Worldchoice Travel has built its local reputation by helping customers navigate an increasingly complex travel landscape, all while maintaining a warm, personal service at every touchpoint. Delivering that standard consistently takes more than destination knowledge or efficient systems; it relies on developing people who are confident, adaptable and customer-focused. For Worldchoice Travel, this commitment has been brought to life through their work with Damar Training, using apprenticeships to bring new talent into the business, build skills from the ground up and strengthen the culture of the team.
The challenge: Post-pandemic hiring in the travel sector
Post-pandemic, Worldchoice Travel found traditional recruitment routes much more challenging. Manager of their Shrewsbury Branch, Steve Wright advertised for experienced travel staff but received very few suitable applications, sometimes none at all.
Rather than seeing this as a setback, Steve viewed apprenticeships as an opportunity. “We saw it as a positive way to bring new blood into the business, supported by structured, job-specific training,” he explains. “It was never about settling for second best; it was about investing in someone’s potential and building exactly the kind of team member we needed.”
The travel sector’s post-pandemic landscape had fundamentally changed the recruitment market and Worldchoice Travel needed a different approach to secure the talent that would help the business continue to thrive.
The solution: Building on previous success
Steve’s confidence in the apprenticeship route wasn’t based on theory alone. The business already had a successful experience with an apprentice several years earlier who had completed her programme and stayed on beyond her end-point assessment for several years. This track record gave Steve the assurance that apprenticeships could deliver real, lasting value.
Damar was introduced to Steve by The Travel Network Group’s head office team, and the partnership quickly took shape. Apprentice Jonathan Twyford – known as JJ – joined the team on a Level 3 Travel Consultant programme shortly after.
“Having seen how well it worked before, I knew that with the right support and structure, an apprentice could become a core part of our team,” Steve reflects. “When Damar came recommended, and we met JJ, it felt like the right fit from the start.”
The balance: Work and study
Like many employers, Worldchoice Travel needed to balance off-the-job training time with day-to-day business needs. Following advice from Damar, JJ structured his off-the-job training as two three-hour sessions each week, on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. He chose to complete his study time at the office rather than at home, working in the on-site staff area, which gave him routine and structure while keeping him close to the team if he needed support.
The rest of the team recognised this as JJ’s protected time. This arrangement worked seamlessly, allowing JJ to immerse himself in his learning while remaining connected to the workplace environment.
“The pattern we agreed together worked well for both JJ and the business.” Steve explains, “He benefited from being physically present in the workplace environment, rather than studying alone at home, which helped him link his learning directly to real customer situations.”
Steve describes the support from Damar as excellent and very well suited to what the business and JJ needed. Much of JJ’s programme was delivered online, with a mix of learning content, written work and regular review meetings.
The impact: From apprentice to travel consultant
The apprenticeship has had a clear impact on Worldchoice Travel, both practically and in terms of team development. JJ has taken on substantial travel bookings that, in Steve’s experience, would usually take a new starter two or three years to build up the confidence and competence to handle. He has developed strong knowledge of health and safety and regulatory requirements, as well as the day-to-day processes that keep a travel business running smoothly.
“I’ve seen a marked growth in JJ’s confidence and professional approach,” Steve observes. “He’s able to deal equally well with customers of his own age and with older, retired clients, adjusting his style while maintaining the same level of assurance and quality of service.”
This versatility and customer-facing confidence is something Steve values highly. “This kind of soft skills development is difficult to teach purely on the job, especially in a busy environment. The apprenticeship has helped to hone JJ’s natural personality and talent in a way that day-to-day work alone wouldn’t have achieved.”
JJ is now a full member of the team, no longer seen as ‘the apprentice’ but as a travel consultant in his own right. He works on the front desks at the shop entrance, often as the first point of contact for new customers walking through the door – a position of real responsibility that he has embraced with confidence and professionalism.
Looking forward: A modern approach to hiring needs
Working with Damar has shown Steve a more modern, structured version of apprenticeship delivery. Compared with the earlier, paper-based programme through a local college, JJ’s apprenticeship was more organised and more transparent in terms of timelines, expectations and progress.
“The difference between the old college-based system and what Damar provided was night and day,” Steve notes. “Everything was clearer, more structured and much better suited to the realities of running a business while developing someone’s skills.”
Although the business does not currently need to recruit again, Steve is clear about his future intentions. “If and when the need arises, it would certainly be another apprentice we’d consider,” he confirms. For Worldchoice Travel, an apprenticeship is never viewed as a temporary fix or short-term cover; the intention is always to retain the apprentice in a permanent role if they are the right fit and successfully complete their programme.
Steve’s message to other businesses considering their first apprentice is straightforward and enthusiastic: “Just go for it. It’s a great way of bringing somebody in who will get support with their training, tailored to the trade that they’re in. It’s a great way of finding and nurturing talent.”
Key Takeaways
- Apprenticeships as a strategic recruitment solution: Structured programmes like the apprenticeships provided through Damar enable organisations to bring in new talent when traditional hiring routes for experienced staff are no longer effective
- Confidence and competence developed together: Focused off-the-job learning combined with day-to-day customer contact drives continual confidence growth and practical application
- Soft skills strengthened through structure: Dedicated time and guided reflection help develop an apprentice’s natural abilities and create consistent, confident professionals
- Apprenticeships as a route to long-term talent: The goal of apprenticeships goes well beyond the initial fixed-term period and instead contributes towards building permanent, skilled members of any team.