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There are many types of opportunities for spending time working overseas, both during your degree and after you graduate. Depending on what you want to do, your skills and experience, and the time and funds you have at your disposal, you might consider one of the following: Casual workWorking holidays are a popular way for students and graduates to earn some money while travelling and seeing a bit of the world, either during summer vacations or for a short time after graduation. Much of the work available is in the hospitality and tourism sectors, for example, in hotels and bars, or working as a holiday rep. Other typical jobs can be as varied as fruit picking to au pairing. The developed economies of Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand and North America offer the best opportunities. Making speculative applications to potential employers, such as hotels, youth hostels, tour companies, etc. may bring good results. There are a number of useful guides to casual work abroad, see contacts and resources. A selection of these may be available in your university careers service. back to top Internships, placements and exchange programmesA variety of short-term opportunities ranging between a few weeks and 18 months are available in a number of European and international organisations, and they can often provide relevant experience for permanent or longer-term employment overseas. For examples of these, see international employers. Many students have the opportunity to spend time abroad as part of their course. This could either be to continue studying at a partner university in Europe, the USA, Canada or Australia, or to do paid work in a placement year in a sector relating to your course. If your course does not include a year out, you may still be able to negotiate an individual placement year. Give your tutors a list of what you consider to be the advantages of a year abroad and how it would deepen your understanding of your subject. You will probably need to find the placement yourself but ask if your tutors have contacts in other countries that you can use. Above all, be prepared to be proactive and persistent. back to top Voluntary workThere are an ever growing number of organisations providing short-term volunteering opportunities aimed at students and graduates. These projects are often based in the developing world, and tend to work with local communities tackling issues around health, social care, education and conservation. - Projects generally last from a couple of weeks to several months and are very diverse, ranging from working in an orphanage to assisting with reforestation programmes.
- The work is generally unpaid and many organisations ask you to finance your volunteering trip through sponsorship or other types of fundraising.
- For short-term volunteering opportunities you are not usually expected to have relevant experience, but a strong interest in helping others and a willingness to get involved and learn new skills are important.
For all volunteering opportunities, you should check the requirements, aims and philosophies of any agency to which you apply. Have a realistic idea of the contribution you can make and what is expected of you. Most agencies can put you in touch with a returned volunteer who can give you first-hand information. Examples of organisations offering short-term opportunities are: - BUNAC, having a range of volunteering opportunities in different countries, including USA, Chile and China;
- Info Nepal, supplying volunteering opportunities in schools and communities in Nepal;
- Insight Argentina, offering customised volunteer and internship programmes in Argentina.
back to top TeachingTeaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) is a very popular way for new graduates without specialist experience and skills to obtain work overseas. Teachers are employed in commercial language schools, state schools, education and development organisations, large companies and the British Council. There are also more structured teaching programmes specific to individual countries, such as Teach in China and the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme. No particular degree discipline is required for teaching English overseas. However, advertised positions increasingly ask for a TEFL qualification. It is still possible to find positions for which a TEFL certificate is not required, but in some cases the pay for unqualified teachers is lower and certain countries will not grant a visa to anyone without a TEFL qualification. Detailed information about entry and training routes, and where to find opportunities, is available at English as a foreign language teacher. There is no doubt that teaching provides some of the best opportunities for working abroad. As well as opportunities to teach English as a foreign language, there are international schools operating all over the world in need of qualified educators. Experienced teachers are recruited to teach the normal range of subjects at primary and secondary level. English is invariably the language of instruction, with the curriculum based on either an American or British model. Defence cutbacks in Britain have reduced the teaching posts available in HM Forces schools abroad but they are still worth considering. back to top Academic research and lecturingEvery year, large numbers of British citizens take up places at American and, to a lesser extent, Canadian and Australian, universities to undertake postdoctoral research. The academic market is international in scope and some British academics are successful in obtaining permanent posts in the USA. The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) publishes a regular bulletin of jobs in Commonwealth universities. The number of opportunities for academic jobs in Europe is also increasing. European Researchers Mobility Portal (Euraxess) is a one-stop shop for researchers moving between EU countries and includes details of research vacancies, fellowships and grants and other practical information. Research posts and lectureships are increasingly advertised by individual institutions but details can also be found in relevant journals and through national recruitment services on the internet. Personal contact through collaboration and shared academic interests is also still a key route to securing academic positions overseas for many people. To be successful in this competitive field, you must have a good academic record at undergraduate, postgraduate and postdoctoral level. back to top ConsultancyThere has been a steady growth in the volume of consulting business undertaken by British companies overseas in the last few years. This is particularly the case in the construction and utilities industries, in areas such as China, India and the Middle East. Consultancy work, especially for experienced professionals, can be found with both large international companies and smaller niche businesses. back to top Creative industryThe creative arts lend good opportunities for work abroad, from touring musicians to artists promoting and selling their work. The main markets are to be found in China, France, Germany, Japan and the USA. The UK has a leading reputation in the creative industries abroad and there are various government initiatives supporting exports from the sector. This includes the International Artists Fellowship provided by the Arts Council England, which helps those who wish to set up their own fellowship/residency either as an artist or organisation. There is also the European Commission Culture programme, which aims to promote cross-border mobility of those working in the sector. It is dedicated to bringing greater cultural cooperation between European countries and provides funding for various projects that help meet this objective. back to top PropertyThe massive surge in UK nationals buying a second home abroad has led to growing opportunities for graduates to work in the overseas property industry, in sales, marketing and administration roles. France and Spain are still currently the most popular countries, but the overseas property market is becoming increasingly international. Jobs are advertised through specialist recruitment agencies, such as Overseas Property Jobs. You should be aware that in order to get a position abroad, some experience of working in property in the UK is usually required. For more detailed information on the possibilities of working abroad in certain sectors, see industry insigts. For information on taking a gap year see gap year.
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