In one of our recent blog posts, we looked at the pressure students feel about choosing further education. Today, we want to look at another fantastic option for school (or university) leavers – Gap Years.
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What even are Gap Years?
A gap year is for taking time away from the traditional route through education into the workforce. Some people take a year out between leaving school and further education, whilst others prefer to completely finish their studies first. There are others who may choose to do both or neither. The great thing about a gap year is that it is all completely up to you! As a result, this may seem rather daunting.
Conventional gap year ideas include backpacking trips to various countries, volunteering abroad with children or animals and work experience placements. Seasonal working is another popular choice, from ski seasons to fruit picking. Increasingly more common are options to join research projects, from helping to study the effects of climate change in the Antarctic to counting bird species in Norther Italy. The ideas are endless. UCAS has some great information for school leavers.
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Benefits of Gap Years
Gap years are fantastic for a number of reasons.
- They are an ideal opportunity for young people to pursue passions, trying different things in the safety of knowing they aren’t tied into it forever. This can help re-enforce any decisions already made regarding future studies or careers. Alternatively, a new skill may be learned that leads to a completely new career prospect.
- A gap year can teach valuable budgeting skills. Managing money, especially in different countries, can be tricky for anyone who hasn’t had to do it before. Even if it’s just factoring in cash for somewhere to sleep and something to eat, it’s a skill that is valuable for life.
- Meeting new people in different environments is something that many people take away from their time on a gap year. As a result, these people can turn out to be friends for life, employment connections or future romantic interests!
There are many, many more reasons why taking a gap year can be incredibly beneficial.
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Gap Year Disadvantages
Gap years are not without their problems and are not necessarily the best choice for everyone.
- For someone who is super focused on their studies, there is the risk of losing academic momentum. Sometimes after taking time out, it can be really difficult to get back into the headspace needed for serious learning.
- Gap years can cost a lot of money. Some volunteering projects can cost thousands of pounds. Unexpected events frequently occur and for someone who hasn’t planned a contingency cushion, this can lead to financial strain.
- By committing to a year out, young people may find themselves a year behind their peers. Whether that is academically or in industry, this can be very difficult to adjust to.
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Alternatives
If the idea of a who year out is just not viable or is too daunting to think about, it’s well worth exploring other options. For those going on to further education, there may be the opportunity to include a term studying abroad. There are also the long breaks between terms to go off and have adventures.
If entering the workforce, there are still ample chances to incorporate some gap style activities. Many businesses have international offices or partners in other countries so it may be possible to work on secondment. Working remotely is another option.
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Mini Adventure
WiseUp Team Building offer activity days which can help inject a bit of adventure to any day, be it at work or a school. Even a couple of hours of problem solving activities have been proven to have numerous benefits. Please contact us to have a chat about what days will best suit your needs.
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