| The second half of 2009 has seen the worst levels of | | | | language (TEFL) is a profitable skill to master, as |
| unemployment amongst young people in 14 years. | | | | developing and booming countries alike are keen for |
| Over 1,000,000 people aged between 16 and 24 are | | | | their young population to learn English as well as their |
| out of work and that figure is only set to rise as more | | | | native dialect. |
| jobs are cut and young people leave education. The | | | | Courses are available through the University of |
| Prince's Trust has worked out that a young person | | | | Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES) |
| lost a job almost every minute between March and | | | | and Trinity College London who offer a certificate in |
| May alone. At the moment the figures suggest that | | | | Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages |
| one in every six young people is unemployed and is | | | | (TESOL). The courses can be studied part-time or |
| not in education, an unacceptable figure is how Lord | | | | full-time through education facilities around the world. |
| Mandelson the Business Secretary described it. Whilst | | | | This means that if you decide to take a teaching job |
| the government is making promises to get all 18 to | | | | abroad, not only do you have the chance to discover |
| 24-year-olds who have been on the dole for 12 | | | | new cultures and countries, you also get paid to teach |
| months into a job, training programme or work | | | | English whilst discovering! |
| placement by March 2010, for the young people | | | | China, Japan, Europe and South America are all |
| unemployed now, this may all be too little too late. | | | | popular places for young people to travel to whilst |
| So what are the alternatives? | | | | completing their TEFL/TESOL courses, but there are |
| I would like to be able to suggest that skilled workers | | | | opportunities in nearly every non-English speaking |
| settle for unskilled jobs but vacancies for these types | | | | county in the world. You need to decide which country |
| of positions are as low as any other. The number of | | | | is best for you and also which type of course and |
| people claiming benefits has risen as the rate of | | | | centre you want to learn with. Some training centres |
| unemployment soars which signals that many young | | | | can guarantee TEFL and TESOL graduates a job on |
| people are able to live off the amount of money they | | | | completion of the course, whilst others let you be |
| receive. This is often helped by the fact that most can | | | | totally independent. The latter choice is a good one to |
| live rent free with their parents and can afford to give | | | | make if you intend to move around the world to teach, |
| up money guzzling amenities like cars. However, | | | | looking for a new challenge. |
| remaining unemployed for a number of months will not | | | | So whilst there might not be any jobs for you in |
| help your career prospects when more jobs become | | | | England, there are so many opportunities just waiting |
| available. One of the best options that many young | | | | to be taken up around the world. Teaching jobs |
| people are taking is to apply for teaching jobs abroad. | | | | abroad allow you to teach others, but you will learn so |
| Becoming a teacher in a foreign language has been a | | | | much about yourself as well. The experience is also |
| popular activity for many young people on gap years | | | | sure to make you a better candidate for a job |
| and travelling excursions. Teaching English as a foreign | | | | vacancy when you decide to return to Britain. |