Taking time out
In this section...
Is a gap year right for me?
Taking time out is a great way to gain experience before entering employment or further study. Before deciding whether or not to take time out, there are many factors to consider. Use the Prospects website to think about the question is a gap year right for me?
What are my options?
- Voluntary work in the UK or overseas
- Travel overseas
- Travel and work overseas
- Learning a language abroad
- Paid work in non-graduate level jobs in the UK
- Working in Development
The pros and cons
Pros - you could gain …
- Valuable experience - employment, skills, knowledge
- Skills such as problem-solving, resilience, initiative, determination, communication
- Time and/or experiences to help clarify career choices and preferences
- Cultural awareness with international travel
- Developed self awareness
- Foreign language skill
- Greater maturity
Cons - it could mean…
- Additional debts - it can be expensive
- 'Missing out' on annual graduate recruitment schemes
- Not making the most of your experience or potential
- Frustration - finding work overseas can be difficult
- Working on the minimum wage, or in an undemanding or boring role, for a long period of time
Planning your gap year
Essential advice
- Prospects gap year – articles, information and case studies
- Gap Advice – independent source of impartial advice and information for planning gap years – includes planning tools
- GoGapYear – the Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s advisory website for gap year travel
- Great Gap Years – a website of informative articles on all gap year aspects
- TARGETjobs: taking a gap year – information and articles on planning, choosing and funding a gap year
Gap year opportunities
- Vacancies Online
- Gapwork.com
- gapyear.com
- Year Out Group
- Gapyeardirectory.co.uk
- World Wide Volunteering
- Madventurer - organises worldwide gap years and projects.
- Raleigh International - voluntary expeditions in Borneo, Costa Rica & Nicaragua and India. Bursaries are available for people aged 17-24 who need financial support to take part in an expedition.
- The Prince’s Trust links to providers offering funding support for overseas volunteering.
- Language-learning.net - online directory of worldwide language courses and language schools.
- Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Newspaper resources – inspiring articles
- The Guardian has a whole online information section on gap year travel
- The Telegraph has a range of articles on gap year travel advice
Need more help?
Call in to the Careers Service for further help and advice.