Hi Dawn,you can apply on line with Thomsons to work in their shops.Might be worth looking into?? Good Luck!

Thanks - I'll see what it says. I'm also going to pop into a local travel agents at the weekend if I have time.

Try some of these links. Good Luck

Tui UK(Thomson's)

Thomas Cook

Travelcare

My Travel Group ie Going Places

hiya

you could probably do with going to college to do ABTAC (association of british travel agents certificate), this covers different units such as travel geography,holiday costings, airport codes etc.if you contact your local college then they usualy offer this as an evening class so you could probably fit it in around you current commitments.
the only way that you can get experience of the viewdata system that we use is to work in an agency really, possibly find out if any companys will offer you a couple of days of work experience, maybe try independent agencies in your area.
just going back to the college thing, if you could go to college full time then you could look at doing an NVQ in travel services, this usualy involves finding a placement in an agency somewhere, or like the college that I went to had an agency on site for training.
with regards to wages, they are really not very good, howver if you can get a job in a busty highstreet agency you can make a lot of money in incentives and bonuses. at the moment i work for an independent agency so the wages are slightly lower, but i make aprox £8600 net a year.
again though if you work for a big agency then the perks can be very good including educational trips abroad, i've been skiing in bulgaria, and been on quite a few company confernces. i one had a college tutor who said that you will never get rich in the travel industry, but you will never got board either and this is very true

hope this helps
muzzy

Thanks for the links goldeneye and for your info muzzy - I called a couple of colleges yesterday and I'm waiting for some info coming through.

Well if you can get to South Wales, we've got a place with us.

There is 1 thing we like to ask for and thats if you've had any travel experience or achieved an ABTAC or NVQ's in travel and tourism.
The main way of getting into travel these days is to have done these qualications in college or on a Modern Apprentice course. Although some companies will take people on without them the ones that i have worked for do ask for either of those.

Hope that helps you

Lisa

Thanks Lisa,
Sadly Wales is too far away. Plus I've been with the company 11 years so I ain't leaving without my cheque and they say redundancies will be some months away so I can't commit to another job just yet. I'm waiting for info on college courses to come through so I'll look at the ones you've suggested.

i loved working as a travel agent and am thinking of returning to the uk soon to do this. i have worked for three of the big four travel agencies and have learned a lot over the years.

i dont believe in travel courses however these days most if not all of the agencies ask for a minimum qualification which is understandable.

i spent two years at college and managed to get a job with lunn poly at 16 (and this was not an apprenticeship either) and did not even pass the course due to illness but lunn poly never even asked about that.i feel i it cost me a lot of money and also a waste of time. it is one of the most difficult jobs to learn and you must have a passion for travel because if you dont you will not enjoy the job.

good luck

Can I just ask -if I were to apply for a job in a travel agents what current qualifications would I need to get my foot in the door?

Thanks

Joolz

i have worked as a travel agent for over 3 years and had only done a basic travel course ( 1 night a week at college for a year) but to be honest my employer was more interested in sales experience than travel
experience- i worked in a call centre based travel agent rather than a high street branch.i agree that you have to enjoy travel generally to really enjoy the job.
i think travel is the sort of job that you will find difficult to leave once you have done it,its quite addictive!

I have just moved into travel. Like you I got so much enjoyment researching my own holidays I thought I would love to do this for a job. I am over 40, have spent most of my career in banking, and the last few years working as a Personnel Clerk.

The reason I left banking was the very high pressured sales role it had become. For example a customer walked in the branch to say change their address, you were expected to find out where their mortgage was, who their credit cards are with, do they have a pension etc etc etc. I hated it. I did realise that working as a travel agent would involve selling, howver it is totally different as you are selling something a customer wants and needs!!!

I have not got any travel qualifications and was not asked this during application/interview. It is true that the pay is not good but as others have said you have the opportunity to earn more, many incentives and some excellent benefits.

There is an awful lot to learn, especially when people ask re a place you have never heard of never mind visited!! However I have found plenty of help both from my colleagues and internet. I must admit I am not fond of the viewdata which travel agents use, each operator is different. I just wish you could research prices the same way you would via a website ie key in all the info, up comes all the properties with pictures and details. With viewdata all you get is the accommodation names, then you have to start searching through brochures to find the property. Hopefully though that will change.

