TEFL - a great gap year option, despite the economy
Wednesday, 19th November 2008
Don’t let the recession ruin your gap year plans, says Laura Harrison, TEFL advisor at Cactus…
Whilst the number of people opting to take a gap-year abroad in the current financial climate is said to be dwindling overall, there is still one way to travel the world that allows you to top up your funds as you go - TEFL.
Many volunteering opportunities and the like, although a great way to spend a gap year, can often be expensive. With everyone tightening their belts for the foreseeable future, it is unlikely that ‘gappers’ (or their parents) will be in a position to commit as many funds to a project like this. Although these types of activities can produce returns of a philanthropic and cultural nature, they offer little, if any, financial gain.
When it comes to TEFL, though, despite initially having to pay for a suitable training course, and a flight to the first country on your route, you can earn enough money with the qualification to support you whilst you continue on your travels. It is worth remembering too that some packages exist with employers whereby they will help you out with travel costs, and reimburse some of your training fee if you agree to work for them.
Another reason for the declining number of people taking gap years, especially where ‘career breakers’ are concerned, is that the rising rate of unemployment means leaving a well-paid and established position within a company seem a lot riskier than previously.
Heading off into the sunset with enough cash to enable you to travel for your whole stint away would be great, and is often how people choose to spend their time away. That said, although your horizons will have been widened, and your global geography improved, spending a gap year doing this will arguably do little to improve your employability in a competitive market when you return.
The difference when it comes to TEFL is that anyone who has spent a gap year travelling and teaching their way around the world with come back armed with a huge range of newly-acquired and highly transferable skills, which will certainly be a welcome addition to any CV.
Tags: gap year, efl, cactus, tefl, english
Posted by Laura Lippert 2008-11 under Teaching Languages,
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