It is an irrefutable fact that in the contemporary world, taking a year off after high school is a popular trend. Some people argue that it is a waste of time. However, I believe that it is a positive development as it allows teenagers to gain some practical experience as well as give them time to explore other best options. This essay will analyze the reason behind my perspective along with examples in the upcoming paragraphs.
To begin with, the gap before university provides an opportunity for students to travel to different parts of the world to gain an understanding of the employment market. To explain, travelling allows pupils to interact with different communities and professionals which automatically enhance their communication abilities as well as their network. Moreover, it improves their understanding of the current market requirements which is extremely crucial to exploring better career options in a competitive society. For instance, my brother took a year off after school as he was confused about whether his skills aligned with market demand or not. Throughout the year, he travelled to different cities and as a result, he changed his stream from business to science as the future demands IT professionals instead of management workers.
Furthermore, learners who work before proceeding with their graduation can easily excel throughout their academic journey. In other words, through the employment process, they can understand the value of each minute along with the importance of financial management which they earned with their efforts. Besides that, work experience builds confidence in students along with a practical understanding of theoretical concepts. For example, an experiment conducted by a UK University on 30 business students showed that those who took a gap for work were more intelligent compared to their classmates because of their practical knowledge.
In conclusion, I believe a gap year not only builds confidence in students but also gives them a chance to understand the practical application of theoretical concepts.