Gap Year in Madrid Spain - Career Break - 1

Why participate in AIL Madrid's Career Break program?

 Taking time out from your work trajectory gives you a break from the stresses of work life and could allow you to sort out any questions you may have regarding your life plan, or open the door to changing your professional or personal career. Career breaks are today growing more and more popular and are gradually becoming more appreciated by employers. 

AIL Madrid´s Career Break Program offers several flexible career break options in Madrid and other European cities, as well as throughout South and Central America.

Those who make the decision to participate in an AIL Madrid Career Break program do so for various reasons. Some do it for personal reasons, such as to change their current life routines, broaden their horizons or experience something new and exciting. Others do it for professional reasons, where their job demands the development of additional language skills or they wish to prepare a brighter and more interesting CV to apply for a new position.

Which benefits will you enjoy by taking a career break?

Gap Year in Madrid Spain - Career Break - 2Personal Benefits

Taking time out to be embedded in a different culture, learn a foreign language and travel presents a multitude of opportunities to develop personality and acquire valuable life skills, like intercultural understanding and communication, improved decision making capacities, and social values. Dealing with new and unknown situations and foreign cultures will help you to broaden your horizons and view many things from a different and more innovative perspective.

In addition, if you are a little tired or bored of the work routine inherent in working in the same position for a long period of time and find your motivation is fading, a pause to participate in AIL Madrid’s Career Break program could simply allow you to recharge your batteries in order to get back to work renewed and fresh, increasing your efficiency and ability to focus.

 
Gap Year in Madrid Spain - Career Break - 3Professional Benefits

Many employers today value the fact that their employees are willing to take a career break and are even including it in their work schedules. Participating in an AIL Madrid Career Break program will demonstrate to your employer that you are capable of taking risks and making important decisions.

Lifelong learning is a key concept in today’s job world. Travelling to a foreign country in order to gain additional language skills demonstrates that you are not afraid to learn new things or take the initiative to do so. On the AIL Madrid Career Break program you will have the opportunity to learn Spanish, one of the most spoken languages of the world.

Your employer will appreciate all that you bring back to work with you.  Besides the language skills, you are certain to return refreshed, with new inputs, and increased self confidence.


How does the AIL Madrid Career Break program work?

Gap Year in Madrid Spain - Career Break - 4Flexibility

AIL Madrid´s Career Break program offers flexibility in all respects. Not everyone may be able to skip out of his / her work routine for a whole year. For this reason, our career break program starts with 12-week time period, which can be expanded individually for up to one year.

It is important for us that participants can choose what they specifically would like to add on to their programs. For this reason, you may select the career break module that best suits you.
 
You can freely choose to:
  • become fluent in Spanish and experience life in Madrid
  • combine learning Spanish in Madrid with travelling and learning Spanish in another city in either Spain or Latin America
  • combine learning Spanish in Madrid with learning another language (e.g. a French course in Paris)
  • combine learning Spanish in Madrid with gaining the DELE certificate (internationally accredited)
  • combine learning Spanish in Madrid with taking Spanish dance (Flamenco, Sevillanas, Danza Espanola,...) or Latin dance (Salsa, Merengue,…) classes

Accommodation

AIL Madrid ensures that all accommodation on your career break is: 
  • Centrally located – All accommodation available through AIL Madrid is located within a 10-30 minute travelling distance of the school, in good areas, and close to metro / train stations and bus routes.
  • Carefully selected – Accommodation is selected for a warm, friendly atmosphere, good facilities, and clean, comfortable surroundings.
  • Regularly inspected – AIL Madrid’s career break advisors regularly inspect accommodation premises to ensure high standards are maintained.
  • Good value for money – Madrid can be quite an expensive place to stay. We have specially negotiated lower rates for AIL Madrid career break student accommodation.
AIL Madrid offers three types of accommodation for its career break participants:

Spanish family stay – Staying with a Spanish host family is the best way to develop your social Spanish skills and practise what you learn in the classroom while you are on a career break program in Madrid.
 
Shared flats – AIL Madrid has shared flats available, all in excellent locations.

Individual apartments – Especially for our career breakers AIL Madrid also offers individual apartments.

Prices

Courses and Modules

The standard career break price is 3,180€ and includes a 12-week Spanish course at 140€ / week, accommodation at 125€ / week (for 12 weeks in a single room of a shared flat), as well as other AIL Madrid services such as an Airport Pick-Up Service, a welcome dinner and Welcome Information Package, and Social Activities Package.

Prices for all other career break options vary depending on your module selection and so you are invited to discuss your individual options with a career break advisor.

Accommodation

Family stays – The weekly prices for family stay accommodation are 175€ (single room) and 160€ (double room)

Shared flats – The weekly prices for a room in a shared flat are 125€ (single room) and 110€ (double room)

Individual apartments – The monthly price for accommodation in an individual apartment starts from 800€. The exact price and arrangement is subject to your specific requirements and needs. For this reason, we require at least four weeks to arrange this type of accommodation and stipulate that the apartment to be rented for a minimum period of three months.

If you have any questions or need more information about the career break program please contact us!