Many students don't want to start an apprenticeship or college right after graduating. Plenty of them are thirsting for a year abroad instead. Even if you've only just got your diploma in your pocket, you can still start a year abroad right afterward.
You have several options for how you want to spend your gap year after school.
Just lying around is certainly not what you're hoping for. Working in a host country and exploring it is much more exciting.
That's one of the reasons so many people are drawn abroad to gather experience there.

Work & travel

Working in a country and learning something about it sounds pretty exciting right away.
Whether looking after guests or helping out on a farm, there are dozens of possible jobs you can do in all kinds of countries. So spending a gap year after school in Norway or Chile is no longer just a dream.
With work & travel you receive either money or room and board for your work.
That gives you the chance to travel around the whole country and discover it for yourself, even if you start out with rather little capital.
Not only do you get some money, you can also improve your foreign language skills, which always looks good on a resume.

Volunteering

During your gap year after school you can also help out where help is urgently needed.
You can travel to Asia or Africa, for example, and lend a hand on various projects.
Work in nature conservation or healthcare sounds quite interesting and is also varied.
Here you can help out for a few weeks or for a longer period and learn something about foreign cultures.

Gap year after school

A gap year after school as an au pair

Another option would be going abroad as an au pair. Then you go straight to a host family in all kinds of countries.
During your stay you also help take care of the children and the whole family, and you don't just improve your language skills. You learn much more there and even receive a small allowance for your stay.
If you don't want to stay a whole year, you can also start as an au pair in the summer to look after the children in the host families for 4 months.

Internship abroad or a language trip instead?
A gap year after school is also possible as an internship abroad or a language trip.
With an internship abroad you work in a foreign country and get a picture of everyday working life there.
Depending on your field of interest, you can go to all kinds of countries.
If you'd rather just improve your language skills, a language trip is better. You learn where the language is spoken and can use it outside of the language school too.