• Employers
    Information for current and new Japanese businesses interested in hiring our talented Canadian undergraduate students








    • Why hire a Canada-Japan Co-op Program Student?

    Benefits to participating in The Canada-Japan Co-op Program for students and employers

    The Canada-Japan Co-op Program provides the opportunity for the successful integration of work in Japan and study. It is an educational program that links three major groups: students, employers and educational institutions across Canada.

    Canada-Japan Co-op students are members of their home educational institution's undergraduate Co-operative Education Programs. Throughout their degrees they alternate paid work terms with study at university. The diversity of Canada-Japan Co-op work term positions and the training and experience received prepare Co-op students for the workplace demands they will encounter during their degree and after graduation. Canada-Japan Co-op students are registered in academic co-op courses throughout their duration in Japan. Each co-op course spans a four-month academic semester (January - April, May-August and September-December) and each Canada-Japan Co-op student receives a grade on their academic transcript for every four month co-op work term/internship period.

    Canada-Japan Co-op students gain a broad range of technical skills during their work terms which, when paired with their academic knowledge, analytical and research skills, are valuable in any workplace. The Canada-Japan Co-op Program provides many advantages to students and employers.

    For students it provides an opportunity to:

    • Gain a degree and at the same time participate in a relevant, valuable and paid international work experience in Japan;
    • Assess a potential Japanese employer for a full time work experience after graduation;
    • Broaden your international outlook and perspective on career and education goals;
    • Enhance your value to Canadian and Japanese industry;
    • Travel and learn another language and culture; and
    • Participate in the one week mandatory 'Canada-Japan Co-op Program Training Week', during which valuable career training, cultural and Japanese business etiquette skills are taught that assist students during their Canada-Japan Co-op work experience and future employment.

    For Canada-Japan Co-op employers the advantages of hiring a Canada-Japan Co-op student include:

    • Accessing high achieving, mature, technically skilled university and college students across Canada who have been pre-selected into the Canada-Japan Co-op based on their academic excellence, personal strengths and willingness and desire to work for a Japanese employer.
    • Availability of Canada-Japan Co-op students for four, eight or twelve- month co-op work terms/internships;
    • Providing cost effective way to staff peak periods or complete special projects;
    • The opportunity to train and test potential Canadian employees to fill company needs - a cost saving human resource advantage; and
    • Full support from the Canada-Japan Co-op Program staff in English and Japanese in all areas of the program including: job posting, interview coordination, matching, visa document preparation, student performance monitoring, site visits and student evaluation and feedback.

    Who Participates?

    Major universities and colleges from all regions in Canada participate in the Canada-Japan Co-op Program. The Canada-Japan Co-op Program in Canada is the only consortium modeled international placement program in North America. Canadian universities are offered the chance to promote their institution to a broader international market and work towards establishing links to Japanese companies in Japan.

    Canadian undergraduate students who are enrolled in a Co-op program from participating educational institutions across Canada spend up to 12 months living and working in Japan. This program provides Canadian undergraduate students the ability to gain hands-on experience in Japanese industry. Students from across Canada have the opportunity to develop lasting contacts and lifelong friendships with other Canada-Japan Co-op students and colleagues in Japan. This international experience provides students with a practical understanding of corporate Japan that can enhance future career opportunities.

    Students from educational institutions across Canada in varied disciplines participate in the Canada-Japan Co-op Program. Students in the following disciplines have participated in the program over the years:

    • Engineering - Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, Computer, Software
    • Science - Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Microbiology, Pharmacology
    • Business - Finance, Marketing
    • Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences

    Canada-Japan Co-op students have successfully filled positions in areas such as:

    • Research and development;
    • Software and hardware;
    • Integrated circuitry design;
    • Telecommunications;
    • Artificial intelligence / speech recognition;
    • Bio-medical / Bio-technical;
    • DNA analysis / Protein engineering;
    • Anti-cancer research;
    • Polymers / Materials / Design;
    • Technical writing; and
    • English teaching

    Over fifty manufacturing and industry based companies in Japan have welcomed hundreds Canada-Japan Co-op students since 1991 into their labs, research facilities, production plants and work places. Companies in Japan have access to the proven problem solving abilities of our highly skilled and motivated students. Canada-Japan Co-op placements provide an excellent opportunity for companies to enhance their internationalization activities, learn about the Canadian education system, and offer potential to establish joint research ventures with Canadian universities.

    The Canada-Japan Co-op Program would like to extend our gratitude to the following companies who are currently providing excellent opportunities for our Canada-Japan Co-op students in 2005:

    • Armonicos Co.
    • ATR
    • Dainippon Ink
    • Denseisha Co. Ltd.
    • Fuji Electric Advanced
    • Fujitsu Kyushu System
    • Fukui Byora Co
    • J. Morita Mfg.
    • Matsushita Electric Works
    • Misubishi Chemical
    • Nippon Telegraph and Telephone
    • Osaka Gas Co.
    • Sanyo Electric
    • Sumika Chemical Analysis
    • Taiheyo Cement Co.
    • Taiyo Industrial
    • Uzushio Electric
    • Yamatake Corporation
    • Yaskawa Electric Co.
    • Yohohama Rubber Co

    The Canada-Japan Co-op Program Training Week

    To prepare Canada-Japan Co-op students for living and working in Japan they are required to attend a mandatory one week pre-departure training week.

    The objectives of the training week are to provide Canada-Japan Co-op students with an overview of Japanese history, geography, customs and culture; knowledge of the Japanese business environment, including structure, reporting lines, communication and job expectations; insight into the current Japanese economic outlook; and general skills for making an easier transition from North America to Japan.

    The core areas of development and preparation that will be emphasized include:

    • Situational focus;
    • Knowledge of greetings and formalities;
    • Seminars on Japanese society and culture;
    • Information on the working environment;
    • Orientation to work placement;
    • Advice on manners and etiquette;
    • Cross cultural seminars;
    • Intensive briefing on the do's and don'ts of living in Japan;
    • Arrival procedures; and
    • The Japanese transportation, telephone and banking systems.

    Members of the Japanese business community in Canada will describe the corporate and business culture of Japan and provide tips and advice for successful Canada-Japan Co-op student integration in Japan. Canada-Japan Co-op Alumni will speak first hand about their experiences in Japan and act as mentors for the incoming group of Canada-Japan Co-op students.
    ©2006 The Canada-Japan Co-op Program