Commercial School Leaver- Trading Review

I work within the trading department. My main responsibility working in trading is to spot changes or trends in the market that are affecting sales within my resorts, then come up with a strategy of what actions we need to take, these are mostly pricing changes. This could be for a few different results. In my time on the scheme I have traded Malta & Bulgaria in the early booking market, and Mainland Spain, Morocco, Malta & Tunisia in the late market. So I have been able to gain a lot of knowledge of different resorts. On a daily basis I communicate with my manager about what actions we need to take or have taken, as well as any concerns we have about the resorts. I also have a lot of contact with purchasing in resort to make sure we have enough rooms in a hotel, or to get some support from hoteliers.

Since starting the scheme I think the biggest skill I have developed is my communication. Everyday you're communicating with people from across the company, in different ways, which could be email, within meetings, in a group discussion etc. There are a lot of learning and development opportunities within TUI, especially when on the School Leaver Scheme. In the past 10 months we've had two training sessions on excel (basic & advanced), powerpoint & presenting skills, which have been really helpful in my day to day role.

I have really enjoyed the scheme so far, it's a really big opportunity. All the teams have been great to work in, and are always very supportive. You also get to go on secondments within the scheme which means you can see other roles within commercial and use the knowledge and skills you gain in your day to day role. Working within trading you get a lot of targets which gives you something to work towards, so it can get quite competitive within the teams, which really motivates you. The company culture is great as there's a really friendly atmosphere.

When on the scheme you are seen as any other member of the team, but you get the opportunities to see other sides of the business which other members of staff don't get to see. My managers have always been supportive and the recognise the work you do. There are also awards given out regularly within the commercial department, as well as 'trader of the week' or 'trading recognition award' to recognise the hard work people put into their jobs.

The scheme is well structured. You get a two week induction which introduces you to the role, and the basics you need, as well as introducing you to the departments within the commercial division that you will be working with. After the initial induction there is some flexibility for you to take control over your training & personal development, as you can arrange sessions with members of the team for anything you feel you didn't completely understand in your induction, or to be able to develop something further. There's a lot of support from the teams, managers and the school leaver team. While on the scheme you are assigned a mentor, who is in a senior role outside of your department. This gives you the opportunity to discuss things outside of your role and get a lot of advice from. You also receive a framework, which you work towards completing in the 2 years on the scheme.

As most of the training is ongoing you don't a specific training provider, but you get a lot of support within the teams, from managers and the people that run the scheme. At the start of the scheme you are also assigned a 'buddy', who is a school leaver from the previous year. They give you a lot of support and advice, as well as being someone to turn to if you have any issues or queries.

Everyone gets regular 1-2-1's with their managers, where you can discuss any issues or questions you may have, as well as your personal development, how you are doing on your framework and how you are meeting your objectives. If your manager isn't around there will always be someone in the team to support you and give you guidance if needed.

As I currently live at home I don't have many living costs. The salary covers my travel costs and also allows me to have some disposable income, as well as savings.

There's always something going on outside of work. The company has summer and Christmas parties every year. The commercial department also has their own Christmas party, as well as quiz nights etc. Within the team there are always events being organised e.g. a day at Ascot, meals, an afternoon at a ping pong bar, cocktail making classes, bowling, topgolf etc. So there is a great social life.

Yes

TUI really is a great place to work. It's a very people orientated business and they respect and value every employee. The environment is great and there are a lot of different opportunities.

During the application process don't just give top line answers, explain and include examples. For interviews: Know what you wrote on your CV and application. Research the company beforehand and make sure you have examples of how you have developed or demonstrated skills. And make sure to be yourself!