Hotel booking agent Hotel and Travel Solutions (HTS) has appointed its first apprentice and boosted the industry profile of two of its employees via leading industry bodies.
Bradley Smith has joined HTS as its first apprentice, Charlie Carvill (conference development manager) has been named one of the winners of the Meetings Show’s inaugural Tomorrow’s Talent initiative, and Olivia Woolley (national account manager) has been appointed to the HBAA’s ‘Next Gen Board’.
Julie Shorrock, managing director of HTS said: “The leaders of the future won’t all come from universities and there are so many hard-working young people searching for their chance to break into the career of their choice, without the qualifications and experience to help them. So, at HTS we work with the careers departments of our local colleges when we have full-time vacancies available. And we’ve now used those channels to fill our first apprentice vacancy – we’re delighted to welcome Bradley to our team.”
Speaking about what it meant to her to be nominated by HTS for the HBAA’s ‘Next Gen Board’, Woolley says: “It’s rewarding to be recognised by the leadership team at HTS, especially for an opportunity to bring the next generation’s ideas to the HBAA, while developing my own career and inspiring my peers. We’re in an industry which can struggle to attract younger talent. And now, thanks to my own team, I can help a leading industry association and its members with ideas on how to support us professionally and personally, and to retain our skills as part of diverse market.”
Speaking about one HTS’s recent visits to their students, Sarah-Jane Badger, personal tutor in Travel and Tourism at Heart of Worcestershire College said: “Feedback from learners was very positive and certainly made some of them think about how employable they currently are, and what areas they may need to improve in. They felt it was very relevant and informative. I certainly enjoyed the presentation and found it very interesting – I think I would have applied for the apprenticeship myself after that talk!”
Shorrock concluded: “The commitment and professionalism of our teams means that we’re currently experiencing a great deal of success and growth – we’re even looking at further apprenticeships soon. So, it’s right that we share it with our employees, community, and the industry through initiatives like these.”