I am so glad I made the move and think this will be a VERY enjoyable job!!

Thanks Sugarbabe - your story is good to hear.

My main concern was about not having any qualifications but the 'older' people (like me!) I've spoken to who have worked in the industry say that this generally isn't too much of a problem as you have life and travel experience.

I would be taking a considerable wage drop but we only have a small mortgage and for the last fews years we've been fortunate enough to want for nothing. We don't have kids so I feel it's time to do something for me.

Thanks again.

Glad I could be of a little help Puddleduck. I am sure if you do break into this industry, from what you say about your own research enjoyment, you will enjoy a job as a travel agent.

Like alot of employers now I think the days of being "too old" are changing as more employers now recognise that "older" employees are worth their weight in gold.

Hope you decide to go for it and lots of luck!

Thanks, I'll let you know how I get on.

Hi,
I am also a Travel Agent . I have worked for both First Choice and My Travel/Going Places. I didnt study Travel and Tourism at College but still managed to get a Job with My Travel from leaving School a few years ago. The hardest part is actually finding an opening within the industry but once your in, the opportunities are endless!! I would also like to point out, as no one else has mentioned it so far, Sales Targets are a pretty big part of the job- especially if you work for one of the major firms, e.g First Choice/My Travel. Working for My Travel i have company minims that i must hit every month and i think all major firms are the same however the targets vary depending upon your local market/demand. From personal oppinion, i would say that the most important asset to have working within travel, as with all customer relations orientated careers, is to be generally 'chatty' and able to build up a good rapport with the customers, however other agents may say otherwise? With regards to starting salary i can only comment for My Travel, currently the Starting out salary is in the region of £10k however, the more you sell- the more you earn!! Hope this information helps and if you have any other questions just let me kow.

Cheers,
Simon

My Travel UK PM sent.

I have been a staff nurse since 1990 but my heart is not in it. Like you I am really interested in travel. The only books i read are travel related and my house is like a travel agents with all the brochures. If any friends or relatives want to know anything about travel/destinations they always come to me. Anyway, in July, i decided to do something about it. I joined up with a Home Learning course (ICS Home study Courses) and started doing the Certificate In Travel- Travel Agents course (formerly ABTAC). This is a recognised course that Travel Agents like you to have. Firstly, there is the Primary course then you sit a 3 hour exam then if you pass you can go on and sit the Advanced course and then sit another exam. After that you are actually qualified as a senior Travel Consultant. You can study at your own pace and the tutors are only a phone call away. I got through the course really quickly as it was something I was really interested in. i actually completed the course at the beginning of September but the next exam date is on the 7th December, so I will need to wait till then. Meanwhile I am just revising till then. There are mock exams you do during the course. My first I got 95% and the second one I got 87%.I would highly recommend this course. There is a local travel agents who i always book my holidays with and they have been really supportive through my course. they have just moved to larger premises and say they will probably be looking to take on another consultant in the next 6 months. They see I am highly motivated and genuinely interested in travel (infact my husband says I am obsessed)and as I have travelled extensively all over the world, they said to me that they would be privelleged for me to go and work for them. All I need now is to pass my exam. You need to get 70% and above for a pass mark. I would definately sa go for it. I am 47 years old and thought I would be too old, but no. Apparently lots of Travel Agencies prefer older people and their knowledge of life, especially if you have travelled a lot. you could enquire about the course. I am not sure of their websit but if you just key in ICS home learning you should be able to get it. Good Luck and if you need any more info just let me know. Cheers, Maryjo

Hi Maryjo - thanks for this. For some reason I didn't get notification of your reply. It's really great to hear positive stories like yours. I am determined that should I get made redundant I am going to get a job that I will enjoy, not just a job to pay the bills. I'm going into a local agents on Saturday to speak to the manageress and get some pointers.

Thanks again.
Dawn

Good Luck Puddleduck, Let me know how you get on. Maryjo.