For today’s multi-cultural employers, learning about different cultures can be a real advantage, particularly if you pick up some language skills. Understandably then, graduates who appear to have proved their maturity through considered sabbaticals can be at an advantage.”Organisations have high expectations of their graduates’ preparedness for their professional roles,” says Petra Cook, Managing Director of the Chartered Institute. “However, many university-leavers enter the marketplace without transferring classroom confidence into practical business skills. By participating in a gap year which expands their horizons and enhances their problem-solving skills, graduates will be better able to meet the needs of business and help smooth their entry into the UK job market.”Travel is the obvious choice for a fulfilling and diverse gap year.

And with the market for student travel expanding exponentially, options range from round the world tickets, to working on a cocoa plantation. Andrew Fidler has recently set up to help students assess the overwhelming range of gap year choices available. And it seems that in the current competitive jobs market, a year out after graduating can be a clear advantage for later employment. Research by the Chartered Institute of Managers shows that almost half of HR Managers believe graduates’ preparedness for the world of work has decreased. One-third think graduates have poor interpersonal skills, with diplomacy and team-working cited as key areas of concern. So I took some time to think about what I wanted to do with my life. And, generally, just did all the things I never had time for at university.”
Elly is certainly not alone in her choice to expand her horizons.

Many students are weighing up a lifetime behind a desk, with the chance to do something different. “I didn’t want my life to be this clich?trajectory of ‘leave college, go to university, get a job’. “The thought of just taking up a job and getting on with it, just seemed like such a waste,” says Elly Kent, who took a year after graduating to travel. For others, the prospect of eternal nine-to-five is more terrifying than sitting their finals. For many graduates, landing a job on graduation means breathing a sigh of relief, and enjoying some financial security. His next step is an NVQ Level 2 and promotion to chef de partie; in a few years’ time, he hopes to be running his own restaurant. “It took me a long time to realise this was something I wanted to do, but I’m glad I have.”education independent.co.uk.