AjcW Posted 19 April 2010 Posted 19 April 2010 Ive taken my time over this one and thought it might be useful for a few people on here who are tentative about their future to have a quick read of this and realise that taking a year to consider things, learn new skills, and have an incredible time isn't such a scary option. So in August 2009 I began my gap year, something I had decided to do as I felt I didn't want to go straight into another four years of education after the previous 14! I set myself several goals. The first was to gain experience in a working environment, so I took on a waiting job at a restaurant in Leicester. Whilst there I saw a notable change in my confidence levels and people skills, it also lead to that old cliche of doing new things leads to making new friends, not such a bad thing! In December 2009 I was given an opportunity that I had been after for months, the opportunity to work in high end fashion retail with Reiss... now I was in no way qualified for this job, but the skills I had developed and confidence I had gained from my first job, lead to me being able to talk my way into it ... Working in this industry in December and January is the busiest time of all, and by the end of it I had picked up so many new skills and been able to develop existing ones to a level I had not expected. The real centrepiece of my gap year came about in February 2010. I had booked a trip to be a volunteer on the Malaysian controlled island of Borneo, more specifically Northern and North Eastern Borneo. Obviously like most gap year experiences you have to pay for the experience, but believe me it was worth every penny and more. The trip started with three weeks in Northern Borneo, helping to build a kindergarten for the local community and also teaching the local children basic English and Maths. Just a couple of Images of the work we did, and the living quarters from that first three weeks. The rest of the trip was spent on Mantanani Island(easily the most incredible place ive ever been to) were we Built sports facilities for the island school and did even more teaching, this time with older, more responsive children . We also learned to become PADI qualified open water divers. A couple of pictures including, views, poor choice of football teams, sunsets and the vollyball court we built: Over the next sixth months before uni I hope to achieve the final goal of (Finally) getting my arse in gear and learning to drive and hopefully get some experience in the advertising industry . If your currently at that stage of making decisions, make sure you take a gap year into consideration, you wont regret it I promise, and dont listen to your friends when they say "But you will miss out on all the uni fun..."..... no... no you wont, you will just be doing it a year later!
Shrenchel Posted 19 April 2010 Posted 19 April 2010 So in summary you worked in a shop and then got taken for a mug by some gap year company who charged you thousands of pounds to do 'volunteering' that you could have done for the few hundred quid it would have cost you to book the flight yourself.
AjcW Posted 19 April 2010 Author Posted 19 April 2010 So in summary you worked in a shop and then got taken for a mug by some gap year company who charged you thousands of pounds to do 'volunteering' that you could have done for the few hundred quid it would have cost you to book the flight yourself. or..... or..... had an incredible time and dont really take into consideration how much or how little it cost me due to what I experienced and what I have been able to put on my C.V. Its already led to me getting past a very stuborn HR department at a certain advertising company just two weeks after returning. So... In summary. Im pretty pleased
Guest Posted 19 April 2010 Posted 19 April 2010 I sometimes wish I'd made the decision to have a proper gap year, and then returned to Uni. Having said that, I would never have met the hubby if I'd taken that option.
Fosse Boy Posted 19 April 2010 Posted 19 April 2010 Fair play for doing the charity stuff I guess, but I doubt most people need a gap year in order to do some of the stuff you did like get a job, do some career-orientated work experience, learn to drive etc. I certainly didn't. My mate did a gap year and got to watch a Boca Juniors game, but he also got mugged in Uruguay. Swings and roundabouts.
AjcW Posted 19 April 2010 Author Posted 19 April 2010 Fair play for doing the charity stuff I guess, but I doubt most people need a gap year in order to do some of the stuff you did like get a job, do some career-orientated work experience, learn to drive etc. I certainly didn't. My mate did a gap year and got to watch a Boca Juniors game, but he also got mugged in Uruguay. Swings and roundabouts. . No I understand your point.. the reason I needed the experience, driving etc is because while I was at college thats all I focussed on, while friends had jobs and learned to drive etc.
FoxyPV Posted 19 April 2010 Posted 19 April 2010 Always had kids to look after so definitely couldn't fvck off for a year. Wouldn't mind interrailing for a couple of months but by the time we'll get the free time I'll be over 40.
jonthefox Posted 19 April 2010 Posted 19 April 2010 Always had kids to look after so definitely couldn't fvck off for a year. Wouldn't mind interrailing for a couple of months but by the time we'll get the free time I'll be over 40. I never really had the opportunity either. So i'll just have to be a grown up gapper.Its the same thing really,but this time you have loads of cash and dont have to do voluntary work, just plonked yer fat arse on a beach and drink sambucas.
FoxyPV Posted 19 April 2010 Posted 19 April 2010 I never really had the opportunity either. So i'll just have to be a grown up gapper.Its the same thing really,but this time you have loads of cash and dont have to do voluntary work, just plonked yer fat arse on a beach and drink sambucas. I can't fvcking wait! I don't know if you're not in uni you can't call it a gap year - it's just having a bit of money and treating yourself. I think I might get a villa in Southern Italy, possibly join the mafia and drink lots and lots of wine
Bluefoxtim Posted 19 April 2010 Posted 19 April 2010 . No I understand your point.. the reason I needed the experience, driving etc is because while I was at college thats all I focussed on, while friends had jobs and learned to drive etc. I'll be taking my gap year at the end of my degree How did you get involved with the voluntary work?
AjcW Posted 19 April 2010 Author Posted 19 April 2010 I'll be taking my gap year at the end of my degree How did you get involved with the voluntary work? http://www.realgap.com/ This agency.....http://www.campsinternational.com/ lead to this organisation. I had two people in my group who were post degree so its more common than you would think although the majority are still pre degree.
JimmyK Posted 20 April 2010 Posted 20 April 2010 You could always take a year out in the middle of your course like me One more year to go when I get back from New Zealand. I'm really glad I did this. Haven't really done anything course related yet. But you get so many 'experiences' that you can use to help stand out when getting jobs later on. I even ended up running an entire hostel on my own for an afternoon.
Sir Fynwy Posted 20 April 2010 Posted 20 April 2010 Recruiters used to love gap years as they differentiated applicants but now they're so popular and most of the people going on them have their hands held the whole way by gap year companies they see them as a wasted year.
Jon the Hat Posted 20 April 2010 Posted 20 April 2010 Recruiters used to love gap years as they differentiated applicants but now they're so popular and most of the people going on them have their hands held the whole way by gap year companies they see them as a wasted year. Work experience is the key I think. If you can graduate with at least the experience of working in the environment you are applying to it helps a lot. No one wants to hand hold a kid who can't work out the coffee machine. Gaps years do though give you the chance to actually learn to stand on your own two feet. But only if you actually do that. Organised stuff doesn't cut it. Then again I travelled at 26 and it was great. At that age you have more common sense, and in my case qualifications which mean people want to employ you
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