Kumon, the global leader in after-school programs, has just announced ambitious expansion plans for the Western Canadian region because of overwhelming demand for the service. Kumon has seen enrollment in its Western Canadian centers grow by 24 percent since 2011, and the company is looking to expand beyond its current 331 locations across the country.
The announcement should come as no surprise with the supplemental educational services industry experiencing unprecedented growth over the last decade, according to MarketWatch. A recent report from Global Industry Analysts, Inc., forecasts the supplemental educational services industry will be worth over $190 billion by the year 2020.
Started in 1958 by Toru Kumon, a Japanese schoolteacher who wanted his child to be prepared for higher education and learn a love for math, Kumon's first center was located in Japan. In 1974, the first Kumon Center opened in the United States in New York. Currently, there are centers in over 45 countries, with the company's reach spanning six continents.
Kumon centers offer a variety of supplemental math and reading education services, with a focus on improving the student's ability to learn. Unlike traditional tutoring, the Kumon Method fosters a child's self-learning and studying habits to improve overall academic performance. The unique approach has proven very attractive to Kumon's clients, with over 16 million students benefiting from service across the world. Recently, Entrepreneur Magazine ranked Kumon as the number one tutoring franchise in its annual Franchise 500 list for the thirteenth year in a row.
It's not just Kumon's global presence and valuable service that attracts franchisees, according to the company's West Canada General Manager Peter Tu. Rather, Tu cited the relatively low $2,000 cost of Kumon's materials and franchise fee, and the training offered to franchisees as part of the company's successful growth record. Kumon did earn the number three spot on Forbes Magazine's "Top Franchises for the Money" list.
Catherine Chiang, Kumon's Franchise Recruitment Manager, spoke about the most desirable qualities in a Kumon Center franchisee. According to Chiang, the company is seeking parents, teachers, business professionals and any others who are devoted to helping children reach their full academic potential. At Kumon, the experience and success of the children they help is the number one priority.
Kumon is actively looking for new franchisees who want to open a location in the following provinces. In Alberta, Okotoks, Quarry Park and St. Albert. In British Columbia, Burnaby, Kamloops, Pitt Meadows, and Port Moody. In Manitoba, Winnipeg. In Saskatchewan, Regina and Saskatoon. In the Yukon Territory, Whitehorse.
With the growth of the supplemental education services market evident even in times of economic distress, it is obvious there is a growing and consistent demand for the types of services Kumon provides. Interested prospective franchisees should make a move today, as this opportunity is bound to attract many entrepreneurs who are looking to enter a stable and profitable franchise while helping their local community at the same time.
