Latest news : Grads turn to overseas jobs

Britain faces a brain drain as job-hungry graduates increasingly turn to overseas jobs, says a leading teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) provider.

Graduate unemployment increased in 2009, with 8.9% of the cohort still unemployed six months after graduating, according to a study by the Higher Education Careers Services Unit (HECSU).

This means that an increasing number of graduates are choosing to work abroad, with a 5% increase in graduate take-up of TEFL courses, says provider i-to-i  

TEFL courses can help graduates and students gain employment as teachers in countries where this is a massive demand for native English speakers, such as China, South Korea and Thailand.

‘Teaching overseas is a great opportunity to travel, make lifelong friends and do something that can really change a child’s life, no matter whether it’s a Korean student or an African orphan,’ says Rachel Marriott.

Rachel decided to get TEFL certified after finding that her degree in English Literature and Theatre wasn’t enough to find a job she wanted after graduation. She now works as an English teacher in South Korea.

‘Being a TEFL teacher is a rewarding jobs and something I never thought I would be so passionate about,’ adds Rachel.

The opportunities for graduates to teach English are huge, with over 2 billion learning the language worldwide.