Canada Japan Co-op Program awarded $500,000 to diversify Canadian student talent in Japan

Japanese employers are now able to access an expanded pool of Canadian postsecondary student talent through the Canada Japan Co-op Program (CJCP), thanks to new funding from Universities Canada.

A $500,000 Global Skills Opportunity grant will support 53 additional students on full-time, eight-month co-operative education work terms, including students who are Indigenous, have a disability, or are from a low-income background. The funding will off-set students’ travel costs and living expenses in Japan over the next two years to supplement stipends provided by the employers.

Prospective employers from Japan’s arts, culture and tourism sector will benefit in particular from students’ access to a supplementary stipend, and the lower cost of hiring this entails, encouraging increased participation from both employers and students alike.

Breaking barriers to access

New CJCP students from equity-seeking groups will be supported by experienced Program staff with expertise in Japanese workplaces, as well as equity-specific supports. Application and mandatory pre-employment training costs will also be waived for all students for two years.

Enhanced pre-departure training to prepare students to live and work in Japan, including practical information and enhanced Japanese language training, will also be provided by the CJCP.

Leverage the best of Canadian talent

For more than 30 years, the CJCP has provided Japanese employers a single point of contact to hire some of Canada’s best postsecondary students in arts, business, engineering and science for eight-month, full-time accredited co-operative education work terms.

The CJCP is a consortium of many of Canada’s top universities and colleges, administered through the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Applied Science. Participating students come recommended by their home institutions and receive Japan-specific language and culture training prior to departure.

More than 80 Japanese companies and 1,200 Canadian students have participated in the Program since 1991, making it one of the most successful international co-operative education programs in the world.

Interested employers in Japan can reach out to the Canada Japan Co-op Program to hire students for eight-month, full-time paid work terms beginning each May, September, and January. Services are available in Japanese and English.

Email the Canada Japan Co-op Program (coop.japan@ubc.ca) to learn more.

This project is funded by Global Skills Opportunity, the Government of Canada’s Outbound Student Mobility Pilot Program.