Amanda PhillipsWhat age did you leave school?
I left school at the end of my 6th year aged 18
What were your thoughts on your career at that time?
I had no idea what I wanted to do so I increased my hours at my part-time job in a bakery and stayed there for a year.
What brought you to Barrhead Travel?
I visited Barrhead Travel to book a holiday of my own. I was describing my previous holidays to the consultant and she said that from the way I spoke about my experiences, I would be great at selling holidays. She went on to tell me about the Modern Apprenticeship scheme that Barrhead Travel provided. A month later I had an interview and landed a job as a Modern Apprentice for the Training Team.
How have you progressed since then?
I passed my course within six months and stayed in the Training Department for a year and a half. In this time, I helped out in other departments (HR, Customer Services, Admin, Product and Sales) which gave me more confidence and knowledge of the wider business.
I then transferred to the Design Team where I found my passion and became a junior designer! I’ve learnt a lot from my team and spent some time self-educating too. Within 18 months, I progressed from Junior Designer to a fully qualified Graphic Designer specialising in web design.
What has been the highlight of your career?
There have been a few! In terms of achievements, I was awarded Employee of the Year in 2016. However, there have been lots of highlights due to the benefits of working in the travel industry. For example, I have experienced a number of ship launches, getting the chance to stay over on them too!
What advice would you give someone based on your experience?
I left school with average grades but college and university didn’t interest me. I had no idea what path to take but choosing a Modern Apprenticeship with Barrhead Travel was the best decision that I’ve ever made.