You’re freshly graduated, Pomp and Circumstance still ringing in your ears, and as the echoes of the inspiring speeches about the future begin to fade, you realize you have to figure out what to do next. The first logical step is to apply. Apply for jobs, apply your degree, apply yourself to solving life’s big puzzle of “What do I do from here?”
And maybe you apply with ELIC.
You'll be equipped and sent overseas to teach English in amazing places where English education can empower students to build their careers in a global economy. English can play a huge role in accessing further education and job opportunities, equipping English learners to help their families and communities in beautiful ways. Cross-cultural community widens our perspectives and helps us learn from one another’s cultural differences.
If that vision resonates with you, take a look at these reasons why ELIC might be the perfect next step for you as a recent college graduate.
You're Still Establishing Your Career
For many recent college graduates, your career path isn't set in stone yet. At this point in your life, teaching overseas wouldn’t mean leaving a job where you’re already established. And the momentum of your degree, even if it’s not in education, rolls naturally into our programs. You’ll receive training designed to equip new teachers with or without an education background, and this includes a graduate-level TESOL certificate.
If you were already considering a career in education, this is a powerful way to use your degree. If you don’t know what you want to do next, ELIC gives you a chance to start something new with the support of over forty years of experience. And if you have a plan for your career but want to make a difference and widen your perspective before you settle down, this will give you a chance to expand your experience of the world for a year or more without interrupting a career already in motion.
You’ll Get Experience AND Ongoing Education
It’s a puzzle as old as time: which comes first? You need the job to get experience, but you need experience to get the job! On top of that, you know that a master’s degree could give you a real competitive edge when applying for jobs (in overseas teaching or elsewhere). But you’ve been in school for over a decade already. Maybe you’re feeling ready to start something new. Going with ELIC gives you a chance to get started, get experience, and get your master’s all at once. Our partner universities offer discounted master’s degrees online while you teach overseas.
You Don’t Have Kids Just Yet
This may not be true of everyone, and you can absolutely still work with ELIC if you have kids! Our teams are full of wonderful families, and resourcing them is an important priority for us. But with any new endeavor, it can be nice to start simply and then add layers of complexity as you get some experience. By starting now as a young single or couple, you can get comfortable navigating your host culture, managing a teaching schedule, and working with your team before you add the beautiful challenge of raising kids to the mix.
You Are Relatable
There is a lot to be said for the skills and wisdom that come from years of experience, but there is no rushing that process. In the meantime, you’ll relate to your students’ lives in college (or even K-12) far more closely than your more experienced teammates. While so much about your life and cultural experience will be different from your students, there are some educational experiences that are universal, Things like:
- Coping with social pressure to succeed
- Making new friends
- Dealing with the frustration of low exam scores
- Dreaming about the future
At this stage of your life, you are especially well equipped to empathize and encourage students experiencing these exciting moments and challenges. Your understanding can be a valuable tool in your classroom.
You’ll Gain a Wider Perspective
Whether you teach overseas for a few years or the rest of your career, your life will be impacted by the wide-lens global perspective that comes with living cross-culturally. You’ll see your own culture with fresh eyes and learn from your host culture as well. Understanding a variety of cultural approaches can help you problem solve in all kinds of situations by evaluating what is most effective beyond just what is familiar. As a foreigner in your host country, you’ll likely build a community of more than just your team and local national students and colleagues. You’ll make friends with expats from all over the world!
Heading overseas to teach and impact lives (your own and others) is a powerful choice to make in any phase of life. But right now, as you stand on the cusp of the rest of your life after college, you have a unique opportunity to discover how this experience will deepen and enrich every upcoming phase of your life.
So what will be your next step?
