Linda Baldwin, Training and Development Officer, ABC Holiday Extras
Education: gained five O’ levels at William Morris Grammar School in the East End of London, where she was once described as a ‘free spirit’ in a school report.
First travel Job: crewing charter yachts out of English Harbour, Antigua – which lead to her first real-life ‘team’ experience, as part of a crew of four sailing back across the Atlantic and Mediterranean.
Career path: spent more than 15 years working for an electronics company in Ashford, Kent, within its sales department. Her accounts were the major manufacturing users of our components, mainly in the car industry – such as Vauxhall, Jaguar, Land Rover and the Ford Motor Company. In the latter years she was increasingly involved in the training and development of staff, especially after relocation to the Midlands when employees from three different regions of the UK had to be integrated into one new workforce.
Joined ABC in January 1997 as a part-time member of the reservations staff. In October of the same year, was offered the post of training and development executive in the call-centre, and became company training and development officer in April ’99.
Advice for people wishing to develop a career in travel: “Firstly, remember that clear, honest, open communication is the key to success in all relationships – and use it to create the best possible rapport with clients and colleagues. Secondly, take innovative ideas and put them into practice. Be unique – before somebody else is!”