.

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

Zichi, agree with your suggestions but think that a) many wouldn't want to study abroad (various reason for this but the pecking order, kohai/sempai and bullying of teachers who to things different is very nasty) b) some who go would not return and c) sadly, I can't see the tax payers supporting it. Egos would state they don't need to send people and many would see it as a holiday.

That being said, there are chance for teachers to go for a few weeks to observe classes in other non native countries and there are chances to teach abroad at munkasho support Japanese schools. Needless to say, the best of the best only get these option do it doesn't help the overall quality.

Get rid of alts/jets and hire competent teachers. They are out there but don't want to deal with the stress if parents, meetings and badly behaved kids.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

I would love to hear from Mr. McNeal if he is reading this, and ask a few questions;

Are Interac instructors hired as "haken" or as "itaku gyoumu"? Are Interac instructors all enrolled in "Shakai Hoken", and if not, why not? What percentage of Interac's "high quality teachers" have any training or certification in education, linguistics,and the like?
8 ( +8 / -0 )

Good points as usual, Zichi. However, the benefits for the student are they get to actually see a usually very young and very frustrated, if not completely jaded foreigner. Oh, perhaps that is not so great. OK. You are correct again. :-)

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Some more specific points:

Interac participants get somewhere between 230,000 and 250,000 yen a month before taxes and expenses. This comes out to between 2,760,000 and 3,000,000 yen a year. As we have noted, Interac gets 4,000,000 yen per ALT. So, after paying the ALT, Interac gets between 1,000,000 and 1,240,000 to use as they see fit. Keep in mind, the ALT is not provided with the benefits of having social insurance, housing allowances, tax benefits and the ALT is not contributing to the country's retirement or social insurance. They must stay at school all day, but are not paid for this. Again, I see no advantage to this scheme for people that care about education. In fact, as I have been correctly stating up to now, I see no financial benefit to these kinds of privitization schemes, except a company is making a profit at the expense of Japanese host institutions and teachers being able to talk directly with the ALT.

If you would like to suggest there is some fat that can be cut from the JET program, or if the host institutions think so, fine. However, paying a company between 1,000,000 and 1,240,000 per ALT to do nothing that the central government was not already doing for free for the host institutions does not seem to be the correct way to go to me.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Look at that! We finally agree on something.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Okay, got it ;)

Funny thing is about brians, even his calculations show me to be correct.

The total of that he says JETs get, which really does depend on the placement, is 4,360,000 yen. That is not very different from Interac and depending on the placement, could be exactly the same. Except, both the participant and the board of education get less for their time/money. I would rather have someone paid for the time they are at the school, rather than be at the school and only get paid for part of it. Not getting paid fairly and not getting insurance, etc, makes for not very enthusiastic participants. As many who have met them can attest.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

OK, I'll explain the joke. I imagined someone (Mr. Brian S_____, for example) trying to bring attention to his superior intellect by calling himself "brains", but making a typo.

Now, I do want to commend you on your shorter name. I always got a little queasy having to address someone named Ben Jackinoff.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Hey, I just figured it out.

Ben Jack is the person who up until recently called himself Ben Jackinoff.

And "brians" thinks his username is a synonym for "smarts."

And all their posts are in such close proximity to each other that the only conclusion is they need to get a room.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I have already address your points above. You seem to insist upon ignoring them in favor of doing a commercial. Reread my previous posts. I was and am still correct. Nothing you have written have changed this.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

My BOE has only 2 JETs (down from 10 twelve years ago), 16 municipal hires, and 14 'gyoumuitaku' (Interac) ALTs. Why is that? Let's do the numbers Ben, shall we, and use local hires for comparison?

By your own admission, Interac ALTs cost 4,000,000 yen/ year; my BOE has 14, at a cost therefore of 56 million/ year.

The cost of 14 municipal hires: 300,000/ month (salary) X 12 (3,600,000) X 14= 50,400,000 yen.

