RareJob, Inc. (hereafter, “RareJob”), which helps people visualize and improve their skills as an “AI assessment company”, has decided to acquire a remaining 51% shares of BORDERLINK, INC. (hereafter, “BORDERLINK”) running foreign language learning support business as a subsidiary of WILL GROUP, INC. (hereafter, “WILL GROUP”).

*1 A blended learning for English language: A combination of traditional instructor-led classroom learning and online learning with digital service

Social situation surrounding RareJob Group’s B2School Business

The school curriculum for elementary, junior high, and high schools was revised in FY2020 and the English subject became compulsory from the 3rd grade of elementary school. Junior high and high schools are also expected to adopt more advanced English language education, such as subject learning and discussion in English. In addition, with the promotion of the GIGA school concept, IT device was distributed to each student, which create opportunities for online learning.
Furthermore, the need for English language learning is expected to grow and as a value-added service for school-age children and kindergartens/nursery schools due to the expansion of early English language learning. However, offline learning as the mainstream of English education is expensive for both users and service providers, and their service provision is limited to urban areas.

Background of Acquisition of BORDERLINK Shares

In the B2School business, the RareJob Group has aimed at “developing children’s talents who will succeed globally in the future” and has provided online English tutorial services for children and educational institutions to create opportunities to speak English.
Furthermore, as the cornerstone of our strategy for the B2School business, we has been trying to realize a blended learning with offline and online methods, which is highly effective and cost-effective to solve cost issues and deal with growing needs for English education in the school education field.

In October 2021, RareJob acquired 49% of BORDERLINK shares as a search for potential alliances to execute our strategy. We came to see potential for further business expansion and business synergies between RareJob and BORDERLINK, while we have been working together to realize education that combines knowledge of online English education accumulated by RareJob and offline English education accumulated by the ALT*2 business of BORDERLINK. Therefore, we realized BORDERLINK as a suitable partner to promote reform for our B2School business and will acquire 100% ownership of BORDERLINK by the additional purchase of 51% shares.

*2 ALT: Abbreviation for Assistant Language Teacher, a tutor assistant with a native-level English fluency. They help students learn English pronunciation and communication in English classes at elementary, junior high, and high schools as an assistant teacher.

Future Initiatives

RareJob and BORDERLINK will continue to work on creating synergies in our existing businesses, and aim to provide a blended learning service for English language to meet the growing needs by nursery schools, kindergartens, and childcare centers.
The ALT staffing market keeps growing annually by about 3% in response to the trend of growing needs of English education for younger generation and focus on the four skills of English (“listening,” “speaking,” “reading,” and “writing”).

In addition, BORDERLINK is rapidly expanding its market share by realizing stable supply of ALTs and flexibility to the needs of clients, educational institutions. We will expand this business further by integrating knowledge of online education accumulated by the RareJob group,
As a direction for business expansion, we will promptly develop and establish specific services that leverage our strengths for the English-language education market in a nursery school, kindergarten, and after-school activity class, which is expected to be approximately 30 billion yen in size.

Through this initiative, in addition to the 100 billion yen English language school market for children that the RareJob group has previously accessed, the group will also gain access to the 50 billion yen ALT staffing market and the 30 billion yen English language education market in the nursery school, kindergarten, and after-school activity class, which will help accelerate expansion of our business in the school education filed.

Execution for Acquisition of BORDERLINK Shares

WILL GROUP currently holds 51% shares of BORDERLINK and RareJob plans to acquire their shares on April 1, 2023 to make BORDERLINK a subsidiary of RareJob.

About BORDERLINK, INC.

Head Office: 2-16-1, Shimocho, Omiya-ku, Saitama-shi, Saitama ACROSS Building 8F
Representative: Yasumasa Yasui, CEO
URL: https://www.borderlink.co.jp/
Business: ALT Enterprises, Language Business Projects