ST ANDREWS Travel is targeting mature people from outside the industry as potential staff for the agency.
Personnel director Pat Dickson said a shoe shop assistant and dancer had both beenconsidered.
“The staff may have worked in sales or in a shop or office environment and are used to customer contact and have some life skills,” said Dickson.
All the mature applicants are required to complete ABTA’s basic certificate, ABTAC, before being considered for a job.
Even the young Modern Apprentice trainees have to demonstrate some people skills, usually helped by having some sort of Saturday or part-time job.
Potential candidates will be tested during a group interview where each of the applicants have to give a short presentation on their favourite holiday destination.
Successful applicants are given regular, intensive training.
Product training workshops are held about eight or nine times a year as well as customer care and selling techniqueseminars.
St Andrews Travel’s training programme has won the miniple several Agent Achievement awards.