Every year, thousands of young people graduate from high school and university with polished résumés, impressive transcripts, and deep academic knowledge. But while they may be well-versed in theory, our schools often fall short in teaching the ways of working, the unspoken skills, behaviours, and instincts required to thrive in a real-world environment.

Many step into the workplace only to realise that success demands far more than subject matter expertise. It requires adaptability, social intelligence, and a deep understanding of how people collaborate, communicate, and get things done across different contexts.

The transition from theory to practice is not a straight line, it’s a journey. It demands confidence, flexibility, and the ability to navigate unfamiliar situations. Yet even the brightest minds often find themselves paralysed, not by a lack of talent or drive, but by the pressure to get everything right immediately.

The modern work environment, especially in high-performance or corporate settings, rewards precision and speed. But the truth is, growth is a process. Success isn’t just about what you know, it’s about how you apply it, when to speak, when to listen, when to lead, and when to hold back. These instincts are refined over time, and they benefit from more than formal training. They are shaped by experience, especially the kind that challenges your assumptions and exposes you to different ways of life.

This is where travel becomes essential, not just a luxury, not just a reward after graduation, but a formative experience that should be encouraged and even integrated into how we prepare young people for the world. Because the truth is: There is no single “right” way to live or work. Yet many young people grow up steeped in one culture, one mindset, one set of rules.

Often, especially in the West, we’re conditioned to believe that productivity, hustle, and constant forward motion are the default expectations for life and career. But that perspective, while valuable in many ways, is not universal.

Travelling, especially while young and open-minded, provides a powerful reminder that there are other ways to live and thrive. Spend time in southern Europe and you’ll witness a radically different pace of life: Work is important, yes, but so is pleasure. Dining is not rushed. Coffee breaks are a ritual. Conversations are long and meaningful. Quality of life is not just an ideal; it’s woven into the culture.

And yet, business gets done. Deals are made. Innovation happens. But there’s a different rhythm, one that prioritises balance, community, and human connection. For a young person who has only known the high-speed grind of their home culture, experiencing this contrast can be transformational. It teaches that success doesn’t always look like 80-hour workweeks or constantly chasing the next title. Sometimes, success is also knowing how to make time for the life.

Equally important are the interactions that happen along the way — talking to people whose lives look nothing like your own; listening to their stories; observing how they solve problems, manage time, communicate, and find purpose. These seemingly small moments help young people build empathy, cultural fluency, and global awareness.

We live in an increasingly interconnected world. The workforce is global. Teams span continents and time zones. Understanding how people from different backgrounds think, collaborate, and make decisions is no longer a “nice to have” concept, it’s essential. Travel is one of the best ways to gain that understanding, especially when it happens early in life, before habits and assumptions calcify.

It also cultivates the kind of personal growth that no university course can fully teach. Travel builds resilience. It tests your problem-solving skills when trains are missed or plans fall through. It teaches humility when you don’t speak the language or misread the social cues. It sharpens your curiosity and your creativity. It pushes you into discomfort and, in doing so, expands your capacity to adapt.

But travel isn’t just about movement, it’s about meaning. It’s not enough to check in, take the photo, and move on. You have to feel where you are. Stand beneath a 13th-century cathedral and appreciate the labour, intention, and reverence carved into every stone. Walk the same cobbled streets as the philosophers and poets who once debated life’s greatest questions in the public squares of Florence, Athens, or Granada. Wander through the Palace at Versailles and imagine the centuries of diplomacy, excess, and revolution it has witnessed. Step into the Duomo in Milan or Florence and look up — really look up — at what generations of artisans built with their hands and their faith. Visit an old perfumery in Grasse or Seville, and inhale not just the scent, but the legacy of craftsmanship passed down through families and time.

Don’t curate your journey for Instagram, live it! Put down the phone. Step into the rhythm of the place. Eat where the locals eat, not where the influencers go. Ask questions. Listen deeply. Respect the history, the silence, the architecture, the stories embedded in the bricks and brushstrokes. That’s where transformation lives.

The world is a classroom far richer than any textbook. It’s where intellect meets instinct. Where you discover not just what’s out there, but who you are within it.

So if you’re a parent, educator, or mentor, encourage the young people in your life to see the world. And if you’re a student or recent graduate reading this, don’t wait for permission. Go. Explore. Listen. Learn. Not just from books, but from people and places that challenge what you think you know. Because the world is bigger than your hometown, bigger than your degree, and far more complex, beautiful, and full of wisdom than you can ever know, until you go and see it for yourself.

And once you do, you won’t just return more cultured, you’ll return changed. Wiser, softer, stronger, ready not just to succeed in the world, but to understand it.

PS: If you’re in Kingston, take the first step right at home. Make time to visit the French, Spanish, and German embassies, or the European Union Headquarters. They often offer work, study, and travel programmes specifically designed for young people. Explore what’s available, you might find your next big opportunity starts with a simple conversation.

Lisa Hanna is Member of Parliament for St Ann South Eastern, People’s National Party spokesperson on foreign affairs and foreign trade, and a former Cabinet member

Lisa Hanna