Recession leads the way for a caravan and camping industry revival
Course to professionalise an industry that is becoming more appealing to people around the UK
In these tough economic times, the caravan and camping industry has seen a boom in the number of people opting to holiday within the UK. According to the National Caravan Council (NCC), the industry has seen a 14% increase in advance bookings compared to the same time last year and contributes nearly £6 billion to the UK economy. The increase in popularity is prompting the sector to take charge to professionalise the industry. For businesses that are keen to capitalise on the growth, it is vital that they attract the right candidates with the appropriate skills.
An initiative designed by SkillsActive and Caravan Industry Training (CITO) helps young people around the UK to gain qualifications in tourism park management and equip them with the appropriate skills. The Foundation Degree delivered through Kingston Maurward College in Dorset is enabling students to upskill in a sector that is growing fast.
The course is equivalent to the first two years of a full time honours degree and is targeted at aspiring managers and next generation owners of caravan, residential, and holiday parks across the UK.
The first group of nine students who started the course in 2008 recently graduated in November, from these nine, two progressed on to bachelor’s degree courses.
Head of CITO, Jenny Pritchard said, “This course has received huge praise from current and graduate students. The Foundation Degree in Tourism Park Management is helping professionalise this exciting industry, providing adequate skills and training to a sector which contributes so much to the UK economy. Training of staff in the sector to upskill workers can only positively impact the tourism industry further.”
Jenny concluded, “It’s wonderful that we are seeing so many people interested in such courses. And to see foundation degree graduates go on to bachelor’s degree places shows confidence in the industry’s managers to help better manage their responsibilities and uncover new opportunities for improvement.”
