Take a gap year and see the world or settle down?
Gap years are beneficial to some but not to all.
Question
My son is completing university this year and wants to travel before settling down to a career. I’m concerned that others of his age will get ahead and he’ll be disadvantaged when he’s older, with little relevant experience to offer. What should I advise him? Gap years seem a great idea, but what are the implications.
What is the point of gap years?
Answer
Naturally, you’d be concerned, especially in times of high unemployment and high competition. It is generally true that the earlier you can kick-start your career, the better. In some professions, youth is essential, for example with apprenticeships, which might cut off at a certain age.
And if you are in your 20s, eligible for a full adult wage, competing with less costly 16 year old’s for basic experience, it could be a serious setback.
What do you think about gap years?
Where expertise in Australian practices are necessary, such as in law or accounting, it might be best to get a solid grounding first, then travel. I know an accountant who worked for a couple of years in South Africa and in Canada, after gaining his qualifications in Australia. But then—he was still single at the time. When he had his partner’s career to consider, working overseas stopped.
Young people often resist buckling down to a steady job because they feel trapped. They fear that once they get stuck in the career wheel, they won’t be able to get off for years. How can you ‘get serious’ when you are itching to explore life and have adventures?
Many of us will attest to the fact that if you don’t travel when you’re young, opportunities to do so get swallowed by mortgages and responsibilities. How many dreams did you put on hold for a ‘better time’, only to regret that you missed the chance while you still had one?
Having said that, the same philosophy could equally apply to not focusing on career prospects and regretting missed opportunities later.
Fear of regret is what keeps us paralysed. But what kind of life does that leave us with?
There are distinct advantages to seeing the world before settling down, beyond broadening the mind and encouraging respect and understanding of different cultures.
Travel develops self-sufficiency, initiative, social confidence, the beginnings of an international network, versatility and (hopefully) good judgement. Travel also promotes self-knowledge, an asset for those finding it hard to select a career path.
Personalities come into it too. Your youngsters may feel forever restless and unable to concentrate until they get the travel bug out of their system.
So is there a ‘right’ answer? Perhaps there’s a compromise, which will address all needs. Travel does not necessarily mean backpacking aimlessly. It can be focused and closely related to possible career options.
Gap years are something relatively new.
For example, why not organise a student exchange or attend an overseas university—provided the qualifications are recognised in Australia? Many study streams are aligned with Australian standards, perhaps allowing a student to complete or add to different components of their studies in different countries.
Can work experience in another country be found through your personal or professional network? Travel to specific destinations can give your son a solid grounding in a foreign language that could be an asset to a career which involves dealing with markets requiring that language, and where the culture might be more formal than in Australia. He would return with higher standards of professionalism that could give him that competitive edge.
Overseas experience is an asset to many professions. Journalism, photography, medical careers and so many more—all are enhanced with overseas experience.
Gap years and your career.
Even casual work in related fields could enhance career prospects. For example, casual labour in bars and restaurants overseas can only be an asset to a career in hospitality, especially if proof of employment or references can be obtained. Employers are wary of people claiming travel as a cover for problems.
That song by Cat Stevens, called ‘Father and Son’ says it all. It’s a dialogue between a father trying to encourage his son to settle down and be sensible, and the son trying to explain that he’s not ready.
To paraphrase, the father is saying things like: ‘You’re still so young, you have so much to learn, you need to settle down, maybe even start a family before too much time and opportunities slip away…’ (Do you hear yourself?)
How do employers view gap years?
The son’s frustration aches through his lyrics—his frustration with his father not being able to understand that he has different priorities, values and needs and with his father’s unwillingness to see the perspective he’s struggling to express. He says things like ‘What’s right for you is not necessarily right for me—I’m a different person…’ In the end, he can’t ignore the call to follow his heart.
The line that catches my throat is: ‘You will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.’
And that is the bottom line.
Isn’t it?
What about gap years?
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