Planning your gap year?

 

Are you waiting for your degree results? Or perhaps you’re simply planning to take a break from the rat race. Most people who take a gap year finance at least part of their trip by working abroad. But whether you end up doing telesales in Sydney or teaching in Tokyo you need to have the practical skills that employers are looking for – wherever you end up.

So if you’ve already bought your back-pack and are planning to book your flight, how can you make sure that your CV will be attractive to employers on the other side of the world?

“Many academic and professional qualifications are very specific to their country of origin; you might find that when you reach your chosen destination you are not as employable as you had hoped,” says Claire Lister, Managing Director of Pitman Training Group. “But practical IT and office skills are valuable wherever there is a computer; for example Microsoft software packages such as Word, Excel and Access are used throughout the world and good touch typing speeds are in demand wherever there is a QWERTY keyboard.”

Pitman Training’s team of experienced training advisors work with many people who want to refresh or streamline their skills ready for a new challenge.

For people who are embarking on a Gap Year, Claire has the following advice: “Think about how your CV may translate in a different country, or even in a different language. What internationally recognised skills could you add? Do you have certificates to prove how good your computing and keyboard skills are? These will be of interest to any call centre manager – many of whom employ people on a temporary basis. If you plan to work as a secretary, can you demonstrate that you are comfortable working across the Microsoft Office package?

“Confidence is one of the key things that travelling abroad in a gap year will help you develop,” explains Claire. “But having belief in your own abilities thanks to a good skills set before you set off will put you at a distinct advantage.”

“Our way of learning is very flexible. You can start as soon as you are ready and decide when, and how frequently, you want to study. This means you can complete your chosen course in a matter of days if you want to,” Claire adds. “All of our courses are computer based and accompanied by a comprehensive and easy to follow workbook plus audio tuition. Because a training advisor is always on hand to answer questions and provide encouragement, learners never have to feel isolated.”

Every Pitman Training course is work-focused; helping people develop the practical skills that employers are looking for – wherever in the world they might be.