THOSE looking for their first job in travel will have to weigh up the pros and cons of training with a large organisation compared to an independent business.
One of the advantages of working for a big company is that it will have the expertise and finances to offer an integrated training programme, mostly carried out in-house.
Chameleon Training and Consultancy general manager Shoona Cooper said:”If you are starting out in travel you are going to get better integrated training from the larger organisations because they will put you through all the basic programmes such as Galileo training and British Airways fares and ticketing.”
She highlighted Going Places’ apprenticeship scheme for school leavers as one of the best travel agency training programmes. Trainees gain the National Vocational Qualification in Travel Services Levels 2 and 3.
“This gives people an excellent grounding in the industry,” said Cooper. The retail chain has just recruited an additional 300 young people to train over the next two years.
Cooper acknowledged that certain smaller companies also offered good training facilities. “There are some independent travel agencies that provide excellent training, but in general most can’t afford the time and money to take an integrated approach to training,” she said.
She said that as a result there was a movement in the industry towards shorter training programmes and self-study courses. A number of tourist organisations, such as the Australian Tourist Commission and the Pacific Asia Travel Association, have courses which staff can work their way through in their own time.
However, smaller companies claim that as they employ fewer staff they are able to take a more hands-on approach to training than their larger rivals. Bath Travel holds an intensive week-long induction at its head office for new recruits with no previous travel experience.
Specialist operator Simply Travel puts every new recruit through a detailed induction programme during which they learn about the whole company, not just the department they will be working in. Human resources manager Helen Awad said staff are offered top-up training when necessary to make sure everyone is able to do their job properly.
Also, all sales staff go on at least one educational a year, and most take two. Customer relations staff are also offered overseas trips. Simply Travel is one of only a handful of travel companies to be included in Britain’s Top Employers, a guide to the best businesses to work for.
Cities and short-breaks specialist Travelscene gives each new member of its sales team a progress chart to ensure they are receive training in all the necessary skills.
Each one has an initial week-long induction which covers basic skills such as using brochures, computer systems and the telephone. For the following two weeks they deal with customers over the phone under the supervision of a team leader.
Reservations manager David Moon said: “We have such a complex and wide-ranging programme that our training has to be an ongoing process. We cannot cover everything all at once, so we make sure all the gaps are filled in over a period of time.”
He said the company considered it vital staff have first-hand knowledge of its product. This year all 30 reservations staff have visited two destinations each, whereas larger operators usually only offer sales staff one educational a year.