July 26, 2009
There will be 300,000 people graduating from higher education this year who will be entering a highly competitive jobs market. According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, half of British companies aren’t planning on taking on graduates this year.
An alternative would be to take a working holiday. It’s a great experience and looks good on a person’s CV as well. Career consultant, Grace Owen, says:
“It is about building up life experience. Employers know the reality of the jobs market and will understand if people put off the hunt for a bit and do something worthwhile. Career breaks can be done, but it’s much easier to do these things before you are tied down with kids and a mortgage.”
Among the best destinations for a working holiday are Australia and New Zealand. There is usually some sort of work available, particularly seasonal work like fruit picking and there are working holiday visas available. Other popular backpacker destinations, such as South America and Asia, are more affordable and easier to travel around without working. Many people combine a working holiday Down Under with tourism to these places in a round the world trip.
By taking a working holiday, you get the opportunity to experience another country and another working environment as well. Australian working holiday visas last for 12 months, although you can only stay with one employer for a maximum of six months, although for some occupations, this limit is reduced to just three months.
July 20, 2009
After university, there is one thing that you are still lacking: life experience. It’s for this reason that many people head abroad on gap years.
A gap year can be a hugely worthwhile and rewarding experience, particularly if you head overseas and carry out some volunteer work.
By volunteering abroad, you can carry out work which will have a significant impact on people’s lives and while helping these communities, the volunteer is also likely to learn a range of valuable skills which they can put to use when they begin their career.
While living abroad, you will learn about another culture, which will encourage you to develop tact and diplomacy and the challenges you face in an unfamiliar environment will test you, allowing you to develop increased self-confidence and maturity.
While taking a gap year or working holiday might seem like postponing your entry into the jobs market, in reality you’re not losing ground to rival graduates. Potential employers won’t look upon overseas work experience unfavourably. In fact, they are likely to see it as a strong point on your CV, showing you have ambition, independence and are responsible enough to work in an unfamiliar environment and adapt accordingly.
July 15, 2009
The European Commission has recently published a paper regarding ‘promoting the learning mobility of young people’. It revolves around how best to encourage young people to take the opportunities available to them in terms of living, studying and working abroad.
Working or volunteering overseas is one of the greatest ways that a young person can improve their employability and personal development. The European Commission recognises that ‘learning mobility’ is of great benefit for individuals and therefore for the businesses that will ultimately employ them as well.
Jan Figel, the European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, believes that the skills gained could ultimately lead to a strong and sustainable EU economy.
There have been a great many EU supported programmes which have encouraged study or working abroad over the years. The Erasmus programme has been in place for 22 years and has helped support two million students in these activities.
There are a number of tools and initiatives, which, when combined, can greatly help an individual if they have ambitions to fulfil overseas, but it is still only a minority of students who take advantage of them and the European Commission believe that much more can be done.
July 9, 2009
A limited number of tickets are to be made available next month, allowing Brits with a valid Working Holiday Visa to fly to Australia for just £10.
There will be 150 Quantas tickets available to many Australian cities, including Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide and travellers can return whenever they wish.
Tourism Australia’s working holiday program is hugely popular, with over 35,000 British people taking advantage every year. Nevertheless, the £10 ticket marketing exercise is intended to raise the profile of the program.
The £10 price tag was not decided arbitrarily. It is a reference to the ‘10 pound Pom’ scheme which the Australian government put into place following the Second World War. This was designed to encourage immigration to Australia and over a million British people took advantage between 1945 and 1972.
The modern equivalent is only open to a select few and is geared towards working holidays rather than immigration, but it is a great offer if this is something that appeals to you.
Rodney Harrex, the UK and Europe general manager for Tourism Australia said:
“The original 10-pound Pom assisted passage scheme resulted in a British fascination with the faraway land of Oz that has endured every since.”
July 1, 2009
A gap year can be a big financial commitment so it pays to start saving at the earliest opportunity. Whatever you’re doing to finance your trip, it’s a good idea to find a good savings account to help you on your way.
Interest rates are currently fairly low, but it’s still worthwhile putting your money into a proper savings account rather than leaving it in your current account, which will offer virtually no interest whatsoever.
The alternative is to pay in advance. This is riskier in a sense and you miss the satisfaction of having earned your break, but if you go about it in the right way, you can fund your travel in this way. Student accounts generally include interest free overdrafts, so if you’ve been sensible with money all year, you can take advantage of this feature. If you’ve been out of university for a while, many banks will still agree to some sort of overdraft, although it is less likely to be interest free.
Credit cards are another option, but are best used to supplement savings rather than replace them. If you’re going away for any length of time, you don’t want to be building up debt for the entire duration.