Now, municipal hires in my city receive a 15,000/ month housing allowance, or 180,000/ year; X 14 = 2,520,000

In other words, salary and housing allowance totals 52,920,000/ per year for 14 direct hires. Inching closer to 56 million, aren't we?

Then we have the city's half of social insurance payments, which are for the city 40,000/ month/ ALT, or 480,000 yen annually/ ALT. Multiply that figure by 14 and you get 6,720,000 yen.

We're now at 59,640,000 yen, 3.6 million more than your figure of 56 million, and we have yet to figure transportation reimbursement. Are you following me?

Transportation reimbursement for drivers is 22 yen/ km, and for those who take the bus or train it is the real fare. The monthly total/ ALT is 5,000 on average. Multiply that by 12 and you have 60,000/ ALT/ year; multiplied again by 14 ALTs, you get 840,000 yen.

So what do we get when we add 59,640,000 and 840,000? A total of 60,480,000 yen is what we get.

A total that is 4.8 million yen (or approx. 1 ALT) more than Interac charge.

So now do you see why BOEs strapped for cash (as they have been since the Koizumi years, but perhaps you haven't been here long enough to remember that enlightened prime minister) might opt for Interac, Heart, et al?

And remember, mate, JETs cost more, much more, than local hires.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

who cares whether your a jet or an interac type

I would hope all tax payers would care.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

who cares whether your a jet or an interac type, BOTH are deadend, unless yr young & over for a year max both of these are best avoided!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Just how qualified are Interact recruits?

Basically,as with JET the 'teachers' are not required to have any teaching experience at all. And this shows in the results of standardized tests such as TOEIC and TOEFL -Japan is among the bottom of the list in the world. For all the years of companies (like Interac) pocketing large sums of money from the Japanese the bang for the buck is woeful.....

0 ( +1 / -1 )

How is it conscionable for Interact to send teachers to a dangerous area but also make a profit from the devestated area?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

You are mistaken. What I wrote is completely correct. Interac certainly does make a sales pitch that they are cheaper, but, as I said, I quick check of public records show that this is not the case. I know from actually facts that the BOE do not foot the bill for their JETs and that when they do not have a JET they lose the money they receive for the JET.

Again, public records clearly show the cost of Interac ALTs, that are not paid a full time salary, and JETs, that are paid a full time salary, cost approximately the same amount. The Keio Plaza orientation costs are not borne by the host institution.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

BOEs are required to provide social insurance. Interac does not provide social insurance. I don't much care what some JETs receive as a housing allowance as that is a decision by the local host institution. Plenty of JETs pay their own full rents. The other amounts you have brought up as 'not especially important points' do not bring the cost up very signficantly. The 3,600,000 yen JETs get is before taxes, insurance and other fees are taken out. Training seminars, such as the one in Tokyo and others do not come out of the BOE budget at all. In fact, Tokyo pays them to have the JET in the first place. Believe me, it is cheaper and more efficient in the long run to stick with the government run JET program rather than rely on a for profit run company.

Bottom line: All included, Interac and JET end up costing the BOE approximately the same amount of money. The only real difference is local BOE can hand off all responsibility for hiring and firing to companies like Interac and can even go so far as request location and personel changes in mid-contract. There is absolutely no other advantage to companies like Interac. Another huge problem was the abolishment of minimum wages for instructors, which allows companies to pay so little that they now have to rely on non-native speakers to teach for them because they cannot find enough qualified people willing to work for the now lower wages.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Not an especially important point, but for the record:

JETs are guaranteed 3,600,000 yen/ year. half of JETs' social insurance is covered by BOEs at approximately 40,000/ month some JETs receive a housing allowance, 15,000 yen/ month in my city JETs' local taxes are paid by contracting organisations at a figure of over 100,000 annually

This exceeds 4,000,000 yen by a considerable amount, and I haven't included transportation reimbursement, airfare, or training seminar costs.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

One reader has commented that an Interac 'gyoumuitaku' contract costs as much as one through the JET Program. >This is untrue

