Many options for a productive use of summer vacations

Dubai - If used wisely, the long summer break can help enhance life skills.

The summer break isn't just about taking long holidays abroad, hanging out with friends or binge-watching TV. Taking summer classes in university, completing a course, doing an internship or part-time job are all increasingly popular options.

Many international universities in the UAE offer a summer semester to its students, and summer camps are available for the younger ones. Summer internships and specialised courses are also available.

Sass Brown, founding dean of the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (Didi), said there are many benefits of summer classes.

"Lifelong learning is defined as the ongoing pursuit of knowledge for personal or professional reasons, and short summer courses are one of the best ways of doing it. Short courses are an easy way to augment your skill set, learn something new or simply have fun. They can formalise skills that benefit your work supporting your career development. They are a way of staying current on new innovations," Brown said. "They're a way to augment soft skills like communication, leadership and conflict resolution, which benefit your personal life as much as your professional. It shows an employer you are motivated and committed. They can give you a taste of an alternative career or help take a hobby to the next level."

Brown believes that, besides the professional benefits, summer courses are also a great source of inspiration in a usual business day. She said taking summer courses can also help fight any health implications that may arise. "We know there are vital health benefits in learning a new skill - it fights boredom and depression, introduces you to new people with similar interests, creates new neural pathways in the brain, can stave off dementia and make you a more interesting person," she said.

"Employers prefer to hire fresh graduates who can hit the ground running. Having the right qualifications in addition to business-friendly soft skills - something that you can only gain through the first-hand experience of the workplace - will significantly enhance your employment prospects.

"If you are facing any financial pressures, being able to earn a salary through part-time employment while you are enrolled at an academic institution can make a big difference to your standard of living," Brown added.

Part time jobs for students