It's coming round to the end of August now and for many people that means starting school or starting university. However, in the UK this year, it's going to be very difficult for a lot of students because there are no places at university, so for this week's podcastsinenglish.com we're going to suggest a possible solution to the problem.
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Richard: Well, it's coming round to the end of August now and for many people that means starting school or starting university. However, in the UK this year, it's going to be very difficult for a lot of students because there are no places at university, so for this week's podcastsinenglish.com we're going to suggest a possible solution to the problem.
Jackie: Mmm. Richard slightly exaggerated when he said there were no places at university but this year the number of courses available is been dramatically lower than it has been. Erm… 2010 there are only um… 18,500 courses available.
Richard: At UK universities.
Jackie: At UK universities. Yeah that's true. Compared to 32,000 courses that were vacant last year.
Richard: And 180,000 students have applied apparently.
Jackie: Yeah. And one of the reasons why there is this big problem is that in general there are more people applying to go to university, it's much more of the norm for a 17 or 18 year old to think that they'll carry on their education and go to university which they didn't do in the past.
Richard: Yes. And they all get 'A' grades now at school it seems so everybody wants to go to university.
Jackie: That's the other part of the problem is that… that students are getting better marks. Erm… so it's been suggested that the students who fail to get on a degree course, they should take up volunteering - partly to improve their CV and also because it's an interesting life experience.
Richard: A lot of people take a year off between school and university, travel the world, have a good time, but it's suggested now people making better use of that time by volunteering for charities [is a good thing].
Jackie: Yes. Working for a charity basically without receiving a… without receiving a salary. And a very popular organisation that… that um… young people turn to is one called Raleigh.
Richard: Right
Jackie: Erm… and they have um… a number of courses around the world, not everywhere around the world though, is it?
Richard: So where do they… where do they operate?
Jackie: Erm… Malaysia.
Richard: Right
Jackie: Costa Rica and Nicaragua and they have a lot of projects in India as well.
Richard: OK. So you apply… you have to apply for a place I take it.
Jackie: Mmm mm.
Richard: And how long um…
Jackie: Well, they're not… they’re not long the courses, if you only want to go for a short time, you can go for about three and a half weeks. Most of them are about 5 or 10 week projects.
Richard: Right. And you help the local people... building schools...
Jackie: And there's lots of clearing paths and forests or um… installing water tanks and pumps and things like that.
Richard: And is it right that they actually have to pay for the pleasure of doing the work?
Jackie: Yeah. They actually have to um… fundraise before they go. A three and a half week course actually costs one and a half thousand pounds. And if you want to go for ten weeks, it costs… you have to pay three thousand pounds to do this plus your flight. So, if the… if the students haven't got a place at university having done their exams, um… then maybe next year they're going to be, well may be able to get into university a second time…
Richard: Mmm
Jackie: …but also be able to go straight into employment because they’ve done this kind of thing.
Richard: Good for the CV.
Jackie: Good for the CV.
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