Training For Travel is looking for travel employers willing to sign up recruits from its next Apprentice Academy.
The training body is to fund a second academy for 30 young people aged 16-19 following a successful academy which ran training sessions in Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle from November to January.
The next academy, to start in April, will run in Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and London. Training rooms will be hired in each city to train the recruits for three months before they are placed with local employers.
“We’ve already had lots of interest from young people,” said Training For Travel marketing manager Jordan Makin.
But he admitted it was more of a challenge to find travel employers willing to take on the new apprentices.
“We are looking for companies willing to give these apprentices a break. Not everyone is recruiting so it can be a challenge. Employers have to trust us that these kids are good.”
All apprentices go through an interview process to get on to the scheme. Some have dropped out of tourism courses or are looking for a way to get their first foot on the ladder in the industry, said Makin.
Training For Travel set up the academy because employers were failing to take on young staff because of their lack of experience, added Makin.
Already half of the first academy recruits have been placed in jobs, mostly with The Co-operative Travel, where they will now complete their NVQ diploma in travel services.
Makin said: “We’re hopeful all will be placed in jobs.”
Until the apprentices finish their qualification employers are only required to pay them £2.50 an hour.