Gap years can help graduates secure work, says BUNAC

Volunteering and work experience programs abroad can be the ideal way for university graduates to enhance their CVs, it has been claimed.

According to BUNAC - a Year Out Group member - gap years give people the kind of skills and experiences that "jump out" at future employers.

And this can help ease the transition from undergraduate study to the world of work - one often made difficult by the need to secure full-time graduate employment.

The gap year organisation explained that voluntary work and foreign employment programs allow people to boost their employment resume and backpack around some of the most exciting countries in the world.

BUNAC noted that lifelong memories are formed on gap years abroad - and these can prove to be just as valuable as workplace skills in the long run.

The organisation drew attention some of the most popular programs, including volunteering in South-East Asia and Africa, teaching in China, working a ski season in Canada and raising HIV awareness in developing nations.

Graduates also have the option of extended trips to destinations such as Australia and New Zealand, where they can combine gap year work with outdoor adventure.

"BUNAC offers tonnes of gap year programmes for graduates looking to travel and work abroad," the organisation stated.

"And with competition in the UK jobs market at an all-time high, there has never been a better time to get away from it all."

The experience of working or volunteering abroad boosts your CV, proves your independence and motivation and can be a great talking point at future interviews, BUNAC added.

"So before you start on the endless job applications and cover letters, start thinking about how you would spend the best year of your life," it advised.

And for many final year university students, and graduates still looking for a full-time job, this may be all the encouragement they need.

Check out all the different gap year programs on offer.