Working abroad may seem like a far-off dream in today’s economy, but according to TravelWorks, a tour operator specialised in foreign job placements, a working gap year in southern Europe is a realistic way for the 18-35 set to evade the financial crisis whilst gaining international experience.

Despite a downturn in the southern European tourism industry, job placements remain ample for short-term hotel and restaurant workers, especially during the summer high season. For gap year travellers, this means there is no shortage of temporary jobs in palm-fringed Mediterranean destinations.

“Spain has always been a tourist magnet, and the hotels need workers, especially in the summer months,” says Jennifer Tick, programme coordinator for Spain, Portugal, and Italy with TravelWorks. “We have no problem placing participants in hotel jobs in southern Europe.”

Once abroad, TravelWorkers in Spain, Italy, and Portugal are provided with a set job placement, room and board, travel advice, a local 24-hour emergency number, and a preparatory language course. In return for their work, participants earn modest monthly wages to offset their travel expenses.

Short-term work abroad can also yield long-term rewards, allowing participants to add language skills and international experience to their CVs, qualifications increasingly sought by employers at home. Aside from its practical advantages, working overseas is also the experience of a lifetime for many participants.

“My stay abroad was absolutely outstanding,” said Dima Argyriadou, who worked abroad in Fuerteventura. “I also learned a great deal, whether it was various computer programmes or simply Spanish customs and manners. These three months were the most exciting of my whole life.”