Students believe their career prospects would have been improved by a stint working or studying abroad

Many people believe their career prospects would have been improved by a stint working or studying abroad, a poll has suggested.Almost four in five UK adults (79%) have not lived or studied overseas for six months or more, according to the British Council survey.Of these, more than a third (34%) said they believed that they would have had better job prospects if they had done so.

The survey, which questioned 2,114 UK adults between October 5 and 7, found that young people were most likely to feel they had missed out.More than half of the 18 to 24-year-olds who had not lived abroad said they believed their careers would be better if they had done so.Dr Jo Beall, the British Council's director of education and society, said: The good news is that this poll shows people are beginning to recognise how vital international skills are for enhancing their career.Research last year revealed that more UK employers look for international awareness and experience above academic qualifications.But the bad news is that not enough people in the UK are taking opportunities to gain international experience. That needs to change if the UK will successfully compete in the global economy.