From June this year, Advantage Travel Partnership will offer a dedicated programme to help its members source and train up apprentices.
“Apprenticeship Solutions” was announced at Advantage's overseas conference, held in Cadiz, Spain, over the weekend and has been launched in partnership with Travilearn and TrainingStation for business and leisure members, respectively.
The announcement follows Buying Business Travel'sown research into the worrying lack of education about the sector at college and university levels, and comes at a time when the government is placing greater emphasis on apprenticeships as part of procurement practices.
Advantage said the move followed member feedback, and it will help agencies find an apprentice, as well as pair them with a tailored qualification programme across the spectrum of skill needs, from entry level to senior leaders.
Training will incorporate one-on-one coaching through classroom teaching and self-study online learning modules. The scheme will have two key qualifications that members’ new or existing staff can achieve: Pathway to Business Travel Professional (in partnership with Travilearn); and Travel Consultant Standard (in partnership with TrainingStation).
Neil Armorgie, global product director at Advantage, said: “The solution with Travilearn will allow a tailored approach that will suit our members’ needs. This follows on perfectly from the e-learning solutions we launched in November 2018.”
Karen McKenna, managing director of Travilearn, said the new apprentice programme helps a wide range of learners, from TMC and supplier staff and management to transitioning leisure employees. “Organisations are struggling to attract candidates with the right sets of skills. Those already in the industry also need to have the type of training that provides them with the knowledge for career advancement and personal development. We have created this new apprenticeship programme in partnership with Skills Training UK, one of the biggest providers of apprenticeship courses in the country, so that learners can have access to structured and certified business travel training through the Government Levy Programme.”
Apprenticeship Solutions will be available to only those members in England from June 2019 onwards.
travilearn.com; trainingstation.me.uk; advantagemembers.com