ABOUT now thousands of young people will be leaving university at the end of their studies to take time off on a gap year.

This will probably involve travelling somewhere exotic, possibly relying financially on generous parents who see this experience as an educational experience before the need to settle down to a job.

Admittedly, some will supplement or even pay for this year via paid work, at home or abroad, and there’s no denying that it can be an enriching experience.

Many may also work in the Third World, trying to make a difference.

Unfortunately, gap years are also seen as a way of indulging in a spot of escapism before the real world of work kicks in.

More importantly, as one business expert pointed out last week, there are far better ways to help towards a decent career.

Sandie Okoro, global lead lawyer for HSBC Asset Management, told the Girls’ Day School Trust conference that spending a year working in, for example, JD Sports also offered an opportunity for valuable learning.

She pointed out that around a decade ago, “companies and universities welcomed youngsters who had experienced gap years because it gave them ideas of what life is like.”

But, she felt that now gap years had become the norm on CVs and that “Actually spending a year at JD Sports and maybe moving up to supervisor is just as significant and should be valued.”

She stated that many business skills could be learned from the service industry; she worked in Marks & Spencer herself as a teenager.

“You have to work hard, you have to turn up on time, you have to deal with the general public, you’ve got to tidy up afterwards,” she explained.

Certainly, when you study the lives of the self-made and successful there is a trait of early hard work and achievement that sets a template for their business future.

Today, employers value a spread of skills and life experiences and, arguably, a gap year can you give this.

However, knuckling down to an ordinary job to gain work experience and earn some money can impress would-be employers more because they know that here is someone who grasps the whole idea of hard work.

And an understanding of how the working day runs, getting on with fellow employees and their own place in the bigger picture can hone ambition like no other force.