In the current climate, where university places are becoming harder and harder to get and the job market is becoming ever more crowded with qualified candidates, the opportunity to stand out from the crowd by taking a gap year is becoming increasingly popular.
However, for many people the aim of a gap year is not to experience new cultures and have fun but also to gain extra skills that will make them much more employable. These so-called ‘career gappers’ are opting not for the standard get-up-and-go mentality, but are choosing the much more structured route, often finding part time jobs abroad and volunteer places that they can add to their CV’s. The time spent abroad for these people is usually spent in the time between jobs, or after university, following difficulty in finding a graduate job.
One thing that theses experiences do give the gappers is an insight to the use of language in the countries they visit. It is widely known that an extended period of time in any country will give you the best knowledge of the language spoken there, especially if it is backed up with further tuition either before going or after returning (before being the more logical option).
As far as destinations go, the most popular by far is Asia. Thailand, being the typical gap year get-away, is still exceedingly popular, closely followed by India and other Asian countries like South Korea and Japan. Australia, America, Africa and New Zealand are also highly popular.
The idea that gap years are unusually expensive is also an old one. There are many ways that gap years can be undertaken cheaply, though it should be noted that some of the cheaper options will provide less support than other more traditionally priced experiences. Many people are also opting to go abroad for only a few months, to gain experience in an international company or simply to spend time in the desired country. There are also plenty of initiatives run by the Government and the EU which help people who wish to go to other countries to volunteer or work, by providing financial help and support whilst in the country.
So, whether you want adventure or that highly paid job in London, it seems that a gap year may be the answer you are looking for.
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