Taking a gap year or having time off between the end of secondary school and the beginning of college has grown in popularity among secondary school learners. According to a survey conducted by the American Gap Association five years ago, the top reasons school leavers took a gap year were to gain life experiences and grow personally (92%), to travel and experience other cultures (85%), and to take a break from the academic track (82%)1.
Tan Chin Ean, a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering student from INTI International College Penang.
Whereas for local students in Malaysia, their reasons were partly due to not being able to decide what they wanted to pursue for further studies. Some of them also opted to get some work experiences and earn some money for their advanced education or even to travel the world before committing to full time study.
Coming from a modest family, Tan Chin Ean, 18, shared that the main reason why he took a gap year after his SPM examinations in 2019 was because he wanted to be employed and save up some money before enrolling into college. Being the youngest in the family, although his parents had told him not to worry about financing his tertiary studies, he decided to work for a year to cover his daily expenses in college.
“I tried my best to ease my parents’ financial load as we solely depend on my dad’s income, who works as a salesman with an average pay,” said Tan who hails from Sungai Petani, Kedah, and recently enrolled into INTI International College Penang’s Diploma in Mechanical Engineering programme.
Before his SPM results were released, Tan worked in a plastics manufacturing factory dealing with product packaging. “My wages were calculated based on each piece of work I completed, and my highest record was earning RM150 in a day, after putting in as much concentration and speed as I could. Overall, the job was purely manual labour that didn’t require much brain work,” explained Tan, who completed his secondary education at SMK Dato Bijaya Setia, Sungai Petani, Kedah.
“Being a factory labourer, I realised how important it was to acquire high demand skill sets in order to excel in the job market. Although I had been appointed as a team leader in the packaging line, I didn’t have the right skills in managing people, and I ended up doing most of the chores myself as I couldn’t convince my teammates to work diligently with self-discipline,” confessed Tan.
He further expressed his thoughts, “I do not regret working in a factory as I have earned sufficient money to pay for my daily expenses, at least for more than half a year. However, if a person does not have financial issues, they should start their tertiary education as early as possible, for time is precious. For those who are not clear about what they would like to do, taking a gap year to explore your interests may be more advisable.”
Dyu Kristian Jian Hua, an American Degree Transfer Program student from INTI International College Subang.
Tan chose his field of study and tertiary education institution after seeking the opinion of a counselling teacher at his secondary school.
“I secured 3As in Mathematics, Science and Domestic Electrical Appliances Servicing during my SPM. I have a strong interest in STEM and I chose to study Mechanical Engineering at INTI as they are established in this field,” said Tan who aims to be a mechanical engineering designer.
After leaving the academic track for a year, Tan admitted that he needs to put in extra effort to pick up the momentum, which includes time for self-study and revision beyond the lecture hours. By gaining core competencies in his area of interest, Tan hopes that after completing his two-and-a-half-year diploma, he will be able to continue a degree programme at INTI.
Dyu Kristian Jian Hua, 22, who took a gap year after completing his Cambridge IGCSE studies, said, “I stopped pursuing academic studies for a year, to think about what I wanted to do with my life, with the hope of finding the right direction.”
During that particular year, which he called a “year for exploration”, Dyu bravely tried out several fields – animation, mobile telecommunication or even automotive, to test out if he would like to work in these areas.
“I found out that animation wasn’t that easy for me, even though I am an art lover, as creating artworks is very different from loving arts. I then went on to work in a gadget store, while thinking of what I wanted to do in the future,” said Dyu, who achieved five credits for his Cambridge IGCSE results.
“After watching a short video on how a car works, I realised it could be something I would like to do. I thought then that I could learn about cars. I had gained a decent amount of hands-on experience by being a mechanic. But, it didn’t work out too well either,” shared Dyu, frankly.
While he was searching for the right direction to take, Dyu’s uncle who studied at INTI International College Subang, recommended INTI’s American Degree Transfer Program. Because of its flexible nature, it would enable Dyu to explore a wide range of courses, and also provide him an opportunity to travel abroad for his studies.
Upon enrolling with INTI, Dyu realised that he wanted to pursue a good future with high academic achievements. This feeling was so strong that he promised to put in his best efforts to achieve his goal.
“After taking a gap year, I was slower in picking up my studies. However, this hasn’t stopped me from wanting to achieve my life goals,” shared a determined Dyu.
As for Krisna Raaj Santharathas, 22, he took a gap year to backpack in India, calling it a “soul-searching” year for himself.
“I took a year off just because I felt that I needed to gather some work experiences, and I needed to experience life more and find my path from there.”
When asked if it was worth not continuing his studies immediately after completing his secondary education, Krisna answered affirmatively.
“Yes, I have gained valuable life experiences that most of my peers lack. These experiences are vital for my growth,” said the Certificate in Information Technology student who just enrolled in INTI International College Subang a few months ago.
“After I enrolled in college, I find that I am more mature and able to pursue my goal. I still retain a part-time job while studying. However, I can now give my full concentration towards my education without being distracted by unfulfilled desires,” shared Krisna.
These students shared a few common thoughts and messages from their experiences, namely that time is precious for any school leaver. They advise that where possible, it’s best not to waste time during this transition point. Keep on learning, even though opting to take a gap year from the academic track. Take charge of your life. Maximize your time to learn something new that adds value to your personal growth.
1 Gap Years: What Does the Research Say?, Student Conservation Association, thesca.org.