Mind the Gap: Why 2020 Serves Up the Ideal Gap Year Opportunity
by James P. Outreach & PR Executive2020 is a year that will live long in the memory. It’s been
a year of uncertainty in all walks of life as the Covid-19 pandemic brought the
world to a standstill. While employees suffered redundancies and furlough, the
next generation of workers found their education put on hold.
Schools and colleges closed in mid-March before the UK
Government announced that exams
would also be cancelled, leaving students to rely on predicted grades from
tutors. As they now enter the final furlong, with results day looming, the
questions remain for what the next academic year holds.
While most colleges and universities are expecting to return
in September, the uncertainty that shrouds how lessons will be fulfilled has
led many prospective students to reconsider their options. Many are questioning
the full payment of tuition fees at a time when standard face-to-face teaching
is at a minimum, with the deferral to the 2021/22 academic year proving
popular.
While gap years often give students the chance to delay a
decision on which course they are best suited to, or even the bigger decision
of nailing down a career they want to follow, this year could see students take
the gap year. The only thing left to ask is, ‘What do I do with my gap year?’.
Here, we take a look at the options.
Volunteer at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand
While a footloose and fancy-free travelling gap year might
be off the table for the foreseeable future, with many countries primed for
secondary lockdowns as winter approaches, volunteering could give you the
chance to gain some worthwhile life lessons. Working with animals can bring
many pleasures, so why not check out your options to volunteer?
Many organisations will provide accommodation in exotic
locations in exchange for your volunteering services, so before you know it,
you could be lapping up the attention of Thai elephants, the nation’s most
treasured animal. Make sure to do your research though, as some organisations
have been criticised in the past for harmful and unethical tourist practices.
Become a ski instructor in Austria
Make the hills come alive with the sound of music by signing
up on a gap year ski
instructor course in Austria this winter. The summer ski season was all but
wiped out by the Covid-19 restrictions but with the slopes reopening, you could
be whizzing down the best black runs in the Alps before you know it.
The option means you’ll not only have time to consider your
educational options, but you’ll learn about leadership, teamwork, and make some
memories.
Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)
If you’re considering teaching as a career option, you could
gain worthwhile insight into your future by signing up to a TEFL certification
course. The standard course takes just 120 hours to complete and within weeks
you could be jetting off to South Africa, Southeast Asia, or South America.
With generally cheaper living costs and accommodation often being provided, it
will not only provide a cost-effective way to see some of the world but allow
you to explore teaching as a career option.
Get your rave on as a holiday rep in Ibiza
If you fancy a year of partying and making money before
diving onto the next step on the career ladder, then consider holiday repping
opportunities in Ibiza. Sun, sea, and cocktails sound like the ultimate way to
spend a gap year, and you’ll be putting away some much-needed money. The life
skills gained by being a counsellor, police officer, and confidant with
revellers with live with you long into future employment.
Take on a gap year placement
Do you know the career you want to follow, but are unsure if
university is right for you this year? If so, explore the opportunity to carry
out a gap
year placement. Thousands of students leave university and start their job
hunt only to be hit with the automatic ‘But you have no work experience’ line.
Bypass the standard response by gaining the upper hand on
your peers by diving into your industry now. It may be daunting to take on an
internship when you haven’t completed your studies, but it’ll give you an idea
of whether your chosen career is one you are suited to. Plus, it could be the
difference between a rejection email and a job offer.
However you decide to spend your gap year, make sure to
research all the options properly. Partying in Ibiza may sound like a great way
to unwind after the stresses of your A-Levels but keep one eye on your career
ambitions and invest some time into preparing for university life, especially
if you have only deferred for 12 months.
Sources
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/further-details-on-exams-and-grades-announced
https://www.siaaustria.com/gap-year-ski-season/
Sponsor Ads
Created on Sep 29th 2020 04:48. Viewed 241 times.