Is it bad not to do a graduate scheme after Uni?

When I was younger, before Uni, I wanted to go to Australia for a year on a working holiday visa but my depression and anxiety ruined it for me. So now that I'm better, when I graduate, I really want to go to Australia for a year and find some work experience at an NGO or do some charity work or something that will look good on a CV that is related to my degree.

Would it be considered stupid to go travelling instead of going into a graduate scheme or seeking "stable" employment?

Or, does it not matter when you do a graduate scheme? Could I do it after I came back from travelling?

What's your opinion? Am I stupid for wanting to travel?

Reply 1

Quady

It doesn't matter, as long as you aply 2-3 years after uni.

Reply 2

redferry

Original post by ddtown

My bf took a year out after graduating then got onto a grad scheme so I wouldn't worry.

No it isn't bad

Well, only about 10% of grads get onto them, so obviously not. Many more apply, but they're extremely competitive. Not everyone wants to work for the sort of large company that offers grad schemes.

After graduation is a great time to travel if you have the money, IMO. You have nothing to tie you down. I want to save up a bit and travel before I start postgrad studies.

(edited 10 years ago)

go for it bro

If you're lucky enough to get a place on a grad scheme, you may be able to defer. I know someone who has done this, but it was at one of the big 4 accountancy firms that take on hundreds of people each year. Smaller grad schemes may not let you. You don't need to be fresh out of uni to get onto a grad scheme.

Reply 7

Tinsley

How much do you want a grad scheme vs. how much do you want to travel? Bear in mind to you need to apply to most from Sept-Jan and that can include phone interviews, then assessment centres/interviews from Jan-March. So if you finish uni in June 2014 and go travelling til June 2015, you can't easily apply until Sept 2015, so starting in Sept 2016. It makes it very difficult if a grad scheme is what you really really want.

Reply 8

russellsteapot

Graduate schemes are good sometimes (especially those which lead to a professional qualification), but quite often the work you end up doing is incredibly basic and progression is often both slow and painfully planned out through silly hoop-jumping games (alongside the silly hoop-jumping 'assessment centres' required to get onto them in the first place). A capable individual can enter a company at a higher level via a standard job advert, with far less ****ing around. I expect only Smarties know why more people don't do that. Not doing a graduate scheme is not only quite normal, but sometimes quite beneficial.

There's nothing at all wrong with not going onto a graduate scheme or gainful employment as soon as you leave university. Grad schemes tend to stay open to people for a while after graduation (be aware that it can vary - some do close to all but recent graduates, some are fine if you graduated recently, many don't specify), so a year won't harm you much. If you're able to find useful work, it might even give you a bit more to talk about in the interview than someone fresh out of uni.

Go and buy yourself a floppy bush hat and a barbecue. The longer you spend in a career, the less likely it is that you'll have another opportunity, so do it while you're young and have few commitments.