Parminder Mudhar, marketing executive, Universal Studios Escape
Education: nine 0′ levels, three A’ levels, BA (Hons) accounting and finance, CAM certificate.
First travel job: joined the European head office of global distribution system supplier Sabre Europe in 1996 as marketing services executive to help look after the marketing needs of the company’s European offices, organise trade shows, promotional activities, literature needs, and helping to manage the customer loyalty scheme, the Stars Club.
Career path: made redundant from Sabre in April 1998, after 16 months in the job. Found a job almost immediately at Universal Studios Escape as marketing executive. This is the first office set up outside of the US and Parminder joined at a time when the office had just opened. One of her first jobs involved helping to launch the Universal Studios Islands of Adventure theme park. Her role also involves being the marketing contact for the European office, focusing on travel industry marketing activities.
Advice for people wishing to develop a career in travel: “Think about whether the job and the product is something you can be enthusiastic about and where you know you can pick up new skills – all experience is good experience. Make sure you can motivate yourself no matter what position you’re in because in the travel industry when you work hard, you really work hard. The travel industry is a really fun industry to be in so if you’re not having a good time and can’t keep positive here, then travel is probably not for you.”