Armando Said:

Does anyone know a good company to go with for a working gap year in australia?

We Answered:

Depends what you want to do.
Do you want to work with cattle on a station? Do you want to pick fruit?

I have heaps of contacts in the Kimberley area in the Cattle companies - I will check back later and see what it is you want to do in the way of work and let you know :)

Ethel Said:

Gap year working for disneyland resort in america, can anyone help me?!?

We Answered:

There isn’t a lot of free and easy information out there on gap years in the US. However, it is becoming more popular, and as I manage to gather information, I will share it here in this forum. In the past, I have said that there is nothing at all, but have been given some new info. Thus, my answer changed.

Depending on your nationality, there are a number of possible ways to take a gap year in the US. However, you’ll have to do a lot of your own research. If you are Australian, you can contact organizations like IEP or BUNAC, and they will help you for a fee. that will get the work visa for you, and help set you up with employment-finding resources, housing, and things like getting a bank account. Plus, there are frequent gatherings so it's easier to meet others and make friends. There are many young Brits that hang in Santa Monica, and the youth hostel on 2nd is almost totally staffed by gap years.

The age range varies from 18 to 34 depending on your nationality, & some adults take "gap year" breaks from their jobs. For Australians, there are no restrictions on the type of job they can take, and they can come for a whole year, so some of the older / more qualified Aussies can get real jobs or temp. But most will work in surf camps or go up to Mammoth or Big Bear to be ski / boarding instructors. Disneyland could also be an option.

If you go through a program like IEP, it will cost $1000 or more. But some people are able to navigate through all the red tape on their own. There are apparently a number of forums for this, so a Google search is recommended. I have heard of a New Zealand student who was able to get it done by going to the consulate’s office in NZ and applying. There is also a reciprocal agreement, so that Americans can do the same.

So it’s up to you if you want to pursue this. I have provided a link below to get you started.
http://www.iep.org.au/workusa/workusa.as…

Disneyland in Anaheim does not have an international program at this time, but Disney World in Florida does: https://www.disneyinternationalprograms.…

Pearl Said:

Should I take a gap year working at a ski resort?

We Answered:

Definitely take a gap year, i'm assuming you are meaning between high school and starting college.
It would be an awesome experience to do and gets you away from studying all the time and when you do go to college you will have a better idea of what you want from it.
I didn't take a gap year but really wished I had because 4 years at college is full on studying all the time.
Go for it.
You only ever regret things you didn't do

Nora Said:

Gap year - working for money - good idea?

We Answered:

Yes, it sounds like a good plan to me. I ended up working for about 6 months of my gap year, which helped some with university costs (and just spent another year working to save for a masters!) and having a full-time job for a while is never a bad idea.

I was just working for the money, but obviously this will give you the chance to explore something you think you'll enjoy - definitely worth going for I reckon!

I'd also advise you not to let your friends and family influence you too much, it's great to get their advice, but if estate agency ends up being your true calling, don't let anyone force you into doing something else that will make you miserable.

Don't get me wrong, *I* like university so much I keep going back for more education, but it's an awful lot of money to spend (and a big chunk of your life in your late teens/early twenties) if you're not going to be studying something you're genuinely interested in and/or you don't need a degree to pursue the career you want.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

Ken Said:

Australia - Gap year working?

We Answered:

Assuming you are from UK, many things will be similar. Electrical voltage is the same, so if you are bringing a charger for your mobile phone, hairdryer etc, they will work once you get a suitable adaptor, available at airport shops for about $12. The sockets are different out there, so you need a plug to fit.
They also drive on the left, same as in UK (I hired a car out there), but some of their Rules of the Road are slightly different - you always have to give way to traffic emerging from your right, for instance, even if you are on a major road and the other driver is coming from a very minor one.

http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/working-… gives details of all the requirements. Note that you will be allowed to stay in the one job for six months only. This suits most people taking a gap year, as a few months of working provides enough funding to take time off and see some of the country - and there is so much to see.

