Japan COBOL/banking engineer studying at Langara while preparing a Canada job search
After psychology/education studies, embassy-linked Canada exposure, and ~1+ year COBOL banking work in Japan, Michika completed Langara’s intensive diploma requirements and was job-hunting at interview time.
在学中 · Vancouver
Profile
Michika was a Langara College post-degree diploma student in Vancouver (interview near end of required courses, pre-graduation). Attributes list job type unknown / “in school”; confidence low.
Current role
Student completing Langara’s program (frontend-leaning web diploma with design exposure); actively preparing for job search (portfolio, info sharing). Also doing remote work for a Japanese company (machine-learning text materials; video editing) via a friend—not a Canada full-time role.
Japan experience
Prior experience. University in education and psychology (elementary teaching license required to graduate; cognitive experiments sparked programming interest). Entered graduate school then left after the Tohoku disaster impacted Miyagi; joined a Canadian Embassy reconstruction-related project and spent ~2 months homestay in Canada. Later joined a foreign-affiliated IT firm in Japan building FX banking systems—first professional programming in COBOL with backend/Unix work. Intended longer engineering tenure but left after a little over one year citing unsustainable hours/health. Saved money and studied IELTS for 3–4 years before returning to study.
Path to Canada / North America
Returned December 2016; Langara classes from January 2017 (IELTS already met; no ESL). Chose public college for a 3-year post-graduation work permit; Langara was the option open at application time versus UBC/BCIT. Navigated a then-new, intense post-degree diploma (can finish in ~1 year 4 months across four terms; 7–8 courses/term).
Outcome
At interview time: required courses finished, job hunting underway—no Canadian full-time offer stated. Planning developer-oriented applications and open to remote.
Based on Frog’s Japanese-language interview. English summary for scanning (partners / employers). Original interview (Japanese)
Incomplete employment outcome: still student/job-seeking; no Canadian hire named.