‘Gap Years’ offer grads a chance to explore, give back

More students are exploring the option of taking time to pursue other personally satisfying goals before working full-time jobs in their fields, a common life stage that has become known as the Gap Years, says Arlene F. Kaukus, director of career services.

And Kaukus, who follows the advantages and pitfalls of career development as well as anyone, says this often can be good thing for the graduate, as well as the organization the person is dedicated to.

“A lot of students are really interested in getting that sense of self-satisfaction that they are actually contributing to some movement, some global community before they start their career,” Kaukus says. “By taking a period of time to pursue a passion or an interest, the graduate develops new skills, gains a better sense of themselves in the world and may determine a career path that had previously not been visible to them.

“I think this generation of college students is really interested in exploring other opportunities and understanding themselves while contributing to the world in some way.”

And that, she says, is what the so-called Gap Years are all about. When a recent graduate takes time to explore other opportunities not directly related to his or her established career goals, that’s part of the Gap Years’ experience.

And it’s a trend that is capturing the interest of more students, Kaukus says.

“Some career centers have organized ‘Gap Year fairs’ in an effort to inform students of the choices available to them. The UB Career Office has chosen to integrate these opportunities within our existing fairs to ensure that students can consider these opportunities alongside other opportunities,” she says.

An organization called the American Gap Association, which tracks data about the student Gap Years, has recorded an almost 300 percent increase in people attending these Gap Year fairs to learn more about their options after graduation.

Kaukus says one of the contributing factors to the growth in Gap Years began with the downturn in the economy in 2008. In response to a tightening job market, graduates began to explore other avenues to gain experience and the “Gap Year” became an option.

“Students graduating at the time decided to try something different because perhaps the employment options in their fields weren’t as robust as they have been in the past,” she says. “Now with the improved economy and job prospects, graduates exploring ‘Gap Year’ experiences are looking to gain skills in a non-traditional setting and use the experience to determine their path going forward.”

Choosing a Gap Year strategy can pay dividends for graduates looking to make themselves more marketable, more distinctive and more attractive to future employers, according to Kaukus.

“Taking advantage of these Gap Years gives many graduates the opportunity to develop into young professionals who can contribute to the world,” she says. “Employers are looking for talent that has a heightened sense of their strengths and is ready to contribute. I think those are tremendous assets employers are looking for.”

Gaining life experiences and growing personally are the leading reasons young people give for choosing a Gap Year, says Kaukus. Other reasons include an interest in travel and experiencing other cultures, a break from an academic track that gives one time to reflect and deepen one’s understanding, an opportunity to learn other languages, gaining work experience in a setting different and following the encouragement from parents and peers.

Some typical Gap Year activities include teaching English abroad, teaching English in the U.S. and working in a Peace Corps or AmeriCorps setting.

“We’re all going to work for a long time,” Kaukus says. “It is important to find something you really like and that brings you joy.”

She advises parents to remain open to the plans their graduates are exploring. Support your child’s dreams, she says. The Gap Years are just another chapter in this lifelong relationship.

“Really listen to what your young people want to do with their lives,” she says. “Encourage them to try those things and grow from these experiences. You never know how this path could lead to an entirely new path that was not visible to the graduate before.  It can open up all kinds of new possibilities.”