Casey joined Althams Travel in July 2022 and has recently qualified as a travel consultant her branch manager and mentor Becci Hughes is proud of how she has grown in confidence and knowledge during her Apprenticeship:

“Casey is a valued member of our team and a pleasure to work with. I look forward to seeing her continue to develop in her role and have a successful career as a travel consultant.”

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Talia started with Hays Travel in Bolton in August 2022 and has recently qualified as a Travel Consultant. Talia really recommends a Travel apprenticeship:

"Within this Apprenticeship, I have had training days with Rochdale Training, and this has helped me massively with product and destination knowledge and learning how to build rapport and ask open, closed and probing questions to ensure I can match all customer needs and go the extra mile.  I have also completed e-learning during my apprenticeship, which has really grown my knowledge. I do recommend completing a travel apprenticeship. I can 100% say that my knowledge and confidence has grown massively. Also, my skills and product knowledge have really developed, and I can confidently deal with our diverse range of customers to ensure I exceed their holiday needs."

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Andrea Fielding from Rochdale Training presenting Evie Barker from Althams Travel in Blackburn with her Travel Consultant certificate after gaining the highest possible grade of a Distinction!!

Andrea says: Well done Evie! We are all extremely proud of you and good luck on your future career with Althams Travel! Evie’s quote: 

"I’d always had an interest and passion for travel and when I found there was an Apprenticeship to be a travel consultant,  I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to start my career in the travel industry.

I’ve been working for Altham’s for over a year now and I feel that I made the right decision when choosing the travel industry. I enjoy working in the office, serving clients, and learning new things about travelling and destinations more and more each day. I am really excited about my future at Althams Travel after finishing my Apprenticeship."

In a heart-warming display of camaraderie and sportsmanship, Rochdale Training recently hosted a thrilling football tournament aimed at boosting the well-being of its learners. Organised by the dedicated team at the training centre, the event brought together learners from various disciplines for a day of friendly competition and fun.

Garry Jackson, Electrical Tutor and organiser of the event, shared his excitement, stating, “Planning RTA’s 5-a-side football event was one of the highlights of the year! It was great to see learners from different sections coming together to work as a team, all playing to win the ‘famous’ RTA trophy. We had a fantastic day; all 24 students had a chance to showcase their football skills and their teamwork abilities. Watching the students interact and show their competitive sides in the build-up to this event was a joy to watch. It was an honour to organise RTA’s first football event, and I was very proud to be a part of it. Roll on next year!”

Ryan Griffin, Welding Tutor at Rochdale Training, emphasised the importance of the event, stating, “The event was about giving learners a sense of camaraderie, keeping fit, and having fun at the same time. It was organised to allow learners to interact with each other and boost morale. I was proud to take part in this event as learners enjoyed themselves and new friendships were formed. It also gave the staff involved the opportunity to have fun and explore new ways of engaging learners.”

The sentiment was echoed by Tyler Kershaw, an Engineering Operative Apprentice, who expressed his delight with the tournament. "I thought the event was well organised, and I enjoyed the tournament. It’s nice to come into the centre knowing you're doing something you and others will enjoy; it had a huge positive impact. Garry organised it well, and Ryan had one of the other learners weld a trophy together for the winners, so that was a really nice surprise. I would like to do something like this again as it made me communicate and talk to people in my section I may never have spoken to before doing the tournament."

Nigel Bentley, Machining Tutor, highlighted the event's focus on teamwork and exercise, emphasising its positive impact on learners' mental and physical well-being. "I think the event promoted teamwork and exercise for the learners well; it positively impacts the learner's mental and physical wellbeing and boosted morale. It gave Ryan and Garry a real positive learner/tutor relationship, and it was Garry’s first time leading/organising an event."

The tournament not only provided an opportunity for learners to showcase their sporting skills but also fostered a sense of community and collaboration within Rochdale Training. As learners bonded over the love of the game, barriers were broken, and friendships flourished, creating an environment conducive to both personal and professional growth.

With the resounding success of this event, Rochdale Training looks forward to organising similar initiatives in the future, reaffirming its commitment to the holistic development and well-being of its learners.

Q&A with Former Health and Social Care Apprentice, Amie from Bluebird Care.

What were you doing before your Team-Leading qualification?

Before I started my Team Leading course, I completed my Level 3 Lead Adult Care Worker Apprenticeship with Rochdale Training. This gave me a good understanding of the industry while getting paid and gaining qualifications.

My role at Bluebird Care is Care Co-Ordinator, which I enjoy as every day is different. I had never considered doing an Apprenticeship previously, everyone has encouraged me and been supportive along the way.

What skills and other qualifications do you feel you developed while on your Apprenticeship?

I achieved my Level 3 Apprenticeship with a Distinction which is a huge achievement, and I am proud of myself for that because I feel sometimes, I lack confidence, but I persevered and got a good result in the end. In terms of skills, I learnt more about my job role as a whole, for example, learning to communicate with customers, with their families, sending professional emails, and my writing skills.

What challenges do you feel you had to overcome?

The biggest challenge for me was that our supervisor had just left so I had to take on a lot more responsibility whilst also completing my qualification. These tasks included rotas, supervisions in the field, doing reviews with our customers, assessments for new customers, reviews for care assistants and more.

Would you recommend Apprenticeships?

100%. I would definitely recommend an Apprenticeship, I think it is a great way to gain more knowledge and understanding of your job role but also it opens a lot of doors for different progression routes which a lot of places don’t really offer.

Do you recommend Rochdale Training?

Yes. I wouldn't have gone back to Rochdale Training for my Team Leading if it wasn’t for the support and guidance that I received whilst I was on my Apprenticeship.

I didn’t believe that I would come out with a good score, and then I finished with 2 Distinctions thanks to the help and support of Rochdale Training and specifically my former tutor Clare, she really pushed me through and helped me anytime I needed anything. I am now progressing even further and excited to see where my journey takes me.

Since you have progressed from your Apprenticeship to your Team Leading course how do you feel that is going so far?

I think it is going well! I am enjoying it a lot, it challenges me to take on things from a new, different perspective. It also gives me a chance to further improve the skills I have and opens doors for further progression here at Bluebird Care.

Do you feel the progression is suitable for you?

I do. The Level 2 Team Leading course is the perfect stepping stone for me to gain the experience I need, gain an extra qualification and prepare for my future progression opportunities. I would like to do my Level 4 Health and Social Care next.

Are you looking to start your journey to see what opportunities are out there for you? For more information on our Level 2 Team Leading course please visit: https://rochdaletraining.co.uk/node/444 or contact our Recruitment Team at 01706 631417 or recruitment@rochdaletraining.co.uk