Japan – English and Airline Operations
Since 2019, Edinburgh College has been working with the Immaculate Heart College in Kagoshima, Southern Japan, to provide a bespoke English and Airline Operations courses for annual cohorts of Japanese students.
The 4-week course is specifically designed around the needs of the group, most of whom are hoping to forge careers for in the airline industry after graduating. The English language classes include specific sessions aimed at improving English in a Tourism context, while the practical Airline Operations classes included sessions on ground operations, cabin crew, and customer care. During these classes, the group make use of the College’s mock plane cabin facility to hone their skills. To consolidate their classroom learning and gain greater insight into the workings of the industry, the students also attend a study visit to Edinburgh Airport as a part of their programme.
As well as their classes, the group also take part in a social programme organised by Edinburgh College, which includes visits to Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, the National Museum of Scotland, the Camera Obscura, the Royal Yacht Britannia and a traditional Scottish ceilidh, as well as trips further afield including to St Andrews, the Kelpies, Callander, Loch Katrine and the Museum of Flight.
The group stay with local homestay families during their time in Edinburgh, which further develops their English language skills by creating an immersive environment for students.
In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and with travel limitations put in place, Edinburgh College developed and delivered an online course for Kagoshima Immaculate Heart College in English for Customer Care in 2021 and 2022. We aim to resume our Edinburgh-based course in February 2023.
I really enjoyed staying in Scotland. I love Scottish people, food and ceilidh dancing. We went to three ceilidhs! The college was really great too and I liked the teachers very much. Our course was so amazing and when I go back to Japan I think I can use what I learnt here in my career. I also loved getting to know the host family I was staying with. We went to Loch Ness together and it rained a lot, but it was so beautiful and a great experience. I definitely want to come back to Scotland again!Miharu Nagasaki | March 2019
