This document provides information about work-based experiences in the travel and tourism industry for students. It discusses the benefits of work-based experiences, including helping students get better jobs, developing skills employers seek, adding experience to resumes, and allowing students to apply academic learning. The document also covers finding placement opportunities, potential constraints like location and hours, and skills that can be developed like customer service, problem-solving, and time management. It provides guidance on professional conduct during placements and suggests possible projects for students to undertake and present.

1. BTEC National Travel and Tourism Unit 21 Work-based experience within the travel and tourism industry

2. Summary of learning outcomes Investigate opportunities for a work-based experience in the travel and tourism industry; Prepare to obtain a work-based experience; Plan, complete and present an approved project; Undertake a personal review of the work-based experience and your own performance.

3. What can work-based experience do for me? If approached in a logical and positive manner, your placement has the potential to: Help you get a better job when you finish studying; Develop skills that employers are looking for; Add something to your CV; Give you a chance to put academic theory into practice; Bridge the gap between college and the world of work; Make you stand out from the crowd; Get a reference from your placement employer; Build your confidence by working with others and perhaps dealing with the public; Help test out career options; Learn more about yourself as a person.

4. Sources of placement information and advice College/school database Careers advisers Resource centre Tutors Colleagues Newspapers Websites HR departments

5. Constraints Location – urban or rural? Personal issues – perhaps concerning mobility or health-related matters that may affect where you can go for your placement; Transport – having access to public transport or other means of getting to the placement will need to be taken into account. This could be a particular problem in a rural area; Travelling time – this should be kept to a minimum unless you have chosen to travel further afield to work with a particular company; Hours of work – these need to agreed before the start of your placement, in line with the custom and practice at the workplace and subject to legal requirements. To make the work-based experience as realistic as possible it is normal for students on placement to work the same hours as permanent staff; Shifts – you may be asked to work shifts in certain placements, for example hotels, airports, large attractions, etc; Finance – most short placements are unpaid, but you shouldn’t be expected to have to pay for equipment or special clothing – this should be provided by the employer as necessary. Placement employers sometimes offer to cover students’ travel costs or your college/school may have a system to help with this expenditure.

6. Opportunities for skills development Technical and practical – computer skills, putting up displays, etc; Social and personal – communicating professionally with work colleagues, etc; Analytical and critical – you may be asked to comment on data, new products, etc; Problem-solving – this could be anything from finding information for a customer to working out an itinerary for a business trip; Self-motivation – your placement will let you see if you can be motivated in the workplace; Prioritising and action-planning – these are important work and life skills that you can develop on your work-based experience; Customer care and relating to people – these skills are important and transferable to most sectors of the travel and tourism industry; Time-keeping and presentation – although you are not a full-time employee you must act in a professional manner at all times, including being punctual and wearing appropriate dress while on placement; Research skills – this could be finding out the prices charged by a competitor company, interviewing visitors, etc.

7. Code of behaviour All travel and tourism organisations have codes of behaviour that they expect all staff to follow, covering such matters as: Timekeeping and attendance; Appropriate dress; Honesty and reliability; Accepting authority and responsibility; Responding to instructions and carrying out tasks; Following health, safety and security guidelines; Appropriate language in the workplace; Courteous and non-discriminatory behaviour; Use of company facilities (particularly telephone, email and the Internet); Dealing with customers and suppliers.

8. Planning a project Topics that you could consider for your project include: Examining customer care provision in the placement organisation; Carrying out a review of their website and suggesting improvements; Developing a marketing plan for the organisation; Drawing up a training scheme for new members of staff; Producing a staff guide to teamwork, leadership and motivation in the workplace; Developing some new menu options; Carrying out a review of current products and services, with suggestions for improvements.

9. Presentation of your project The objectives of the project; The methods you used to achieve the objectives; Timescales involved; Resources consulted; Outcomes of the project.

10. Personal review Your own performance on placement Monitoring progress on placement Benefits to yourself New skills and knowledge gained Sector-specific experience New contacts made Possible new career pathways Other progression opportunities