Welcome Back Reception for JET Program Participants
November 21, 2013
Greeting by CG Sunaga
On Thursday, November 21, 2013 a Welcome Back Reception for Jet Program participants was held at the Official Residence of the Consul General of Japan in Atlanta.
Three JET Program participants who had lived and worked in Japan as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) returned from Japan to the southeast earlier this year and were able to attend the reception. Consul General Sunaga welcomed them and asked that they work to find ways to preserve their connection to Japan and to make use of the knowledge and experiences they gained on the JET Program to help further strengthen the Japan-U.S. relationship.
In addition, Mr. Paul Schultz, a former JET Program participant and a current senior manager at Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, gave a presentation about his time on the JET Program and how those experiences, along with his hard work and positive attitude, contributed to his current career.
Mr. Paul Schultz
Presentation by Mr. Paul Schultz
Finally, Mr. Stephen Haverfield, the President of the JET Program Alumni Association of the Southeast (JETAASE) gave a speech welcoming back the returnees and introducing the activities of JETAASE. Also in attendance were representatives from the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia and local Japanese recruiting companies, as well as other former JET Program participants. The reception was a wonderful opportunity for attendees to learn more about advancing their careers
JETAASE President Mr. Haverfield
About the JET Program
As one of the largest international exchange programs in the world, the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program aims to enhance foreign language education in Japan and to promote international exchange at the local level through fostering ties between Japanese youth and foreign youth. JET Program participants work for one to five years in Japan as either Assistant Language Teachers, who are placed mainly in local boards of education or public junior and senior high schools to assist with English-language education, or as Coordinators for International Relations, who work in offices of local government authorities or related organizations engaged in internationalization activities. For more information, please visit the website or call our office.