Gap Years
There are a variety of reasons why students take gap years. Some students wish to take a break from education; others would like to see the world, experience employment in order to save money ready to start university the following year, or organise a work experience placement to improve their chances of employment.
There are many ways of spending a gap year, including:
- Paid employment in order to save money for University;
- Organising some paid or voluntary valuable work experience;
- Travelling or working abroad;
- Partaking in an organised gap year trip.
If students are considering taking part in an organised gap year, ensuring they have completed their research is a necessity. Good starting points include various websites - such as www.yearoutgroup.org since member organisations are required to abide by a code of practice and should be reputable.
Ideally students should consider the following questions when approaching gap year organisations:
- Who can take part and how are candidates selected?
- What is known about the company providing the gap year experience?
- What are the cost implications?
- How will time be spent?
- Who will benefit and why are UK people required?