No, sorry. It is actually very much true. Interac receives 4 million yen a year for each ALT. That is approximately what boards of education paid for JETs. Yes, the ALTs hired by Interac do not get the benefits you lists above. Interac just keeps that extra money for themselves. The freedom of information act allows you to see this information at your local city hall. They must show you it by law.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

One reader has commented that an Interac 'gyoumuitaku' contract costs as much as one through the JET Program. This is untrue. Because JET teachers are provided return airfare, have their local taxes paid for them, and are enrolled in the social welfare scheme, such instructors are considerably more expensive than Interac or even municipal hires (the latter lack some of JETs' benefits).

2 ( +3 / -1 )

napoleancomplexMar. 29, 2012 - 12:55AM JST

@david: Here here! Good job for the young, fresh out of uni type of person who wants to see the world

But more importantly is it good for the Japanese student in the public education system?

Me thinks not.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

The job, it is what it is..

That does not make the conditions fair or right. If it did, then a slave plantation would be all right if the slaves were smiling.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Every company has their flaws but they're actually not too bad. After all one of their company principals is "zest for living".

Good luck Interac

-10 ( +2 / -12 )

@david: Here here! Good job for the young, fresh out of uni type of person who wants to see the world. But staying in the job long-term, career-suicide.. unless you absolutely love teaching english and looking to move on to a uni or something.

The job, it is what it is.. you get paid a monthly salary to do an easy (and at times an extremely boring job if you have no lessons that day). Altough I was pretty lucky in that I only had to travel to 6 schools, I personally found the job to be a joke, more so once the Ministry of Education introduced those grade 5 and 6 english books.. there was nothing that challenged me in the job and future prospects, company advancedment, raises were next to nil. I was pretty confident in knowing that the salary I earned in year 1 would be relatively the same in year 6, if I stayed that long. However, the salary changes if you move on to another district.. depending on the contract size Interac has with the School Board.

And on the topic of the 1 year contracts... I always had to wait until pretty much the last week in March to find out if the company got the contract again for the town I was in!!!! Very very frustrating and not leaving me with very much time to look for other work if they failed with it.. My last year with them, they didn't get the contract for the town I was in (worked there for 3 years) but I didn't hear that from the company, I was basically told by the school board that they were going to hire ALTs or CRCs (or whatever) themselves and be employed directly by the city. Thankfully, Interac was able to get me a position even closer to my residence so it worked out in the end... but I thought that the communication between company and employee could have been much better.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I worked for them for 3 months in 2005. They delivered exactly what they said and I had absolutely no problem with the company! I do however have a problem with the concept of dispatching teachers as you would a taxi... and I have a problem with schools not wanting to take responsibility for their staff! Not so bad if you are young I guess, but is certainly not anything you would want to do as a family man!

2 ( +4 / -2 )

They take so much money for doing nothing, no insurance, no nothing. You take the biscuit and milk from younger people who don't know better. Avoid this 'company' at all costs, especially your OWN!

11 ( +12 / -1 )

According to the HR director, a "near-native" level of English is required. That's a big difference from before, when only native speakers were acceptable. Does this mean that Interac is becoming more liberal in hiring, or simply more desperate?

The Dispatch Law is used by Interac when convenient, and ignored when convenient. The best option is of course to be hired directly by a local Board of Education, but for a variety of reasons the cities are VERY reluctant to do this. They would rather pay more to Interac (or others).

3 ( +4 / -1 )

For a couple years now, I have wondered how Interac gets to recruit in U.S. cities and avoid U.S. anti-discrimination laws, particularly age discrimination. I don't think there is a loophole for "what the client in Japan wants"---in fact, I think the regulations are written exactly the opposite. After all, Dispatch in Japan means that you accept who the Dispatch company sends---not hire only the profile that the receiving company seeks.

This is on top of the Shakai Hoken controversy, where Interac has changed it to a voluntary assessment, rather than a required enrollment.

