Fifteen Coleg Llandrillo students received a whirlwind introduction to the world of cabin crew at a leading airline company’s training centre recently.

The Level 2 and Level 3 Travel & Tourism students were invited to Thomas Cook’s cabin crew training centre in Woodford, Manchester.

They were given an overview of the company and the industry as a whole, plus the many roles that a cabin crew employee has to undertake, before moving onto the practical side of things.

They were placed in a range of situations, including having to deal with evacuation procedures and firefighting, as well as a variety of customer service scenarios, in-line with industry standards.

They also got the opportunity to meet current cabin crew and question them on a series of relevant topics: recruitment and career advice, together with the skills and qualifications required for a successful career. The visit emphasised the importance of industry partnerships that the college has developed over many years.

Liam Meaney, aged 16, from Tal-y-Bont, Conwy, said: “I really enjoyed the experience and found it good to be able to take part in the practical training. Cabin crew staff Jenny, Ashley and Chris where all really nice and it was good to learn procedures such as how to use smoke hoods and how cabin crew investigate if the fire has spread to different parts of the cabin.

“My favourite part of the day was being able to learn how to open an aircraft door in both a normal situation and in an emergency situation.

“I feel like the day has really benefited what could be my future career.”

Another student, 18-year-old Hannah Thomas, from Llandudno Junction, said: “Visiting the Thomas Cook cabin crew training centre was an experience I will never forget. Getting a preview of the training process will benefit me when applying for cabin crew roles, as I now have knowledge of health and safety procedures regarding the cabin crew and passengers on board the aircraft.”

Sonia Williams, Lecturer in Travel & Tourism at Coleg Llandrillo, said: “The training day was a valuable experience for our students, as they not only received an insight to the role of cabin crew, but they also received a hands-on, practical experience in-line with real-life airline training.

“This re-enforces the theory sessions we provide at Coleg Llandrillo.

“We strive to prepare our students for the world of work and experiences such as this provide the opportunity to develop a range of skills to succeed in their chosen career path.”

For more information on Travel & Tourism courses, contact the college’s Learner Services team on 01492 542 338 or visit www.gllm.ac.uk