Posted 31 Oct 2008

Potential students have been advised that taking a gap year between school and university may boost their employment prospects as graduates.

However, students should be aware that in order to reap the rewards of their gap year later on in life, they will have to elect to do more than just travel with their time, the Independent reports.

Richard Oliver of the Year Out Group, which represents 35 gap year organisations, tells the newspaper: "They [employers] want to see you stick at something for a minimum of three months, maybe working on a conservation project in Thailand for six months or teaching English for a couple of terms in China."

Well-structured gap years can help students gain a number of skills transferable to the workplace, according to Mr Oliver, including teamwork, verbal communication, project management, independence and initiative.

Additional advice for aspiring backpackers offered by the Times Online includes staying in hostels, cooking your own food to maintain your budget, and taking a pack of playing cards as an ice-breaker with fellow travellers.

Category: General Travel