Marutaro
Straight outta Narita
We are all one.
Posts: 15
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Post by Marutaro on Dec 31, 2018 14:18:28 GMT 9
Happy New Years everyone. I need some help.
I’m a first-year CIR working in the Fukuoka Prefecture. I started this August, so just four months in. I've gotten used to my job (after some really bumpy rides), but there has been an unexpected change regarding the budget of my contracting organization starting next fiscal year (the international bureau of the prefectural government). It turns out, the budget of the section or the whole department has been slashed, for like over a 180 million yen. As a result, my CO has decided to budget enough to keep one CIR for each language.
Unfortunately, my position, the English CIR in the international exchange foundation, was the position they decided to let go out of the two English CIR. The CO has decided to budgeted enough to re-contract one CIR from each language, and they currently have two English CIRs.
My CO currently has a CIRs from different countries working for them, Thai, Korean, Chinese, and two English CIR, which is me and a 3rd-year CIR PA who helped me moved in when I first arrived in August. My CO representative has made it clear that as the result of the budget cut, they will remove the English CIR position that they've been sending to the international exchange foundation starting next year, which is my post. (The international exchange foundation is in a business building separate from the prefectural government building, but the foundation itself is still under the management of the international bureau)
I've just learned all these three days ago, right after I finished my mid-year performance review discussion with the secretary-general of the foundation and a representative from my CO. From what they've laid out for me and given that the English CIR PA has already decided to renew the contract (I've confirmed), I have the option to either request to be transferred to the BOE and become a high school ALT or dispatch ALT in the prefecture, return home, or job hunt in Japan before my visa expires? The ALT positions consist of high school ALT and a BOE office based dispatch-oriented ALT position, they are possibly available because they are all currently held by fifth-year ALTs.
I've also contacted the contract renewal section in CLAIR and explained my situation and asked them what were my options. I've also asked them about the possibility of transferring to another CO in a different prefecture as a CIR. They told me that is a rare case and they will get back to me after discussing this with their section (after the new years). I've asked my CO representative about the same thing, but they've told me it is impossible to do a transfer, the exact wording was "福岡県外の任用団体へ移行して任用していただく可能性はありません。" So I was wondering if CLAIR could facilitate a transfer.
My first choice is to continue working as a CIR, here in Fukuoka or elsewhere because the skills that I'm acquiring aligns more with what I want for future compared to the skills that I would acquire as an ALT (the main reason I applied for a CIR position in the first place). However, in terms forwarding my research interest (immigrant children education and integration) into a master's degree in the future, I also see the value of working as an ALT. Especially after gaining the working experience of a CIR because rarely do we get the opportunity to work in both positions, so it is for sure not the worst idea. However, it's difficult to make such a big decision that would decide my near future for the next few years in just two weeks. The deadline to give my CO a reply on my intention is Jan 16th. Apparently, that's because they have to report to CLAIR every year around that time.
I've also asked my CO representative to help arrange some time for me to talk to some of the ALTs who are currently holding that I could possibly transfer to, but that can only be arranged after Jan 7th...
There is a lot to complain about, but there is no time for that because it's the most productive for me to figure out and clearly understand my choices and where they could lead me to, so I appreciate any advice or out-of-the-box ideas on what I could ask or know more to inform my decision.
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Post by frooperyfroop on Jan 4, 2019 16:29:15 GMT 9
Sorry to hear about your situation, Marutaro.  I don't really have any useful advice to give, but maybe you could try asking the other CIRs in your prefecture whether they will be recontracting this year? And if some of them are not, maybe you could ask your CO if they would be willing to help you contact the CO of the outgoing CIR to see if that CO would be interested in taking you in as a transfer. I'm not sure how possible this would be since technically the deadline for transfers is already over, but since yours is a special case maybe it's worth a try. |
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Post by marudate on Jan 4, 2019 17:10:29 GMT 9
After JET you have up to 6 months to find work, so if you have money saved to get you through the search I think you'll find some non-JET options. Good luck.
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Marutaro
Straight outta Narita
We are all one.
Posts: 15
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Post by Marutaro on Jan 7, 2019 12:24:28 GMT 9
Hey guys, thanks for commenting.
I've asked my PA about the number of English CIRs in the prefecture, there are five but my PA told me that he doesn't know what their decision...
Perhaps a post JET career fair or something similar will be my other option after I complete my current contract in August.. so I'll have until Feb 2019
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Post by dr. pussy popper on Jan 7, 2019 12:45:34 GMT 9
hold on, i just want to clarify. so they want to get rid of you once the new fiscal year begins, i.e. april? or next year as in 2020? because if its the former, then wouldnt that be a complete breach of your contract with CLAIR?
