Students Look Abroad as Confidence in the Graduate Job Market Plummets

June 14, 2010 - PRLog -- Final-year students are taking their job search abroad as confidence in the graduate job market hits a fifteen-year low.

With only a third of the class of 2010 expecting to find a graduate job, TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) course provider i-to-i has seen a 22 per cent surge in student enquiries over the past three months.

While the recession is officially over, a recent survey by High Fliers Research revealed that just 36 per cent of final-year students expect to find a graduate job after leaving university this summer.

Jane Smith, 21, who has just finished a music degree at the University of Salford and will start teaching in China in August said: “I think most of my friends are going to get a full time job, but not a career as such. Most people are just getting a job to get them by.”

In contrast, increasing numbers of final-year students like Jane have realised that there are a wealth of opportunities abroad, especially in the TEFL market. Over the past three months, TEFL experts i-to-i have seen a 22 per cent increase in the number of students enquiring about TEFL courses and TEFL jobs abroad.

Final-year student Kelly English, 20, who will graduate from the University of Nottingham this summer, thinks there are a lot of opportunities out there: “Asia in particular provides so many opportunities to teach abroad and certain countries such as China and South Korea will be crucial in terms of the world economy later on, so it's exciting to think that we can get involved in that.”

Gordon Mathie, managing director of i-to-i TEFL, said: “As January is our busiest time of year, it is very unusual to see such a surge in enquiries from students during spring. It shows that the Class of 2010 are broadening their horizons in the face of a highly competitive graduate jobs market.

“I’m not surprised that teaching abroad is becoming more popular though. There are amazing, paid opportunities all over the world for this year’s graduates, not just to experience another culture, but to gain skills that will make employers back home sit up and take notice.”

Jane added: “I really want to experience living and working in a totally different culture, and I can’t wait to meet new people and start work. Teaching abroad will also be great for my CV for my future.”

Due to the worldwide demand for English teachers, those wanting to teach abroad don’t need any teaching experience or the ability to speak another language, and can have done a degree in any subject. TEFL courses of 100 hours or more, which can dramatically boost graduates’ chances of landing the best TEFL jobs, start from just £200.

To help final-year students navigate the TEFL world, i-to-i has teamed up with Graduate Prospects (http://www.prospects.ac.uk/), the UK’s official graduate careers website, to offer a free Graduate’s Guide to Teaching and Travelling Abroad. It can be downloaded from http://www.onlinetefl.com/graduates.