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Junior apprentice I
It’s National Apprentice Week, and with the spotlight firmly on apprentices, Katherine Lawrey chats to Jordan Makin, sales and marketing manager for Training for Travel, about the decline in numbers of young trainees
f someone came into your office handing out free chocolate, you’d jump at the chance, right? And what about free training?
Either for yourself, to advance in your career, or free support to help you take on a young apprentice and invest in the future of your business? It should be a no-brainer, but it
remains a source of frustration for the travel industry’s biggest training provider that opportunities are still not being taken. “Learner numbers have stayed the same but the average age of apprentices is on the increase. Apprenticeships are no longer the preserve of 16-18 year olds,” Jordan Makin, sales and marketing manager for Training for Travel, says. “And while it’s great for older employees to receive a free qualification, it’s a major problem that young people are not being given the opportunity to train for free. Youth unemployment has never been higher! It’s also bad for the travel industry as a whole, because it is failing to nurture young talent.” Training for Travel is the biggest
supplier of specialist training to the travel industry. It is currently training about 1,350 learners within the travel industry, and works with Superbreak, Page & Moy, On the Beach, Virgin Holidays and Manchester airport (see below) among other employers.
Learning business skills Most TFT learners are enrolled in the
NVQ Apprenticeship programme, all level 2 and level 3, which is equivalent to A Level and degree-standard. NVQ skills-based training covers customer service, sales, business administration and management, and programmes tend to last six-to-nine months. “An assessor will visit the apprentice once a month for an hour,” says Makin. “If the trainee is busy, then the assessor
THE DECLINE IN YOUNG APPRENTICE NUMBERS SINCE 2000
Number of NVQ Apprentices with Training for Travel, broken down by age group
16-18 year olds 19-24 year olds 25+ year olds
Case study Bev Ridyard, Manchester airport’s head of airline marketing, on apprentice Lucy Stott
“Here at Manchester airport, we understand the value of apprenticeships, as having the best people for the right job is integral in achieving success. Lucy Stott, 18, is a fantastic example of this. Following a successful training scheme with Training for Travel she joined the airport as a temporary sales and marketing assistant.
28 09.02.2012
“Seeing how Stott’s confidence and industry knowledge has grown through learning valuable skills has been fantastic. It’s been an honour to see her grow while helping us achieve our marketing objectives too. She has been 100% involved in our day-to-day activities, and even hosted tables at travel events and helped evaluate marketing campaigns.”
Early 00’s: 350-450 2012: 101
Early 00’s: 450-550 2012: 352
Early 00’s: About 300 2012: Almost 700
Source: Training for Travel
will observe them. We don’t interfere. When they’re not busy, the assessor will then chat to them.” While Makin welcomes the higher
profile that National Apprentice Week gives to the scheme, he says TFT does not embrace it in a big way as travel companies are not keen to take on employees in January and February. “The travel industry is maxed out in the peak booking period,” he explains. “Popular times to take on an apprentice are March, April, and November.”
Invest in the future Makin blames a focus on staff retention and short-term cost-cutting by employers for the decline in young apprentices. But with the minimum apprentice wage starting from £2.60 per hour, he says it’s a cost-effective way to bring fresh blood in. “There are many benefits,” he says.
“The employer gets a capable and confident employee and the employee gains a skills-based qualification.” Government funding ensures the
training that TFT provides is free, for both the employer and the apprentice. “We can offer free training because people pay taxes, so everyone should be making the most of our services,” Makin adds. ■
apprenticeships.org.uk
Manchester airport’s Bev Ridyard (left) with apprentice Lucy Stott
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