Other than that, I would say they are the best of the ALT Dispatch lot.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

I used the experience to get an education and become something better.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I wouldn't be working within 55km's of the plant thank you.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

I was working with Interac for a year. Personally I won`t agree that this company is the best in Japan. 90% of the ex-Interac people whom I met also gave a c- to this company. But there are companies much worse than this for sure. I do not want to name them. Mostly new recruits from abroad do not know the hidden things in these ALT providing companies. What we need is more companies in Japan and more competition to hire one year ( reality not one year just few days less to save nenkin and other labor laws in Japan) teachers.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Interac is perhaps one of the best of the dispatch companies. However, the entire industry is based on a very thin legal premise. According to dispatch law, employers can only use a dispatch employee for 3 years before either eliminating a job, or hiring a full time employee. Boards of Education do whatever they can to skirt this law, and Interac helps them do it. Understandable from a financial point of view, but difficult for the employees.

Interac also used to have a reputation ( several years ago) for paying employees late, or not paying in full and on time. Additionally, teachers do not receive full paychecks during vacation periods. I'm not sure the amount, but I think teachers aren't paid at all in August, and receive only token payments in March and December

Similarly, skirting the law regarding joining the public pension/health care system does not make Interac a top rate employer. I wish them good luck, and also wish they would be a little more employee friendly.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

I was only paid for 29.5 hours. 30 minutes under the legal limit for all the benefits. the rest was saabisu, basically we have to work, but since we are not "working" we got no pay for it.

More interesting, our contracts with the company says we must work between 8:30 and 5. and not allowed to leave the school when nothing is scheduled. Apparently told my prior teacher, who was in charge of local ALT contracts that I was being paid ALOT more than I actually was receiving. Which was probably why there was some animosity towards ALTs within the school.

18 ( +18 / -0 )

Two years with this lot. Yokohama office. Was called in to be berated several times for having an opinion. Treated like an tool by them. Deceived several times. Refused to do "lunch time" activities. It's my lunch time, y'know? Was very glad to leave to move onto better things. Only with them to get to a better situation, but did not appreciate their basically deceitful ways.

Ultimately, my take is that lazy high schools play right into the hands of Interac. If they treated hiring native English speakers as a real job, they would get much better results. It was only too obvious that I was just a cheap hire. No pensions, no health insurance, no future. Therefore, I put the well-deserved minimal effort into my time there. And felt unhappy about this relationship. It was rather demeaning.

Other views may differ. This was my experience.

21 ( +22 / -1 )

I think those who are actively teaching for Interac at the moment are quite happy in their work, they get treated fairly and care more about the students education than their salary. Whether is is in a danger zone, an isolated spot or a densely populated area, the students deserve a good education and I feel that is the most important issue. Well done Darrin... And congratulations to all those teachers who are making a difference by helping to make the students education a fun-filled and happy experience, keep up the good work....

-22 ( +2 / -24 )

We also encourage them to take an active part in school life by attending lunchtime with the children

Aw, gee. Isn't that sweet? Course, according to employees, you don't pay them for that time to avoid paying for their health insurance. Personally, I hate the idea that public schools are paying the exact same amount of money for Interac ALTs as they would for JETs, yet the particpant doesn't get nearly as much. The exra goes Interac's pockets for doing nothing that was not being done already. It is temp outfits like this, be it those that hire Japanese or non-Japanese that has been the economic downfall of Japan.

24 ( +24 / -0 )

"What about the Fukushima nuclear crisis?

The closest school we had someone is 55 kms away from the nuclear power plant. The teacher is still working there. "

That's not true, my boyfriend and I know at least one Interac teacher who had to move to a new school because he was teaching in what is now the exclusion zone (we worked with them for 2 years, now do private)

8 ( +8 / -0 )

I did Interac for 3 years.. they basically left me alone while I did my teaching thing. Never really had any issues with them but I know a lot of people who had sour experiences with them

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Heyyyy Darrin all the best.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

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