NEWS — HOT STORIES 4
Barrhead Travel to take on 90 apprentices this year to give it ‘competitive advantage’
The company took on 50 apprentices in 2012. Chief executive Sharon Munro said: “There’s
definitely a competitive advantage to be had by taking on young people via the modern apprentice programme. “The talent in Scotland certainly is there, but in
certain business areas there just isn’t enough of it to go around, unfortunately. “That’s why we recruit a number of people annually from outside the travel industry and also from outside Scotland.” Munro said the basic skills needed to become a
Chloe Berman
Barrhead Travel is to invest £1.4 million in taking on 90 apprentices this year to give the business a “competitive advantage”. Aimed at school-leavers aged 16 to 24, the modern
apprenticeship positions are available in Barrhead stores across Scotland and its head office in Glasgow. The company employs six trainers to work with its
apprentices, who receive a training allowance and travel expenses. They work towards NVQs in travel and tourism or business administration and IT. Of the 74 apprentices Barrhead took on last year, 97% completed their training and are now in full-time paid positions.
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travel agent are largely the same as in years gone by, despite the huge changes in the industry. “You still need to genuinely like people, talk to them naturally and be able to quickly build a rapport to succeed as a travel salesperson,” she said.
“You need to be able to build a rapport to be a travel salesperson”
She added: “Communication has changed so much in the last 10 years that a knowledge of social media and how to communicate properly by email have become must-have skills as well.” In February, Barrhead announced plans to create
80 full and part-time positions which, combined with the apprentice roles, make a total of 170 new jobs.
Abta issues accessible-travel web advice Juliet Dennis
Abta is calling on members to ensure their websites provide the right information to help holidaymakers with accessibility needs.
The association is highlighting the needs of disabled travellers and customers with accessibility issues, from impaired vision and hearing to mobility, and has updated its own website to include a section on accessible travel, with guidance for agents and consumers. Abta has also issued a reminder to members that travel websites must meet legal requirements to make it easy for passengers with accessibility needs to view flight safety information. The legal obligation is part of an EU regulation.
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travelweekly.co.uk — 1 May 2014
It requires that all travel companies that sell flights, either on their own or as part of a package, must display the safety arrangements offered by the airlines to carry disabled passengers and restrictions in place due to the size of the aircraft. This information could be provided via a hyperlink to the page of an airline’s website and could include, for example, assistance on getting on board and facilities on board or at the airport. Nikki White, head of destinations and sustainability at Abta, said: “With an ageing population and significant numbers of consumers travelling with
a range of accessibility needs, building clear, up-to-date and user-friendly
websites is in everyone’s interest. “It is important for travel firms to understand that this is a legal requirement and that failure to comply is an offence.”
MORE HOT STORIES
Kelsey Marshall joined Barrhead Travel as a modern apprentice
“Websites
should be clear, up-to-date and user-friendly”
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