Students & Graduates
It's awesome to go travelling whilst you're young- you don't have as many responsibilities as you do when you're older and you can fit in trips during uni and school holidays. Whether you want to jet off before or after your studies you can explore the world, and get to 'know yourself' in the meantime! Here are a few trips on how to use your gap year to benefit you and your CV... Don't believe us? Did you know 85% of employers would encourage students to gain confidence, independence and decision making skills through travelling! For more stats on how travelling the world can improve your CV and employability check out our survey.
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How your CV can benefit from travelling - the skills section
You want to make your future employers want to hire you straight away, and with all the experience you're going to gain on your gap year- you'll be ready for the world when you get back!
Organisation
- Drew up a schedule, planned and held fundraising activities, and made sure I made enough money to pay the balance of my gap year trip before the departure date.
- Was fully prepared for travelling around Asia and Australasia - prioritised things I had to do before leaving: vaccinations, visas, booking flight, buying necessary equipment etc.
- While teaching English in Brazil - drew up lesson plans and kept track of what the different classes were learning.
- While doing some sports volunteering in Ghana - drew up a schedule for training sessions and competitions.
Communication
- Built up a rapport with people from different backgrounds - local children and adults, local staff, fellow travellers etc.
Teamwork
- Worked with local staff to build a house, devised activities for an orphanage, implemented a health care programme etc.
- Worked with other members of the group to prepare meals while travelling around Central America.
- Often took on the role of mediator/motivator while travelling in a group.
Using your initiative
- Overcame the problems posed by a lack of teaching resources and sports facilities in South Africa.
- Set up a new after-school programme in Cambodia.
- Reacted calmly when faced with problems - luggage being delayed, losing a credit card etc.
Public speaking
- Gave lessons to large classes in Kenya.
- Gave talks on wombats at a wildlife centre in Australia.
How your CV can benefit from travelling - qualifications
If you're unsure about taking a gap year trip, remember you could earn an internationally recognised qualification. Our options include a PADI scuba diving course, a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language)... which all look great on your CV!