Members of a new Travel Apprenticeship Board have been announced.
The board, established by skills management specialist, People 1st, and recognised by government, includes five employer members who will ensure the industry’s apprenticeships stay “fit for purpose”.
They include: Ben Bouldin, associate vice president and managing director UK & Ireland, Royal Caribbean International; Emma Metcalf, qualifications delivery manager – talent programmes, Thomas Cook; Julia Assock, head of learning & development, Reed & Mackay; Linda Ginger, global head of sales training, STA Travel; and Nicky Duffy, head of operations, Clarity Travel Management.
The creation of the board comes amid estimates the travel sector will need 53,000 skilled staff by 2024 to operate effectively and remain competitive. In addition to the employer members, the board also includes non-voting representatives from Abta and GTMC.
Annette Allmark, director of strategic policy at People 1st said: “We were delighted to see such a fantastic range of nominations from businesses across the industry wanting an influential role in the future of travel apprenticeships.
“It’s important to stress that while the board includes five industry representatives, all employers are encouraged to engage with its members and People 1st to help drive quality apprenticeships.”
Vicki Wolf, partnerships manager (Education) at Abta said: “We are delighted to join the new Travel Apprenticeship Board and look forward to working with the new board members.
“Abta and a number of key members have been heavily involved in the development of the travel apprenticeship and we will continue to work to ensure that the travel industry plays a leading role in the governance of the new apprenticeship.
“The Travel Apprenticeship Board will play a vital role in ensuring that the new generation of apprentices meet the high standards we have set.”