▁academ ics ▁and ▁cler ics ▁but ▁are ▁now ▁being ▁increasing ly ▁offered ▁by ▁companies . ▁ ▁A ▁career ▁break ▁is ▁not ▁simply ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁un emp loyment . ▁Career ▁break ers ▁usually ▁do ▁one ▁or ▁more ▁of ▁the ▁following : ▁ ▁Tra vel ▁ ▁Vol unt ary ▁work ▁ ▁Pa id ▁work ▁abroad ▁ ▁Stud ying ▁or ▁training ▁ ▁Career ▁development ▁and ▁business ▁start ▁up ▁ ▁Of fer ing ▁pal li ative ▁care ▁ ▁R ais ing ▁children ▁ ▁St ay ing ▁up - to - date ▁with ▁( prof ession ▁related ) ▁news ▁ ▁Rec over ing ▁from ▁acc idents ▁or ▁ill ness es ▁ ▁Us age ▁The ▁career ▁break ▁has ▁grown ▁in ▁popular ity ▁over ▁the ▁last ▁several ▁years , ▁with ▁ 7 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁work force ▁currently ▁considering ▁a ▁career ▁break . ▁Every ▁year , ▁around ▁ 9 0 , 0 0 0 ▁profession als ▁are ▁estimated ▁to ▁take ▁a ▁career ▁break . ▁It ▁is ▁most ▁common ▁in ▁the ▁UK , ▁where ▁it ▁grew ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁gap ▁year ▁concept . ▁The ▁career ▁break ▁is ▁sometimes ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁an ▁' ad ult ▁gap ▁year ', ▁which ▁reflect s ▁the ▁commit ment ▁towards ▁developing ▁skills ▁and ▁gain ing ▁experience ▁while ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁work force . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁USA ▁a ▁career ▁break ▁is ▁generally ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁a ▁' s abb at ical '. ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁ ▁G ap ▁year ▁ ▁S abb at ical ▁year ▁ ▁Le ave ▁of ▁absence ▁ ▁On -