DS wants to work abroad

[Goanthen]

I’m looking for some advice. My DS is coming up for 21. He’s at a crossroads about what he wants to do. He did well in school, got good GCSEs and 3 A levels. He struggling to get on the employment ladder. He wants to save up and go travelling. I suggested he try and find a job abroad for a few months. I’ve looked online and all the agencies seem dodgy and want thousands of pounds, which seems odd.
what’s the best way to go about doing this?

He has a degree which hasn’t helped much so far!

With a TEFL he’ll still need a degree and really EU is out now post-Brexit, I work in EU and it’s almost nigh on impossible to get visas for people unless they are literally PhD level computer scientists.

I would recommend he check out special young people visas in Australia and Canada and perhaps other commonwealth countries have this but Brexit has removed freedom of movement from young people entirely. (It is sad and one of the reasons I relocated before the end of the withdrawal period to safeguard this for my kids).

Ignore the sanctimonious people who obviously don’t believe in helping their children once they reach 18.

For a lot of TEFL jobs abroad it definitely is required.

Thank you, he (definitely not me) will look into it 😊

I know a couple of people who have done this, think you need to have at least £1000 in savings as back up but not sure what else is required.

It depends what will work best - if he gets a working holiday visa for NZ/Aus/Canada; he’ll be then paying for expensive rent etc. or presume he could live cheaply with you and save up quicker but that is less interesting. Depends whether he wants the experience of working and living in another country, or save up quickly at home then do more travelling. He definitely doesn’t need any agency to get a working holiday visa and find work - just apply on relevant government website and find work directly. It’s nice you’re helping him but he really needs to decide what he wants to do.

Wow what harsh responses!
I wanted to work abroad at 22 and my parents helped me every step of the way, advising me, helping me find a placement, paying for my ticket!
And yet here I am, such a fully functioning adult who ended up staying in this country I travelled to, I hold an excellent job, have a lovely house and a happy family. It's almost like being supported by a loving family when I was young, fresh out of uni and making life changing decisions has worked in my favour and not screwed me up for life .....
OP when I did it, I went through an agency who found me somewhere to work and live in advance. I was coming into this country, and I did pay the agency up front but it wasn't a significant sum. It was great though as I was placed with another traveller and we have been lifelong friends as a result.

I left the UK Alone at 21 with dreams of Working abroad... 7 Years later I finally came Home! The best most amazing years! 100% recommend to your DS

Some horrible responses here. But good ones too thankfully.
OP, my lad left school with a handful of gcses. He worked locally in pubs and kichens. Earned money then would go off travelling here and there. Pre brexit there were places that would employ him as a chef. Mainly he just travelled on the cheap for a few weeks at a time.
He eventually settled in a European city, working his way up to managing a couple of those big Irish bars.
I don't know how complicated that would be now there is no longer freedom of movement in the EU. I imagine visas will be necessary, although that would apply anyway in non EU countries. He has residency where he is now.
I did tend to leave him to get on with things, but always available to chat about it, come to his rescue (not yet been necessary 🤞)
Best of luck to you and him 💐

@InAMillion
That is such a mean and spiteful post.
Totally out of order.

Harsh but possibly true.

Your ds needs to work this out for himself.

Blimey, is there a full moon?!
thanks for all the helpful comments.
truth is, he doesn’t know what he wants to do-with anything. Can’t decide on a career and that’s what’s making him feel down.
as his mum(no matter how old he is) it’s my job to support him, so I’m just looking at ideas for him.
he wants to travel but can’t afford to without saving first, so I suggested a working holiday type thing. He seemed excited by the idea and asked me to research it for him

I suggested a working holiday type thing. He seemed excited by the idea and asked me to research it for him

And there's the problem. He's not prepared to do the research/legwork himself. You're not doing him any favours. Tell.him that,if he wants to do a working holiday, he needs to research it himself.

Australia, New Zealand and Canada have schemes for young people to work BUT you may need to prove you have a reasonable sum in the bank for back up for Canada I think it's $2500. Plus the cost of the airfare and visa.

I did my gap year at an outdoor educational place in the UK and once we finished the year lots of us went to Uni but others did similar work abroad becoming ski and diving instructors, Camp America, working in other outdoor educational places in France, Spain, Italy and the US some have made it into their career and have been traveling and instructing for 20+ years.

One of our kids around that age wanted to move to the usa - possibly becuse they had an American OH. We were hurt as we'd not see them as often but told them to do as they wish but reminded them they had a great job and prospects here but it was their choice, You dont want to get blamed for life by stopping you kid/s going somewhere else especially another country. Guess what, our kid never went abroad to live but got a job that involved travelling the world - now older and settled they work from home and may do a couple of trips to one of their HQ in another country

My in-laws did not want their GC to go and blamed us for not trying to stop our kid

dont try to stop them as you will get the blame for the rest of your life if things dont work out here

Would he consider working on a cruise ship?

They employ people from all over the world in entry level positions.

Your DS will need to get some sort of a job at home before going anywhere, as he will need a reference. Flipping burgers, sweeping hair in a salon, janitor at a local pool - anything g is better than nothing.

Europe is sadly out now due to Brexit but he can get a working holiday visa for Australia/New Zealand and Canada. He could also do a TEFL and work in Asia or somewhere similar.
A family member went to Korea for a year TEFL and has never come home. Lives there permanently and married to a local. Absolutely loves it

Summer camps in US are a good place to start.

Agree that TEFL or a working holiday visa for Australia or New Zealand or Canada might suit.

OP I thought everyone was being unnecessarily rude to you, until I read your latest update. If he's 21 and can't even do some basic research he really shouldn't be going abroad! It's OK for him to come up with ideas and ask for your opinion. But ordering you to research it.. well... you're not his PA!

Given his age working holiday visas are a good idea. The hospitality and agricultural industries have seasonal vacancies, he can work on cruise ships, etc.

Has he got any work experience?

OP - ignore the arses on here. of course you would canvas help and advise on such a huge forum as mumsnet which can help enormously.

i don’t have advise myself, but don’t feel bad about discarding the unhelpful responses, and using the ones that give constructive advice,

Sadly a lot of mumsnetters think parenting stops at 16, never mind 18, and can’t perceivably think that you are a parent all their lives and want to help them.

A degree helps what? Ensures you get a job at the end of it? Absolutely not. I know plenty of kids with degrees who can’t get a job in their subject.

Working TEFL. So calm yourself.

He needs some money behind him first…..maybe save a few thousand….he will need his airfare…..a years travel insurance and his flight and sufficient funds to support him for a few months …..my son went to Australia at 20 …..he went to Perth….signed up with an agency and worked out in the gold mines ……3 weeks on…..3 weeks off( when he travelled)…..he then went to Canada….signed up for another agency…….but wouldn’t have been possible to do this before arriving…..he ended up working for a national hazard waste disposal firm……so 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off……giving him plenty of travel time…..alll his flights to site and board and accommodation were paid