Adult gap years

What's the difference between a career break, a sabbatical and an adult gap year?

A gap year is much more well-established and defined than a career break. Usually, a gap year is taken between school and university (at the age of 18) or, less commonly, after university. It's a rite of passage in Britain now - a chance for young people to get out, see the world, learn new things and make a contribution to society.

The career break is often seen as an adult gap year, because it involves similar sorts of things - voluntary work (in the UK or abroad), studying or training, travelling and paid work abroad. One key difference is that the career break is not seen so much as a 'year out' but as part of a career progression. Career breakers learn things on their break that they simply don't get in their current job - from practical skills like languages, to soft skills like leadership.

A 'sabbatical' is traditionally a year, and was originally for academic staff to take time off for research. The term comes from 'Sabbath', because it was originally taken every 7 years. Now, the term 'sabbatical' covers both paid and unpaid sabbaticals, and doesn't necessarily mean a year. If your work grants you a sabbatical, it means you will come back to your job at the end of it.

The term 'adult gap year' tends to be used by people who are more used to the idea of the traditional gap year, rather than the career break. Calling a break an 'adult gap year' implies that you are going to do traditional gap year activities on it - such as volunteering abroad, working overseas, travelling the world, or even doing long-term full-time volunteering here in the UK. 'Adult gap year' wouldn't usually be used to describe a break to retrain for a new career.

'Career break' is now the most common, and accepted term for an adult gap year. It sounds more serious than 'adult gap year', and perhaps more career-focussed too. Some people now perceive the career break as being a career step, or a catalyst for a total career change. Whatever you call your career break, sabbatical or adult gap year, the important thing is that it forms a useful, constructive and fulfilling part of your overall career progression.

This article was written by Rachel Morgan-Trimmer, founder of The Career Break Site.