Newmarket Holidays has expanded the educational programme at its head office in Wallington, Surrey, “to help nurture future travel talent”.
The tour operator offers internships, apprenticeships and mentoring in partnership with local institutions such as Paragon Skills, North-East Surrey College of Technology and the Link School in London.
It has extended its partnership with apprenticeship provider Paragon Skills, which offers paid apprenticeships and on-the-job training culminating in an official qualification after 12 months.
Paid internships of up to a year are also part of Newmarket Holidays’ ongoing programme, open to students from across the UK.
Currently, Newmarket has apprentices in its customer service and finance teams and an intern within its marketing team, with more planned in the coming year.
Its work experience offer has been expanded through working with the travel & tTourism course leaders at North-East Surrey College of Technology.
Previously, college students had been able to apply to join the company’s Lapland day trips to learn about product operations and engage with customers.
Now the relationship is more “immersive” as there are regular visits to the college to provide training.
Students can take up one- or two-week placements or visit Newmarket Holidays on a day-release basis from college to fulfil work experience requirements more flexibly.
The operator has also built a relationship with The Link School (main picture) in the London borough of Sutton, with Newmarket taking part in a new pilot scheme as a result of its participation as a cornerstone employer with the South London Careers Hub.
Members of the HR team have been visiting the school to mentor students, deliver presentations about careers in travel and offer opportunities for students to take part in training and ‘discovery’ days at the head office.
Nikki Bail, Newmarket Holidays’ head of people and culture, said: “Through partnering with local institutions, as well as running internship and placement programmes across different teams within our head office, we can nurture future travel talent by equipping young people with the essential skills required.
|As a result, we benefit from their fresh ideas, perspectives, and enthusiasm, and in the long run, ideally, retain them permanently within the business.”
Several previous apprentices and interns have gone on to secure permanent roles with Newmarket Holidays in the past, including members of its contact centre, product, finance, marketing and brand teams.
Emma Kallipetis, a current marketing and sales intern, has been with Newmarket Holidays since last July on a work experience year as part of her degree at Liverpool University.
She added: “I’ve been really grateful for the internship programme at Newmarket Holidays, which has allowed me to work across the marketing team, alongside several members, and on various projects throughout the past year.
“From gaining invaluable office experience and useful insights into marketing to making valuable connections, I feel that I’m so much more equipped now and have already started building a professional skill set in a work environment as I return to finish my studies.”