A Graduate’s Hack to Entering the Real World

Leaving university often feels like something of an anti-climax; you work flat out for 3 years, well OK, 2 years, and then all of a sudden, it is all over. You are left with nothing other than a feeling of emptiness and thousands of pounds of debt to your name. There is also the prospect of having to enter the world of work, which leaves you with a feeling of dread.

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What if I told you that leaving university doesn’t have to be the end of your life as you know it? 

There are ways in which you can escape the monotony of the rat race and continue to learn about yourself and the world around you, all you need is a bucket load of courage and determination to see you through.

How to survive the current situation

With the recent news that UK graduates are struggling to find skilled work and more than one in three are employed in low-skilled jobs. Official figures have recently exposed the fact that there has been a 2.2% drop in the number of 21 to 30-year old graduates in skilled work compared to last year.

This has certainly not been helped by the UK’s recent disastrous decision to leave the European Union, which has caused a great deal of uncertainly for the future employment prospects of every member of Generation Y and the future members of Generation Z. 

However, a scrap of good news is that the graduates of 2016 are not likely to be as affected as those graduating in 2017. It is expected that once Article 50 is triggered in 2017, it will  seriously affect business confidence, which will result in decreases in investment and hiring plans.

The UK has no time for experts

Still, Michael Gove, a prominent member of the Leave campaign, informed Faisal Islam on Sky News that the British people have had enough of experts, so perhaps this is all part of their grand plan in ensuring that the most intelligent amongst our society are either forced into work that is below their skill-set, or decide to leave the country resulting in the infamous brain drain that Britain has profited from so much in the past to the benefit of its own economy.

Avoid Jeremy Kyle

Instead of sitting around at home on the sofa in your dressing gown watching endless repeats of the ever insufferable Jeremy Kyle, why not get out there in the world, meet new people and have an adventure?

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How? I hear you ask

You would be surprised at the number of young British people are embracing the superior quality of life in various countries around the world and ditching the grey and depressing skies for a warmer country, both in terms of the weather and of the culture.

If you are a recent graduate, unable to find work and looking to develop key skills of the workplace, then taking a look at TEFL courses in your local area with a view to embarking on a TEFL course is a great way to see the world while earning money.

The amount of money that you will earn will depend on wherever in the world takes your fancy, but you can expect to earn a decent enough salary to live on for that particular country. However, it is important to keep in mind that this will often be less than you are used to in the UK, but when you are removed from the consumerist culture that we live in you will find that with a bit of careful planning you can actually live relatively comfortable and have a great time.

Make someone’s life better

If you are looking for something a little bit different than embarking on a volunteer programme abroad will offer you the chance to meet new people, develop as a person and most importantly of all, help those who happen to be a lot less fortunate than yourself.

There are plenty of opportunities out there if you are willing to get stuck in and are prepared to get your hands dirty. There really is nothing else that can rival such an experience; if you have a particular skill-set, such a midwife or nurse, then there will be ample opportunities for you if you need to gain a bit of experience before entering the workplace.

Find happiness & just get out there

If you were lucky enough to have saved a bit of money while you were at university, then there is always the option of forgetting about everything else around you and getting out there and simply travelling around the world.

Why not?

You are young and have your whole life ahead of you; there is a whole world out there that is waiting for you to discover it. What’s more, this also offers you the opportunity to get out there, meet new people, learn skills that are transferable to your CV, and most of all, you get to have a hell of a lot of fun into the bargain!