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Sales of gap year travel insurance have nearly doubled over the last year according to American Express Insurance. Although this statistic relates specifically to the 30 to 50 year old bracket, it could affect the planning of any of you looking for a gap year job in the coming months.

The figures are backed up by gap year travel companies who are also reporting that the average age of the extended holiday customer is on the increase. Brand manager Lauren Mackay at Gap Year For Grownups has said that they have seen a 20 per cent rise in gap year bookings from older people.

It is thought that the huge increase in interest in a year-off travelling could be down to older people being made redundant taking time out to improve their CVs by broadening their horizons. The competition from the older-than-traditional traveller might make it even more important than ever before to prepare early if you are planning to find a gap year job to fund your travels abroad.

It is not just those being made redundant who are realising the importance of gap year travel either. Employers too are thinking it might be a good idea to select the best candidates from this year’s crop of graduates but pay them not to start until next year. At the beginning of March a number of city law firms offered cash incentives to trainees to take a year out during the recession before taking up training with them. Norton Rose offered £10,000 and Penningtons, Baker & McKenzie and DLA Piper all offered its trainees £5,000 to defer - although not all of them stipulated how the money must be spent.

So, if you need to ensure that you can fund your overseas travel with a gap year job - at a time when more people are in the market for one - please head to our Temporary and Gap Year Job search page early enough to secure one.