Graduates look abroad for jobs - graduate jobs

More than 30% of graduates are considering moving abroad to escape an increasingly competitive UK job market, a report has said.

Website studentgems.com claimed 34% of graduates and final-year students polled said they would consider options abroad in light of a lack of training and opportunities at home, with teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) a popular choice of job.

Kelly English, 20, a final year student at Nottingham, said she had originally wanted to go into publishing but a scarcity of jobs had forced her to look further afield. She is now considering a TEFL stint in Japan after graduating.

"Asia in particular provides so many opportunities to teach abroad and certain countries such as China and South Korea are really developing now," she said. "I'd really recommend this career path to graduates, as it's so easy for us now to get up and go."

Honor Baldry, a spokeswoman for gap year and TEFL company i-to-i, added: "TEFL is not only a fantastic way to see the world, but teaching abroad also gives you a chance to build on the skills employers want to see.

"Standing up in front of a class can really boost leadership skills, while bridging language barriers and cultural differences to successfully communicate with people proves you have great interpersonal skills."