Job in Calibrations

[(1VB)freels]

I am looking to get a job in Japan doing calibration. I have training in all kinds of electronics and physical/dimensional calibrations via Navy schools. Plus I have over 3 years of experiance in calibration and over 10 years of electronics troubleshooting with automated test equipment. If you know of any place that has need of a fucked gaijin that is wanting to get out of the Navy and get a real freaking job, please let me know. Thanks.

[Blah Pete]

How is your Japanese ability?

[Taro Toporific]

How is your Japanese ability?

That's the same thought that came to my head too---most major Japanese companies are hurting for skilled tech staff, calibration or otherwise. If you can handle getting daily work orders via email and F-2-F in Japanese most Japanese companies will accept your job application even though you an evil f'ed gaijin (because you can get a spouse visa).

[(1VB)freels]

My Japanese abliity? Meager at most. I have just 1 semester of Japanese under my belt. I will be taking more in the up coming fall, and my wife and kids still speak Nihongo, but I can only speak enough to get drunk. And to order sushi. Which go hand and hand with drinking!!! I hopefully can get into some more books also after my Navy days are up, in 8 years!!! But until then I have to just take classes and get college credit for it. And then go for an advanced degree in avionics and electronics.

[Blah Pete]

8 years?
It is difficult to predict how the job market will be in 8 years but the population is decreasing and since your wife is Japanese that is a big plus.

I suggest trying to get hired by a US company that makes semiconductor or LCD production equipment. Lots of factories in Japan use US/Euro equipment. Since you have CAL experience medical equipment may be good too. The reason is most US/Euro companies don't trust the Japanese sales or service people. They would love to have one of their own in country to make sure everything goes smoothly. If you can get yourself into a postion where you are the top tech and also the English speaking link to the mother company overseas you may find yourself in areal good position.
You probably won't get a killer ex-pat package because those are mostly history unless you are a bank president. Your best bet with a foreign company is to get paid as a local which means usually less taxes.
I have been in positions like this for about 12 years here and a few of my FG and ex-FG friends too. All were ex-military.

You need to be able to speak and read Japanese though. Think about your job now, could you someday arrive at work and only converse in Japanese (assuming everyone else was Japanese)?
The wife is the key here. You need her to beat on you whenever you make a mistake in Japanese and set aside days where only Japanese is spoken at home.

*** I noticed that you are goign for a degree in Avionics. Of course Narita, Kansai, and Nagoya all have US airlines and local maintenance. A FG I knew used to work at Narita doing maintenance. Sorry, but don't remember all the details other than it was NW. Make sure you get an FAA license is one thing I remember him saying.

[(1VB)freels]

Thanks for your advice. I will be pursuing that licence soon. I will also being going for my A&P licence which deals with aircraft powerplants(engines and such) also. There are jobs at the Navy bases but I want to kinda distance myself from that when I retire from the Navy. I will still have all the bennies for the military service that I did, but not as much contact with that world. I am a navy brat so I would like to see what it's like with out all that in my life. As for paying taxes, how does that go. I really haven't dived head long in that info just yet. Still have 8 years left. But as for the job market, there will always be a need for expeiranced technicians in any type of electronics. That is why I got into that field. You made alot of great things for me to do. I have to hit the books and get on with my Japanese education though, also. You now have me thinking that I need to really get my ass in gear. Thanks for the motovation. You may have, without you knowing it, just made my life a whole lot better!

[Blah Pete]

Ahhh, A&P license. I forgot what they called that.
Anyway, I used to go drinking with some Japanese guys who worked at Haneda and Narita for JAL. A FAA A&P license is in demand here. They said most of the Japanese mechanics go to aviation school here in Japan then head to California Junior Colleges for two years to get the A&P.
They said they are way ahead of the other JC students because they have already studied everything in the curiculum but can't take the license test (or something like that) if they haven't attended a US school.

One thing that they said they liked about working aviation maintenance compared to other jobs in J-land is the companies don't make you work overtime unless there is a major problem. When the clock says it's time to go home you can leave w/o feeling guilty.

I have also worked with Boeing and Airbus in Japan on a few projects back in the 90's. Boeing manager said they are always looking for good USA eningeers to work in Japan but that was a few years ago. Most of the jobs would be quality control for parts and assemblies made by Japanese companies.

[(1VB)freels]

YOu are truely a wealth of information!!! Call your parents and tell them they did a great job!!!