It is that time of year again; the latest wave of university students are now university
graduates
, but what’s next?
Perhaps you have just graduated, you don’t have a job lined up, you can’t stay in your university town much longer, you don’t really want to move home but you have a large student debt and the UK job market is saturated. It might seem like your options are fairly bleak.
If this sounds at all familiar, you should be made aware of the fantastic TEFL opportunity awaiting you. TEFL, (which stands for teaching English as a foreign language) involves taking a TEFL course, getting qualified to
teach English abroad
, applying for a job and then jetting off somewhere exotic to teach English as a foreign language!
Sounds good? Here are 5 reasons why TEFL is perfect for graduates:
1. Travel with purpose
If you always wanted to travel but never had the time or the money, now you can. After three or four years building up university debt an extended holiday looks unrealistic, but with TEFL you can earn money while you are away. This isn’t "voluntourism" or a teenage holiday, you will have real responsibilities and a real job. You will also get to travel and experience a different culture. Win, win!
2. It's the ideal time
Think about it, when else in your life will you have this amount of freedom? In the next five years you will begin to settle down in a permanent job where the chance to take extended time off to travel will be limited. You don’t have the responsibility of your own family yet and you are probably in a transition stage, where the lease on your university digs in up. What’s holding you down? Nothing!
3. It gives you a job!
There are
loads
of TEFL jobs opportunities, which is more than can be said for most industries. There is no easy way to say it, job prospects for graduates in the UK are not great. If you are at all familiar with the disheartening application/rejection process to countless graduate schemes, TEFL will come as a welcome relief. Even if you don’t plan to make a career out of teaching, TEFL can provide a great job in the interim.
4. You'll gain valuable experience and transferable skills
If you aren’t convinced TEFL is worthwhile and that employers will just see it as another “gap yah” ploy, think again. Your public speaking and presentation skills will be improved, something that many jobs look for. There are also interesting new opportunities to
teach English online
which, if entered into, shows you are a dynamic and innovative person, aware of new job opportunities and learning platforms in an increasingly digitalised world.
5. You will get another qualification
Don’t be put off by more studying, the TEFL course is engaging and you will probably enjoy the less intensive studying after a 4 year degree. If you also feel you aren’t quite through with learning yet, the TEFL course is a great way to continue training and might help you decide if you want to go for a Masters or enter into further education.
Are you a graduate looking for job? Do you have a friend in this position? If so, send this their way!
Find out more about how you can get a TEFL qualification and start teaching English abroad:
TEFL Course Options.
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