With Economy in Downturn, Recent Graduates Consider Taking a Gap Year
Leeds, UK, December 17, 2008 – With growing concerns rising about the job market for graduates, gap years are becoming a more popular option. There are countless benefits associated with taking a gap year. Whether choosing to stay at home or travel abroad, a year out offers unique opportunities for personal and professional growth, not to mention an experience that will be remembered for years to come.
On a personal level, a year out will enables graduates to take some time out from study or employment, whilst gaining experience that cannot be taught in the classroom. A year out provides the opportunity to travel and experience new cultures, learn a foreign language, gain work experience and meet new people from different backgrounds. Following a year out most people return home feeling refreshed and motivated to undertake further study and to continue building their careers.
On a professional level, a gap year offers important opportunities to build a resume and add new skills and experiences. There are countless work, travel and volunteer options to choose from, so it is possible to choose a program that will best enhance career prospects. Unpaid gap year options include internships, community development, teaching, sports coaching, building, environmental and animal conservation projects. On the other hand, paid options such as teaching abroad are a great way to make gap year savings go further and make the adventure last longer.
Graduate employers understand that gap years offer young people a chance to strengthen their decision making, relationship building, problem solving, team work, communication and organization skills, whilst gaining independence and a sense of responsibility. Furthermore, students that take a gap year are often looked upon as more mature and many employers prefer candidates who have gained ‘life skills’ through travel, voluntary and internship programs that complement their university qualifications.
A year out will challenges travelers to move outside their comfort zone, see the world and be rewarded with a sense of personal achievement, lifelong friends, many interesting stories.
A sample of a Gap Year option would be working at an Animal Rescue center near Cape Town:
When the economy struggles the first charities to feel the pinch are those working with animals, so volunteers’ efforts are much needed. TEARS is a great shelter which provides food parcels, veterinary treatment and animal care education for those that could not otherwise afford it. It also works with children who have had extremely hard lives and aims to break the cycle of abuse by teaching them to care and be responsible for animals. Volunteers will get the opportunity to visit local communities and visit animals there, and for those considering a future in veterinary care there is valuable chance to help the resident vet, who requires daily help.
This Gap Year in Africa option lasts for a minimum of 2 weeks and costs $1090, accommodations provided.
For more travel tips and gap year advice check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGJ64QKa-cI
To see the wide range of gap year options now offered by i-to-i please visit:http://www.i-to-i.com/gapyear or call 1-800-352-1793 for more information.
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Since 1994, i-to-i, has been the award-winning leader in volunteer vacations, TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) training and job placement abroad. Each year, i-to-i sends approximately 5,000 volunteers to 500 projects in 35 countries and helps 15,000 people gain the certification necessary to teach English overseas. i-to-i volunteers contributed approximately one million hours of service last year.
i-to-i offers volunteer vacations in countries such as: Ecuador, Brazil, Uganda, Indonesia, Malaysia, Madagascar, Zambia, Vietnam, Costa Rica, Honduras and Vietnam.
For more information call 1-800-352-1793 or visit http://www.i-to-i.com , for media inquiries please contact Alexia Nestora, alexia@lassocommunications.com
