THE CAREERS AND HIGHER EDUCATION MAGAZINE FROM THE INSPIRING FUTURES FOUNDATION


Working during a gap year - is it really worth it?
It’s a big decision whether to even take a gap year these days, with tuition fees rising and pressure being brought to bear from parent for you to go straight to university. But in these days of companies cutting back on graduate recruitment and rising numbers of student graduates, the need for you to ‘stand out from the crowd’ is even more important than ever.

University gives you the chance to enjoy the experience of university life, but it is also a key step to getting a better job, that could lead to financial security and to get rid of that debt you will probably end up with.  But what job will be right for you? How do you know what is really involved in doing any professional job? After all you don’t want to end up with just any old job, do you?  Won’t you want it to be a rewarding job, providing you with some degree of fulfilment beyond just money?  The only problem is how do you know what a job really involves until you do it? The answer in most cases I am afraid is, you don’t.

That is why taking a gap year and finding a real job in a professional environment can help you understand not just what is the right degree for you but potentially, the right career for you too.

The Year in Industry Scheme, part of the EDT an educational charity, has been established for exactly that reason. It is there to help students looking to take a gap year and start their career, find the right placement opportunity and provide them with support during the year.

Peter Budge spent his gap year with DSTL at Porton Down before going on to Cambridge to Study Engineering.

Case Studies Downloads:
(MS Word)

“The people I worked with guided me excellently throughout the year and steadily gave me more responsibility. I am forever grateful for the faith they showed in me and the time they spared me. My YINI was a significant part of my education, teaching me so much more about myself and what I want to do than any enclosed educational establishment could ever do.  I am convinced the experience of the YINI has helped me to secure my current job and I still use knowledge I learned during my gap year.”

The Year is so much more than just ‘work experience’. It is about continuous professional development. It’s about a first career job. It’s about the opportunity to get some management training. It’s about learning to work in a professional environment with other professionals and much, much more.  These are all the skills that will differentiate you form so many other students upon graduation and help you to stand out from the crowd as being work ready, as opposed to just another graduate with a good degree.

And coupled with this, is the fact that the time between finishing your A levels and starting university is about 15 months so if you want to do some travelling or volunteer work abroad as part of your gap year, then there is time at the end of the placement.

Making the most of opportunities is what will lead the greatest fulfilment in all aspects of life; a Year in Industry is one such opportunity.

If you want to find out more about The Year in Industry scheme go to www.yini.org.uk