Samantha Halliwell

Samantha Halliwell, 19, Blackpool Reservations Manager at Fleur Holidays, Bispham, Blackpool Attended: Hodgson High School, Poulton-le-Fylde Learning provider: Beneast Training Qualifications: 11 GCSEs, grades A-C at school NVQ Levels 2 & 3 in Travel Services Completed Apprenticeship in Travel Services in August 2004	How did you find out about the Apprenticeship programme? While I was a school I was considering my career options. I was thinking about college, when I received information at home about the Apprenticeship programme. I went along to Beneast to find out more. The chance to learn about a job while you are doing it, rather than sitting in a classroom at college appealed to me. Why an Apprenticeship? Whilst I really enjoyed school, I didn’t want to go back into the classroom environment. The Apprenticeship programme offered me the chance to get a job with prospects and training and gave me something to aim for. I realised that with the combination of work experience and learning, it would stand me in good stead for a future career in the travel industry. A Day in the Life A typical day at Fleur Holidays now is very different from when I first joined the company. I was promoted to Reservations Manager at the end of 2003, so now have responsibility for a team of 3, which rises to 6 people in peak season. A large part of my job now is around target setting for the team, and working closely with them to ensure we meet these targets. I am also responsible for keeping the company’s website up to date, and I have enjoyed learning these skills in addition to travel related knowledge. Although I don’t tend to deal with day to day enquiries, the job does involve helping to solve problems or customer queries as they arise. What Skills have you learnt? When I started at Fleur Holidays at the age of 16, I had no experience of work, so just learning how to operate within a work environment has been a huge learning curve. I think the biggest change for me has been the growth in my confidence, which comes from the depth of my experience and learning. The NVQ 2 in Travel Services gave me a broad understanding of the travel sector, and now that I have achieved NVQ 3, I have learnt more about the business side of the industry. Throughout the programme, the learning has been completely relevant to the job and has given me a brilliant foundation to build my career on.	Best bit I relish the responsibility I have in my role of Reservations Manager and love the fact that I can make a real contribution to the success of Fleur Holidays. Worst bit Dealing with customer complaints can sometimes be challenging, but there is always a solution that can be reached. Ambition/Future Career Plan I would love to own my travel business one day, which is an ambition that is fully supported by my employer. Doing the Apprenticeship has given me a good starting point to achieve this and I now have an in-depth insight, not only of travel related knowledge, but also about the business aspects of the job. Hobbies Obviously travelling is one of my great passions, but at the moment all my spare time is spent working on my house which I have just bought – I would never have dreamt that I would have been able to afford to do this at the age of 19. What do you think of the Apprenticeship programme? The Apprenticeship programme is a fantastic alternative option to college. There have been times when combining working with learning has been a challenge, but it’s definitely worth persevering and I have such a great sense of achievement now that I have completed the programme. I wouldn’t go back and change a thing! Her Employer says David Evans, Managing Director of Fleur Holidays said, “Samantha joined us on leaving school in 2001 and has grown in ability and responsibility almost daily ever since. Samantha’s progress has been achieved through a real partnership approach, with constant support from her learning provider, Beneast Training, encouragement and empowerment from our team and of course ongoing commitment and motivation from Samantha. “The Apprenticeship programme has provided us with a model employee and now a manager, and Samantha is now an integral part of future growth plans.“

How did you find out about the Apprenticeship programme?

While I was a school I was considering my career options. I was thinking about college, when I received information at home about the Apprenticeship programme. I went along to Beneast to find out more. The chance to learn about a job while you are doing it, rather than sitting in a classroom at college appealed to me.

Why an Apprenticeship?

Whilst I really enjoyed school, I didn’t want to go back into the classroom environment. The Apprenticeship programme offered me the chance to get a job with prospects and training and gave me something to aim for. I realised that with the combination of work experience and learning, it would stand me in good stead for a future career in the travel industry.

A Day in the Life

A typical day at Fleur Holidays now is very different from when I first joined the company. I was promoted to Reservations Manager at the end of 2003, so now have responsibility for a team of 3, which rises to 6 people in peak season.

A large part of my job now is around target setting for the team, and working closely with them to ensure we meet these targets.

I am also responsible for keeping the company’s website up to date, and I have enjoyed learning these skills in addition to travel related knowledge.

Although I don’t tend to deal with day to day enquiries, the job does involve helping to solve problems or customer queries as they arise.

What Skills have you learnt?

When I started at Fleur Holidays at the age of 16, I had no experience of work, so just learning how to operate within a work environment has been a huge learning curve.

I think the biggest change for me has been the growth in my confidence, which comes from the depth of my experience and learning. The NVQ 2 in Travel Services gave me a broad understanding of the travel sector, and now that I have achieved NVQ 3, I have learnt more about the business side of the industry. Throughout the programme, the learning has been completely relevant to the job and has given me a brilliant foundation to build my career on.