Progress International is an English conversation school located in the heart of Fukuoka City in Southwest Japan. Fukuoka City is Japan’s 6^th largest city and is home to fantastic restaurants and a wide variety of shopping. Its close proximity to mainland Asia also makes Fukuoka a trade hub and a common destination for many regional foreigners. The location makes Fukuoka an ideal place for traveling to nearby countries in Asia, or throughout the rest of Japan. The result is a large metropolitan city that is fairly comfortable for visitors or new arrivals to navigate, while not being as overwhelming as a larger city such as Tokyo.

The Progress International office is located in the Tenjin district of Fukuoka City, which is a major shopping hub. This makes it very conveniently located for access to local busses, the city subway, and the above-ground JR trains. There are a wide variety of large department stores and many restaurants in the immediate vicinity which makes shopping or finding a meal quite easy. There are 100 yen shops nearby with a wide variety of goods for furnishing your apartment as well as providing for daily necessities. There is also Maruzen bookstore in Tenjin with a large selection of English language books. The local ward office and the Fukuoka prefecture immigration office are also both within walking distance as well as any other government services you might require.

The housing provided by Progress International for teaching staff is located nearby in the Daimyo district, only a 5-10 minute walk away from the office. Daimyo is Fukuoka’s night-life district with a wide variety of restaurants, bars, and karaoke for you to enjoy in your free time and meet local residents. Ohori park, a large city park with a lake and some comfortable walking paths, is also nearby. It is only one subway stop or a 15-minute walk away. Between the office and the housing, you can find shopping, food, and entertainment all within a 10-minute walk.

Work at Progress International generally consists of equal parts academic proofreading, 1-on-1 lessons in the office, and children’s lessons at local preschools and elementary schools. The 1-on-1 lessons range from elementary aged students to retired adults, and the ability level of the students ranges from beginner to advanced. The students are generally very hardworking and enthusiastic. They want to learn, and this makes lessons a pleasant experience. Academic proofreading is done in the office, and depending on the day, can sometimes be a large portion of our daily work. Teaching at local preschools and elementary schools is usually only a few hours at a time. The preschool students are often getting their first structured English experience in our classes, so making sure they have an enjoyable experience is very important to their impression of English learning as they transition into elementary education. The teachers travel to the schools from the office by subway or bus and return to the office afterward. Travel expenses are reimbursed by Progress International.

If you are interested in joining the Progress team, or if you have any questions, please contact Progress International by email.

progress@mbe.ocn.ne.jp