Project: Green Living

Students who don’t want to head straight to university or college after graduation, but would like to take a year or two off instead, might consider working abroad for that time period. This is the perfect opportunity for them to take a breather after all their years of school, but still have the chance to gain some experience and maturity, and see a little of the wider world. Doing some gap year work might be just the opportunity they’re looking for before hitting the books again.

Some might choose simply to buy a plane ticket, head to Europe, Japan or Australia, and see how well they do at working abroad by picking up odd jobs as they travel. Others, though, might consider such a plan to be pushing the concept of adventure just a bit too far, and devise a plan with a few more details worked out in advance. Sites like www.gapwork.com or www.gapyearabroad.ca help young people plan their gap year work by posting jobs that have often been made available explicitly for such students. These and other sites like them frequently offer travel and health advice too, and even tips on finding good insurance.

The types of available jobs are surprisingly varied. Many, not unexpectedly, involve teaching English as a second language. But in Australia, for example, the Oyster organization offers a full year of work in fields like hospitality or farming in the Outback. Global Choices has young people working abroad in things like marketing and communications, hospitality jobs in Greece, and farm work, childcare, and even archeological work in the UK. The Transitions Abroad organization helps American students find international jobs, and the Student Work Abroad Program (SWAP) arranges gap year work for Canadians.

As the Gap Year Abroad site says, working abroad probably pays the young people involved much more than a similar job might have done if they’d stayed at home. It’s as though they will cram several years experience into a single year; not just doing useful work but seeing something of the world as well. They get job experiences to list on their resumes that will make them very employable later on, and in their travels, they’ll meet people and experience cultures that will make them better global citizens in the future.

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