Graduates Look Overseas as Unemployment Soars

Job-hungry British graduates are heading overseas in their thousands to escape rising unemployment at home.

According to a study by the Higher Education Careers Services Unit (HECSU), 8.9 per cent of the class of 2009 were out of work six months after graduating – a rise of one per cent since last year.

Leigh Salsbury, 23, who graduated from Brunel University, said: “The graduate jobs market at the moment is devastating. I know there are lots of companies offering graduate schemes but it was difficult to find any related to my course.”

As a result of this rise in graduate unemployment, Leigh and many other graduates are now heading overseas to find work. The TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) course provider i-to-i has seen a surge in the number of recent graduates and students who want to get TEFL certified to take advantage of the massive demand for native English speaking teachers in countries like China, South Korea and Thailand.

Over the past year, there has been a five per cent increase in the number of recent graduates and students enrolling in i-to-i TEFL courses. Due to this rise in demand, i-to-i has published a free eBook, The Graduate’s Guide to Teaching and Travelling Abroad, to help recent graduates navigate the TEFL industry. It is available to download here: http://www.onlinetefl.com/graduates.html.

Rachel Marriott, 23, from York St John University, decided to get TEFL certified after she found her 2:1 degree wasn’t enough to find a job she was passionate about after graduation. She now teaches English in Asan, South Korea.

“Teaching overseas is a great opportunity to travel, make life long friends and do something that can really change a child's life, no matter whether it’s a Korean student or an African orphan,” she explains.

“Being a TEFL teacher is a rewarding job and something I never thought I would be so passionate about.”

With over 2billion people learning English worldwide, the demand for native English speakers like Rachel to teach English overseas is huge. It’s a particularly tempting option for graduates as there is no need for teaching experience or the ability to speak another language. All it takes is a TEFL course to get started.

Internationally recognized courses with i-to-i start from just £129 and can be completed online in as little as 12 days. More comprehensive certificates, which are necessary to take on the best-paid jobs overseas, start at £349, combine online and classroom learning, and are usually completed in around 6 weeks.

Leigh Salsbury said: “The flexibility of being able to study online around work initially attracted me to my i-to-i TEFL course, and the help that they offer after the course in finding jobs and placements is great too.”

Those who want more information about teaching overseas should contact one of i-to-i’s expert TEFL advisors on 0113 205 4623 or visit www.onlinetefl.com.

• TEFL
• TEFL courses
• teaching English abroad
• teaching overseas
• graduate jobs