Many Australian banks have branches in UK. If you open an account before you leave, they might be able to arrange a new account in Sydney for your use while there.
http://www.google.ie/#hl=en&source=hp&q=…
I did this before my first visit to Australia many years ago. Any of their branches here could affirm whether you can still do this, or if guidelines have changed with anti money-laundering requirements.

I brought my own PAYG mobile phone and plenty of extra credit for my last visit, and used it for texting only. Making calls involved roaming charges and they were pricy. I saw cheap prepaid phones suitable for holiday travellers on sale, complete with a certain amount of credit, but an Australian sim card might be even more suitable.

Internet access is available free at many libraries - for some you need to become a member first. Skype is widely used - I have one contact there who uses it all the time.

If you have not booked the tickets yet, the cheapest times to travel are in their low season - May/June and November. If you go in November, you could bring sun block with you, or factor 40 sun protection, or you could buy it there.

You are unlikely to need more than a light jacket for their winters, as during this period it is somewhat like our late Spring - pleasant comfortable temperatures. Travel insurance is advisable, and it may be possible to combine basic travel insurance with medical cover.

If you are a tea lover, bring a stash. Theirs is not nearly as nice as UK brands. On my visits, I am always requested to please bring some.

Most of Australia does not benefit from a temperate climate like UK and the foods reflect that - meat, biscuits, many other items do not taste as good as at home. But part of the adventure is trying everything new.

Don't overload the luggage with clothing - you won't need half what you think you will. Summer wear is appropriate most of the year.

Enjoy the trip - you will want to go again!!

Wallace Said:

Has anyone been on a working gap year in australia?

We Answered:

Ozmaniac is right.
Don't go through a company, you don't need to, and you just end up spending money on something you could do yourself.
Save up, get your 1 year (backpacking) Working Holiday Visa off www.immi.gov.au or www.overseas-emigration.co.uk, (about 135 GBP is right), get a return flight Emirates or Singapore Airlines are both great (most airlines will let you change the return date for free the first time). Get yourself in a hostel in the city in Sydney or Melb or Brisbane and I promise you will make friends and have an awesome time.
Spend your time, travelling around, staying in backpackers/hostels and working casual/temp when you need to.
I'm from UK, I did exactly this and it was great!!!
If your keen to meet up with other irish backpackers, I came across a lot of irish in Brisbane and Sydney. So maybe go for one of those cities first. You'll be in a shared room/dorm in a backpackers, so you'll instantly make friends no worries.
Its not as scary as you think it may be.
Good agencies to try for work are PKL( they are great), Quay Appointments, Hays, Kelly Services, Michael Page, Chandler Mcleod, TNT and Hudson.
Avoid FreeSpirit, TAW, Geoffrey Nathan and any other job places/agencies that want you to pay for their services.
If you want to do hospitality bar/restaurant/cafe/club work, you will need an RSA certificate (1 day (Responsible Service of Alcohol) costs about $100. Everyone has to have one to work in hospitality in Aus.
Get a TFN (tax file number - this is the australian equivalent of a National insurance number).
You can get one off the ATO (Aus tax office) website (below).
You need this before you work.
If you get really lost/confused, Travellers Xpress are a company who help backpackers with all paperwork, TFN's, bank accounts etc. I've dealt with them, they are very good and legitimate. They have an office in every city on east coast.
YHA, BASE and YOUNG NOMADS are all great backpacker chains, in most of the Aus cities.
Be prepared to pay btwn $25 and $35 bucks a night for a dorm room bed.
Backpacking aint that cheap anymore, get yourself set up with a job pretty soon, or save heaps before you come!
Try Gumtree for Room/House shares and sometimes jobs. Beware, if something seems to good to be true, it prob is, lots of scams on gumtree, use your common sense to filter them out.
Get travel insurance, don't trust people trying to 'give away' jobs on the street or who want money off you for some 'special discount offer', theres a lot of scams aimed at backpackers in the big cities, because apparently we're gullible lol!
Be aware, get insurance, watch out for yourself and keep UK consulate/British embassy phone number in your mobile at all times, just in case.
Have an awesome time!
Email/contact me on yahoo, MSN, (username is same) me if you need any more help dude.