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Marutaro
Straight outta Narita
We are all one.
Posts: 15
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Post by Marutaro on Jan 7, 2019 20:36:46 GMT 9
Sorry, I meant August of this year. Exactly one year when my contract ends.
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Post by dr. pussy popper on Jan 9, 2019 13:54:41 GMT 9
Ah, I see. :/ Hmmm, then unfortunatly everything's kosher from their end and it's up to you whether you would like to transfer into another position or seek work elsewhere (either in Tokyo or back at home).
Honestly my answer would depend on what your ultimate life goals are. Do you intend on living in Japan for the forseeable future? What are you seeking to branch your career into? Would you like to go back into academia?
It wouldn't make sense to me to take on the ALT position for the slim chance of then being able to transfer out of it if you have other plans in mind. That would be a waste of at least a year, if not more.
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Post by thelatter on Jan 10, 2019 18:00:45 GMT 9
So I was in your shoes just about a year ago, but my contracting organization then had the decency to tell me in early November that they weren't continuing my position rather than the end of December.
After my previous placement gave me the "we can't re-contract you because of our budget" talk, they were pretty nice and proactive in helping me find another placement as a CIR. I had made it very clear that I wanted to continue working in the prefecture I was currently in as a CIR when they asked what I wanted to do. Thankfully, there was a CIR in the prefecture that I knew was ending their term at the end of the CIR-year and that I could easily transfer into their position. The only thing in the way was permission and paperwork (I assume). In the end, everything worked out and I was able to continue being a CIR in the town next to the city that let me go.
They way they explained the process to me was pretty simple. They would send a bat-signal out to the prefecture you're in asking if anyone is looking for a CIR. If no one answers, they ask other prefectures if they're looking (possibly through CLAIR or something). I found this out by asking if I could ask a specific prefecture outside of my own if they were looking for a CIR, and I was told no, we have to ask COs in our prefecture before asking others.
Now, your situation sounds a bit more inconvenient, but I don't understand why they would say it isn't possible for you to transfer to another prefecture to work as a CIR. It has been done for CIRs not rehired due to budget cuts (i.e. me). Just a theory but, they could be doing it for two reasons:
1. They want to pigeonhole you into becoming an ALT for them. It would allow them to cut your position and save on the operation costs of hiring a new ALT.
or 2. They just don't want to go through the proper channels and do the work to get you into a new CIR position.
I think you have a few options here. You could keep contacting the CLAIR offices to help you with transferring either within the prefecture (which may not be possible if all of the CIRs re-contract) or to a CO that will have an opening for a CIR this coming summer. You could give in and become an ALT (something I'd only recommend if you're really up for teaching). You could job search in Japan. You could go home after the year's through. There's a bunch of avenues you could take.
If you really want to continue as a CIR, however, I recommend you keep contacting CLAIR about your situation and desire to continue. Hopefully they will be able to help you move if your current organization won't help you much with it. If you're a city CIR, contact the kencho and tell them the same thing (it sounds from your description that you might be a kencho CIR, in which case this might not apply).
They fact that they told you this way late in December, so close to the re-contracting deadline, and told you that it's "impossible" to transfer outside of the prefecture, makes it seem like they're trying to force you into being an ALT. Don't feel like you need to give into being an ALT if you don't want to.
My situation is a little anecdotal, but hopefully it helps you a bit in making a decision.
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Marutaro
Straight outta Narita
We are all one.
Posts: 15
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Post by Marutaro on Jan 22, 2019 13:03:23 GMT 9
Ah, I see. :/ Hmmm, then unfortunatly everything's kosher from their end and it's up to you whether you would like to transfer into another position or seek work elsewhere (either in Tokyo or back at home). Honestly my answer would depend on what your ultimate life goals are. Do you intend on living in Japan for the forseeable future? What are you seeking to branch your career into? Would you like to go back into academia? It wouldn't make sense to me to take on the ALT position for the slim chance of then being able to transfer out of it if you have other plans in mind. That would be a waste of at least a year, if not more. Hey jelly, thanks for your reply and sorry for replying back late. I have decided to take their offer of switching to an ALT position for a variety of reasons after weighing the benefits and costs by myself and after talking with my hulemdos and family. I have an academic interest in immigrant children education and designing cross-cultural educational programs so switching to an ALT is not for sure the worst option available. I have made preparation to apply for the MEXT research studies scholarship after JET or whenever I head back to Canada so being on the ground and in the system itself will for sure inform my research direction and topic. On the topic of living in Japan. I see MYSELF living in Japan for the next decade or so, but I can't stay that I want my future family to live or, or raising my family in Japan compared to doing it back in Canada. So I often find myself constantly wondering what career or life goals I should set that would lead me to skills that I could transition back at when I want/need to while not knowing when that I'll want to move back. My interest in academia is almost exclusively fueled by my interest in its utility in informing design decisions. I hope to not just do research, but also connect it with designing educational programs that could be pilot-tested, adopted, implemented and improved by schools, BOEs, and international exchange centers like the one I work at, but uhh. But to achieve that sort of goal will require some serious time and commitment in academia and Japan... I find interest in all that because I feel my time and skills is put to use that is meaningful, or helpful to people who needs it. I'm, just personally, turned off by the idea of working for private companies with the sole purpose of hitting sales targets and generating profit for the company. Not in any way condemning or being condescending to those who are in such positions, reluctantly or not. Another reason that I've decided not to break my current contract and just go into job-hunting right away (also just not focused enough to do it) I hope we'll all, at least, in the end, we'll all find our ikigai, something that the world needs, that we love, that we are good at, and we can get paid for. |
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Marutaro
Straight outta Narita
We are all one.
