The Gap Year Program…not just for the young.

With many colleges and universities going online, I have heard many grumblings such as “why pay huge tuition to do courses online?”  Many seniors and their families are questioning what to do in the coming months with heading to an expensive university.  I get it.  

Gap year programs aren’t just for the young!

I recently had a conversation with a friend who is my age… okay I’ll put it out there… 47.  He let me know that all of the things happening in 2020 has forced him to think about a possible shift in his work.  The challenge for him was that he didn’t know where to start the pivot.  Many people don’t.  It’s a normal thing to feel lost when we change our career paths.  

For this reason, gap year programs can help all ages.  

How Gap Year programs help the young. 

I am constantly reminded through social media and angry college kids who took on massive debt that “School didn’t teach me about the real world.”  Many people I know were not able to completely connect their academia to reality.  My own personal experience was like this.  I went all the way through college thinking I wanted to be a radio DJ until I actually interned for a radio station my senior year.  I found out at the end of my formal education I went through an entire degree program and the experience was not what I thought.  Experience.  That was the key that was missing BEFORE I entered the college ranks.  EXPERIENCE.  That is what many gap year programs give you.  Testing out the waters in a certain profession or many professions.  Creating a network of people to have as connections along the way of your journey.  Having accountability partners to really get a person to lean into who they really are.  If that sounds good… that is what gap year programs such as Hallpass Education’s can provide.  

‍

Gap Year programs to help the pivoting professional.

‍
With COVID-19 here and downsizing companies and service industries in the middle of a shift, people sometimes are let go or furloughed.  Within certain professions like teaching, some people may not want to take the risk with their health to actually go into work.  Some people may have liked the way a flexible at home work environment felt over trudging into the office form 9 to 5.  In any situation, career pivots come up.  As adults, we ask ourselves what if… around a career shift.  Forced or not, it is not an easy transition for many to make.  Many people do not know where to start in a career pivot.  It is normal.  We get used to where we have worked and lost the ability somewhat to continue building networks, our brands, and skill sets.  A gap year program can do all of those!  

I challenge you to check out gap year programs and see what is out there.  I am blessed to be launching one with my co-founders Audrey Boyle and Dr. Peter A James at Hallpass Education.  We are connecting academia to reality.  Learn more by following Hallpass Education across social media and checking out www.getahallpass.com.