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Reasons you should take a Gap Year

It’s your final year of school and everyone is asking you “so what are your plans next year?”. You excitedly tell them that you are thinking of a Gap Year and there will be at least one person who says something along the lines of “oh you’re going on holiday then?”. We’re going to take you through why Gap Years are so much more than a holiday and the real benefits of taking a year out.

 

Why take a Gap Year?

First of all, Gap Years are quite commonplace and Universities and employers are used to seeing them on resumes and applications. If you use it wisely, the time you take out from studying can have a huge positive impact on the choices you make afterwards.

90% of students who intended to go to University before taking a gap year do so when they return and 60% of students say taking a Gap Year helped them to decide what to study.

If you spend time gaining some relevant work experience or developing your skills it can be a major advantage to the job search when you come home. Most employers say they view Gap Years as a great way to learn about yourself and 80% of students said they thought it made them more employable.

 

How do I make the most of my time?

Ideally, you want to have a plan before you go to ensure you’re making the most of your time away. If you have an idea of the subjects you’re interested in studying, or the careers you are interested in taking, that’s a great start. Choosing a Kaya project which links to your interests enables you to have an adventure in a new place while making a difference, and improving your resume!

If you aren’t as sure, start with your interests, or perhaps a destination which you would particularly like to visit. The ‘soft skills’ you will take away from any Kaya project will ensure your time will be well spent. Who knows, it may reveal a new passion or skill you never knew you had!

Volunteering while you travel is the perfect way to give something back to the communities you visit. With a Kaya project, you can be confident that our projects are ethical and make a genuine difference to the local people, wildlife, and environment.

The best thing you can do is speak to a Kaya advisor. Our award-winning team are experts at matching you with the perfect project and have loads of experience of helping people create their trips.

 

What skills will I gain?

Travelling alone is a great way to gain independence, confidence, and enhance your budgeting skills. The challenges and bumps in the road you will inevitably come across will often take you out of your comfort zone and test your ability to make decisions. And the way you communicate with those around you will impact the success of your trip. Not only do they look great on your resume, but they are also skills that will help you through life!

 

How do I get started?

Visit our Gap Year page to see the options we offer, or if you would like to add a Kaya project to your existing plans have a chat with our placement advisors to see how we can help you create the trip of a lifetime!