With very few jobs for graduates available at the moment, unimpressed UK graduates are jetting off to China to escape Britain’s financial woes – and gain some life experience while they’re at it.
We recently published a piece on the benefits of taking a post-university gap year, and while travelling has its major advantages, specifically targeting China could drive your career sky-high. But why cram my life into a suitcase and get on a plane to China, you may ask?
Excellent opportunities - China extends the opportunity for graduates to undertake well-respected internships or work in sectors such as PR, sales and marketing. Added to which, you can make good money on the side as an English language teacher.
Leave money worries behind - With their booming economies and low unemployment rates, Asian countries are unsurprisingly becoming popular with young graduates. China boasts the second biggest economy in the world and 1.3 billion inhabitants – perfect for budding entrepreneurs.
Massive CV boost - Working abroad looks great on a CV, when the economic crisis finally loosens its grasp and you return to the land of tea and scones, you should be able to make easy work of finding a job.
It’s so easy to do - As the globe becomes increasingly interconnected, you are more able to take your pick from a huge number of foreign countries to work in. Something else that will work in your favour is having English as your mother-tongue which, combined with some basic Chinese, is likely to get you snapped up fast by Chinese employers.
In summary, the UK offers graduates a stagnant economy, a lack of opportunities and increasing expenses – whereas China provides a booming economy, a plethora of new and exciting opportunities and job security.
Even Forbes’ editor for Asia, John Koppisch, is encouraging those fresh out of university to leave Britain in the dust as you speed to foreign climes.
He says: “Look for your first job in Asia. Economies are booming and companies are often desperate for educated and skilled job seekers… Often you can get hired by a Western company [and] quickly get promoted because of the fast growth.”
Are you looking to dive into the graduate talent pool? Would you look for your first job overseas?