Hotelplan UK-owned operators Inghams and Esprit have partnered with a young people’s charity to offer apprenticeships and other opportunities in snow sports.
The ski and snowboard holiday tour operators have worked with Snow Camp to support inner city young people to help them broaden their horizons.
Young people from Manchester, the Midlands, London and Glasgow, completed UK-based apprentice schemes with Snow Camp, before travelling to Val d’Isère, France, to experience life in a ski resort with Inghams and Esprit.
They were joined by British snowboard Olympian, Jamie Nicholls, who grew up in Bradford and has become an ambassador for Snow Camp.
Inghams and Esprit are already planning to host another group of young apprentices in the Alps next winter.
The tour operators are also offering a 12-month internship in the Inghams and Esprit UK head office to give one of the 2023-24 Snow Camp apprentices first-hand experience of working in the industry.
Nicky Lyle, Hotelplan’s human resources director, said: “Our Inghams, Esprit and Santa’s Lapland brands are committed to increasing exposure and opening up career opportunities for all young people in the UK.
“No matter your background, gender or ethnicity, we welcome you to experience the joy of working a season with us.
“This initiative is just the first step in doing more to support young people’s snow sports and travel industry careers.”
Apprentice Max Conway said: “I joined Snow Camp in 2019 after I had struggled to apply myself at school.
“The opportunity to go out to Val d’Isère was amazing, I learned so much about the industry thanks to Inghams and Esprit, and got the chance to snowboard with inspiring athlete, Jamie Nicholls.”
Dan Keeley, community and partnerships manager at Snow Camp, added: “We couldn’t be more grateful for Hotelplan’s commitment to supporting Snow Camp to break down barriers and broaden horizons for our young apprentices embarking on their careers in the snowsports industry.”
Pictured from left: Top row Helen Taylor (Inghams and Esprit), Bilal Ali (apprentice), Max Conway (apprentice), Daniella Hyman (apprentice), Calum Shovlin (apprentice), Omar Ibrahim (apprentice), Alex Hodgkiss (apprentice), Pete Henson (Inghams & Esprit),
Bottom row Jamie Nicholls (Olympic snowboarder), Josh Clayton Turley (apprentice), Lamar Marie (apprentice), Toni Bullock (apprentice), and Damien Cashinella (Inghams and Esprit).
Picture credit: Inghams, Esprit and Work a Season