Not going to University?

SHOULDN'T EVERY STUDENT GOT TO UNIVERSITY?

No. University isn’t for every student, and students do not need to feel that university is the only route to a high-skilled career. For some students, an apprenticeship is better because it is more practical, allowing them to earn and gain work experience. As well as the other options of taking a year out or a Gap year to study work or travel abroad.

WHAT IS A GAP YEAR ALL ABOUT?

Gap years are often associated with travelling, but there’s so much more your child can do. Gaining work experience can be really valuable. Students can do this by volunteering on projects overseas, or finding internships and paid jobs closer to home. If your child isn’t sure whether to go onto university or go straight into work after school, a gap year can be a good chance for them to explore their options.

If your child is unsure of what they want to do, a gap year could be a good choice. A gap year can give your child the chance to think about what they want to do with their time – whether that be work, further study or a mixture of both.

What could a gap year involve?

• A job at home

• Work experience outside the UK

• A volunteering placement overseas

• An opportunity to travel

• A break from work or study

Why?

• A work-free gap year is a short respite from a life of work and study

• A chance to build life experience through travel and exposure to new cultures

• An opportunity to build up funds and money-management skills through work

• The chance to gain work experience and employability skills in a job

• Time to think about what they would like to do next

SO WHAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS CAN YOU DO ON YOUR GAP YEAR?

It’s key that you use your time well and make a plan to give the year structure. Travelling is a popular choice, but there are lots of other options. Gap Year Association is a good website to explore to find out what’s on offer. Some even allow students to travel and gain valuable experience: win-win! It’s also worth bearing in mind that there are plenty of green options that don’t involve flying –an Interrail pass is a cost-effective way for a young person to travel all over Europe.

1.Volunteering

Volunteering opportunities come in all shapes and sizes. If you are looking for voluntary work in the UK, websites like Do-it and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations are good places to start the search. You can find opportunities where you can use the skills you’ve developed by studying English to make a difference. There are also plenty of volunteering opportunities overseas. Gap year providers like Real Gap, Trailfinders and International Volunteer HQ are all good places to look at what’s available. Whatever voluntary work you are doing, it’s also a good idea to set up a personal blog. It’s simple to create a blog using the likes of WordPress, Wix, Tumblr or Blogger. This way you can showcase your written communication skills.

2. Paid work

There are lots of places you can find paid work during a gap year. If you want to travel, teaching English as a foreign language is a great option. To get paid for this, you’ll need to take a short TEFL qualification first. If you don’t want to teach, you should take a look at the overseas internships available through Go Overseas. They’ll find jobs in areas such as marketing, communications, journalism, digital media and public relations. This will allow you to travel to and work in countries including Australia, South Africa and Spain.

If you would rather have an internship or summer job in the UK, you should sign up to a website like StudentJob. For students and graduates at UK universities, websites like e4sand RateMyPlacement are also useful. Many top companies advertise paid placements, internships and graduate schemes on these platforms.

3. Study

Travelling and studying is also an option. Forum Nexus is one provider that offers a summer programme of studying and travelling. Students can visit various European cities on its Ultimate Summer in Europe programme and study at top universities along the way. There are financial aid and scholarship options too. Go Overseas also lists various study abroad opportunities, with courses in everything from journalism to marketing on offer.

In the UK, the Sutton Trust runs summer schools in various subjects through 13 UK universities. They’re designed for students who are aged 17 or 18, and are free, provided they meet the eligibility criteria.