COMMENT IN MY OPINION
The Apprentice seems to go the same way every year. Having vowed not to
put myself through another season, all too soon I’m hooked on the weekly tasks undertaken by the two teams. Granted, the final two or three tend to have some bright ideas, but I often find myself shouting at the telly. Part of the show’s compelling draw
is that these budding “entrepreneurs” aren’t simply competing for Lord Sugar’s investment. This fame-hungry gang would gladly sell their own grandmother if it brought them an inch closer to being considered for the next Celebrities Dating on Ice in the Big Brother Jungle. With the search for the multi- millionaire tycoon’s business partner very much under way, I can mainly be found tearing (what’s left of) my hair out at the questionable recruitment preferences and leadership style of the man responsible for letting Katie Hopkins loose on the world. Which brings me to my point. While the show offers great entertainment, it often misrepresents apprenticeships and overdramatises true entrepreneurship.
Rep’s grounding Like many of my peers, I started out as an overseas rep. I spent my summers in coastal resorts and my winters in the mountains, worked with some great people and gained an invaluable introduction to the industry. There’s no denying my skiing and drinking prowess improved somewhat too. What’s more, the skills I picked
up – from customer service to time management and the ability to work
Apprentices in
the real world are keen to learn
TV show’s egocentric idiots set poor example to travel newbies
MANAGING DIRECTOR, B2B, DNATA UK MILES MORGAN TRAVEL
MILES MORGAN MANAGING DIRECTOR,
ANDY FREETH
alone or in a team – meant I soon found myself training overseas staff. And so began my love affair with the travel sector. In a similar manner, on-the-job training and apprenticeships remain the most common routes to life as an agent. But, to keep momentum in our dynamic and fast-paced world, we also need to ensure more students are made aware of the wide range of roles that tourism has to offer so we can keep encouraging a steady stream of new talent and ideas. This year’s Abta Holiday Report highlights that 47% of Brits booked a holiday abroad through a travel company or agent – that’s a staggering amount of bookings. With all the frontline agents, product managers, sales reps and behind-the-scenes support that goes in to creating that trip of a lifetime, I believe there is a role to suit all skills and interests among those keen to join the travel sector. The Apprentice is a great reminder of how not to develop skill sets for
hungry-to-learn, travel newbies. Every year, as the final looms, I’m reminded how lucky we are to have such a wealth of talent in the sector and therefore the importance of continuing to nurture and mentor the travel leaders of the future.
You’re hired! We all know there’s a dramatic difference between a reality game show about business and real business life. But as we count down to what’s sure to prove a confrontation-tastic finale, it’s worth remembering the biggest difference between the two: in the real world, ambitious apprentices are there to learn, not just to show off what they think they already know. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to find out who’s been fired this week…
FOR MORE COLUMNS BY ANDY FREETH, GO TO
TRAVELWEEKLY.CO.UK
32
travelweekly.co.uk 17 November 2016
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80