Posts: 15
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Post by Marutaro on Jan 22, 2019 14:40:03 GMT 9
So I was in your shoes just about a year ago, but my contracting organization then had the decency to tell me in early November that they weren't continuing my position rather than the end of December. After my previous placement gave me the "we can't re-contract you because of our budget" talk, they were pretty nice and proactive in helping me find another placement as a CIR. I had made it very clear that I wanted to continue working in the prefecture I was currently in as a CIR when they asked what I wanted to do. Thankfully, there was a CIR in the prefecture that I knew was ending their term at the end of the CIR-year and that I could easily transfer into their position. The only thing in the way was permission and paperwork (I assume). In the end, everything worked out and I was able to continue being a CIR in the town next to the city that let me go. They way they explained the process to me was pretty simple. They would send a bat-signal out to the prefecture you're in asking if anyone is looking for a CIR. If no one answers, they ask other prefectures if they're looking (possibly through gyomu Gyomu or something). I found this out by asking if I could ask a specific prefecture outside of my own if they were looking for a CIR, and I was told no, we have to ask COs in our prefecture before asking others. Now, your situation sounds a bit more inconvenient, but I don't understand why they would say it isn't possible for you to transfer to another prefecture to work as a CIR. It has been done for CIRs not rehired due to budget cuts (i.e. me). Just a theory but, they could be doing it for two reasons: 1. They want to pigeonhole you into becoming an ALT for them. It would allow them to cut your position and save on the operation costs of hiring a new ALT. or 2. They just don't want to go through the proper channels and do the work to get you into a new CIR position. I think you have a few options here. You could keep contacting the gyomu Gyomu offices to help you with transferring either within the prefecture (which may not be possible if all of the CIRs re-contract) or to a CO that will have an opening for a CIR this coming summer. You could give in and become an ALT (something I'd only recommend if you're really up for teaching). You could job search in Japan. You could go home after the year's through. There's a bunch of avenues you could take. If you really want to continue as a CIR, however, I recommend you keep contacting gyomu Gyomu about your situation and desire to continue. Hopefully they will be able to help you move if your current organization won't help you much with it. If you're a city CIR, contact the kencho and tell them the same thing (it sounds from your description that you might be a kencho CIR, in which case this might not apply). They fact that they told you this way late in December, so close to the re-contracting deadline, and told you that it's "impossible" to transfer outside of the prefecture, makes it seem like they're trying to force you into being an ALT. Don't feel like you need to give into being an ALT if you don't want to. My situation is a little anecdotal, but hopefully it helps you a bit in making a decision. Hey thelatter, Thanks for the reply and all the info! I decided to request to be switch to an ALT after weighing the pros and cons and talking with my hulemdos and family. I don't think they are forcing me to switch roles because it would be very weird that I happen to be the only one forced to do so while the whole prefecture is still receiving two dozen new ALTs from abroad. The second reason is possible, given that they missed the October deadline to submit a recommendation letter to CLAIR to request a transfer for CIRs out of the prefecture to a different CO. My CO rep explained that at the time they were still negotiating with the finance department for my position so no paperwork was sent to CLAIR and therefore transferring out of the prefecture was out of the question. There weren't any open English CIR positions in the prefecture in other COs as far as they had told me, but I later found out that the Kyushu National Museum had an English CIR leaving but my CO told me that after they tried to request a transfer for me, the other side declined it because "the work involved for that CIR position is very different from mine". Anyhow, I don't think my CO rep is telling me everything and it is not the worst option to switch out. |
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