About Taking a Gap Year
Being unsure about the new step outside of high school is common among teenagers. Taking a Gap year is an option may students take to explore the world, embrace in new opportunities before commencing further study.
Youth Central Advice explains the options and benefits a gap year can provide for students, allowing yourself to make the most informed decision.
Taking a Gap year is an option all students have, deferring a TAFE or university course means to accept the offer to study but not begin right away. To defer a course would be to post-pone further study, allowing students a break and time to consider other options. Or for those students who don’t wish to study or unsure what to study, a Gap year can provide beneficial to explore the options and world within your own comfort and time. If you are unsure if a Gap Year is the right choice Reach Out Advice provides a students perspective.
Abroad programs are not only for students completing their studies, but offer volunteering abroad and traveling abroad. Going abroad explores the alternatives outside of your home state. Programs such as Go Abroad and Projects Abroad that helps students seek out alternative study options internationally. Go Abroad is also inclusive to high school education programs, completing the final years of high school internationally.
Year 13 – explore potential opportunities for a gap year, the large variety available to students to undertake. Year 13 allows the student to explore the options available to select what would be of most interest to them. Whether it where building constructing Thailand or working at a mentor summer camp in the US.
Begin your 13th year by clicking the link: https://year13.com.au/travel
Volunteering Programs
Volunteering comes in many shapes and sizes. Whether it’s getting your hands dirty once a month at a community garden, or assisting an organisation with their social media activity. Whatever you do, know that volunteering can put you ahead of the pack when it comes to job hunting. Here are three ways it could benefit you:
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Volunteering is as credible as paid work. SEEK research found that 95% of employers agreed that volunteering can be a credible way of gaining real-work experience to add to your resume. In fact, as long as the volunteering work is relevant to the role or industry you want to work in, 85% of hirers believe that it’s just as credible as paid work. What does this mean? It should most definitely feature in your resume or application, especially if you are a first time jobseeker or looking to step into a new career.
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Volunteering can be advantageous in a job interview. As for more experienced workers, you might have nailed the selection criteria, written a tip-top resume, and feel confident with how performed in the interview. But what about the volunteer work you've done? Did you mention that?
It's widely acknowledged that volunteering benefits the community, leaves you glowing at the fact you’ve done something good, and provides support and resources to those who need it most.But did you know that a whopping 92% of employers said relevant volunteer experience gives candidates an advantage in job interviews? That means that the time you helped out at a Cancer Council event would be highly relevant for that Events Manager role you applied for.
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Volunteering demonstrates valuable personality traits.Volunteering tells prospective employers a great deal about who you are, aside from what they’ve learned via your resume and role-related questions during the recruitment process.
“Volunteering can demonstrate personality traits that are sometimes difficult to convey in a profile or interview. Furthermore, employers are telling us that volunteering can speak real volumes about a candidate’s dedication and commitment to causes,” says Bec Miller, Head of SEEK Volunteer.
Volunteering experience also paints a much clearer picture of your personality and core values. SEEK Volunteer research revealed that being motivated, socially responsible, and proactive were the top three personality traits associated with Australians that volunteered. These are also traits employers in any industry are likely to value highly.
In addition to this, there’s hardly a job where being proactive and trustworthy won’t be useful, and think of all the jobs that require good people-skills! This is precisely where your volunteering efforts pay off.
And how about this? Even employers who haven’t personally taken part in a volunteer activity still have an incredibly favourable attitude towards volunteering!
Find an opportunity for yourself.
But did you know that a whopping 92% of employers said relevant volunteer experience gives candidates an advantage in job interviews?
So, if you volunteer, it’s likely you’re the type of person willing to go above and beyond what’s expected, which is something worth celebrating wherever you go. And if you haven’t got any volunteer experience to share with prospective employers jump onto SEEK Volunteer and check out over 13,000 opportunities waiting to be snapped up!
Below are a collection of established programs tailored for students to gain experience volunteering and giving back to others. Such programs are in a wide variety allowing all students equal opportunity in the field of their interest. Each site provides a more specific look at the available programs and volunteering campaigns.
See sites such as Letz Live to explore the range of programs and opportunities available. In Australian and International, volunteering and paid but also other students experiences. The Centre of Volunteering is specifically trailered to programs within Australian and the benefits of becoming a Volunteer.
Interested in teaching i-to-i is a program for students interested in practical skills within a real classroom. I-to-I allows students the opportunity to travel and teach others English, becoming the teacher not student.
Other program simply allow students to step outside their comfort zone. Antipodeans is a program which will take students to experience the culture and communities they visit. Going beyond the tourist track and attractions Antipodeans will allow you to
If hiking or trekking are not your interest other programs help student stay internationally, experience culture and life with others. Cultural Care Au Pair is a program letting students become careers for other kids or adolescents based in the United States. Where as Camp America is a summer camp program in which students become mentors and runs the camp for other children.