Carefully chosen, the cunning gapper can prove their altruism, polish their CV and get a tan. Prince William's antipodean jaunt is thought to be no more than an extended holiday. The budding art historian is rumoured to be spending time at a London auctioneers, experiencing the world of commerce. The young royal is also expected to prepare for his other future occupations, getting to grips with both the kingdom of Wales and life in the Welsh Guards. Though few gappers have such glittering careers in prospect, it can pay to dip a toe into the world of work, says Mr Griffith.
Recruiters fear more than a third of graduates are poor at building such relationships.
Of course many gappers seek employment not to fill their CV, but to fill their bank accounts. With one in five college applicants deciding to cut costs and stay at home, gappers hoping to finance a flight from the nest have their work cut out, quite literally. Higher learning Taking time to reconsider their university career may be the best thing many gappers do in their year out. A Local Government Association inquiry into the current school year has suggested that applying for university places before exams results skews the whole process. Armed with their actual results, gappers may well be more able to set their sights on the exact course and university to suit them.