01 Jan 2016

It’s been common practice for years now – taking a gap year after high school to travel and see the world before the dreaded responsibilities of adulthood set in. The benefits of exploring the world as a fresh faced graduate have seen many a 18-year old packing their bags and jumping on a plane for a few months overseas, but now a growing number of Gen Y-ers are breaking this tradition.

This group of 25-35 year olds are forgoing the customary post-school gap year and waiting until after finishing university and establishing a career before beginning their travels. They have been coined as the Career Breakers, and they’re providing a new alternative to those who are now deciding whether or not to take a gap year.

A ‘career break’ is a period of time off from work, usually lasting between 6 months and two years, and in the past was mainly reserved for expecting mothers. But now, a bunch of young Aussie professionals are choosing to take a career break in order to complete the gap year they never got to have after high school, except now they’ve got more money in their pockets, an established career to come back home to, and more life experience under their belts (aka they know how many shots of tequila their body can handle before a trip to hospital is necessary).

There are plenty of reasons why high school graduates choose not to take a gap year, from being unable to afford it to wanting to dive straight into university or the workplace, but that doesn’t mean they have to miss out on the experience completely. If you’re deciding whether or not to take a gap year, or you’ve already missed out on a gap year and are interested in the idea of a career break, here’s the lowdown on the benefits of being a Gap Taker and a Career Breaker:

Pros of taking a career break

+ Earn more money before you travel overseas, so you can forgo the cheap hostels and supermarket meals and enjoy your time off in luxury.
+ Come home to an established career, previous work experience and more than $4 in your bank account.
+ Travel with more confidence and worldly experience.
+ Meet an array of new people you otherwise wouldn’t have, and maybe even make some career connections from across the globe.
+ Complete your degree or training faster and while you’re still in the study-mindset.
+ If work is starting to wear on you, a career break will provide you with the opportunity to wind down, reinvigorate yourself, and maybe even reevaluate your situation and gain a better understanding of what you really want out of life.

Pros of taking a gap year

+ Give yourself a break before heading into university or the workplace to avoid burning out.
+ Travel with friends or meet a host of people your age who are also taking a gap year.
+ Take advantage of the time you have before adult responsibilities kick in and you get tied to a career or debt, and avoid the risk of being unable to take time off work without losing your job.
+ Improve your interpersonal skills and learn how to make new friends before heading to university.
+ Expand your mind by learning about other environments, cultures and people, and take this knowledge with you throughout your studies.