2,000 jobs are on offer with travel firm

TUI UK and Ireland has today announced it will deliver more than 2,000 new apprentices by 2020, many of them in the town.

New schemes to become an aircraft engineer, a digital expert and IT specialist are being announced, and will be delivered between now and 2020. There’s also news of an industry-first pledge – to develop an all-new apprenticeship standard to become a pilot.

Planning ahead of the new Apprenticeship Levy due to come in to effect in April 2017, TUI is rolling out opportunities across its head office as well as its 600-strong retail estate across the UK.

Since 2000, more than 5,500 apprenticeships have been offered by Thomson and First Choice. Both brands will add to this strong heritage in the coming years with candidates able to apply for industry-leading schemes in areas such as IT and engineering, with a strong emphasis placed on offering new apprentices the opportunity to rise through the company’s ranks.

The company is also committing to develop a new kind of apprenticeship scheme for pilots, which will represent an industry first. Working in collaboration with the Industry Skills Board, the new scheme will see changes to the funding system. As a result, becoming a pilot will be a more accessible career option for many.

Caroline Kitcher, HR Director at TUI UK & Ireland, said: “Offering 2,000 more apprenticeships – adding to the 5,500 we have trained in the last 15 years – is testament to our commitment to providing fantastic careers in our growing business. Working for TUI can open up a world of opportunities and we pride ourselves on providing our people with quality training and development, and exciting career prospects both nationally and internationally.

“We’re a trailblazer for the industry. We’re proud to make an industry-first pledge to develop a pilot apprenticeship standard, using the new apprentice levy to change the existing training framework. This is in addition to an exciting scheme to train engineers and IT professionals in our new dedicated IT Academy.

“To work for TUI you need to have a passion for holidays, to want to work hard to deliver our customer promise – Discover your smile – and have a focus on providing unrivalled professionalism and service to our customers.

“TUI can offer you an extraordinary career, one that will really take you places – quite literally!”

The move has been backed by those already benefiting from TUI’s apprenticeships programmes, and training and development.

Kirstie Donnelly, Managing Director City & Guilds commented: “TUI UK and Ireland demonstrates just how engaged an employer can be in apprenticeships and skills development. It recognises them as a natural mechanism to develop the talent it needs to remain as an industry leader, as well as investing for the future.”