28th March 2023

In a shining example of the success that can be achieved through hard work and determination, two students from South Devon College have secured coveted cabin crew roles with leading holiday companies.

Charlie Bell (19) and Lisa Madge (49), both students of the college’s travel and tourism programme, have gone on to secure cabin crew roles with popular holiday companies Tui and Jet2.

After finding herself between jobs, Lisa Madge decided to apply for a cabin crew position with Tui, working from Exeter airport. Cabin crew had always been a dream job of hers, and she felt that now was the right time to apply and see what happens.

While searching the internet for keywords to use in her CV for the position, Lisa stumbled upon an advertisement for a Cabin Crew and Aviation Course for adults at South Devon College. The course was open to anyone looking for a career change and interested in finding out more about the role of cabin crew or ground aviation, so Lisa decided to enrol on the six-week course, attending once a week at South Devon College.

According to Lisa, the course was a “game changer” for her. She learned so much about the role of cabin crew that she didn’t already know and was able to prepare for the assessment day and interview. The course provided her with valuable information about what Tui would be looking for from her as a person. Lisa was particularly impressed with her course tutor, Hayley, who she said was amazing and very supportive. She gave Lisa the confidence to apply for the cabin crew role and prepared her for the Tui recruitment process.

Lisa and her coursemates were also offered the opportunity to enrol in a free Level 3 first aid course, and Hayley organised for them to visit Exeter Airport and go airside, which Lisa described as “so much fun.” She also met a lovely group of people who had enrolled on the course, and everyone was very supportive of each other.

After completing the course, Lisa applied for the cabin crew role with Tui, attended the assessment day and interview, and was offered a position to start later this month. She has four weeks of training which started in the middle of March and will then be flying out of Exeter for the summer of 2023. Lisa said that attending the course gave her the confidence to follow her dream, and that dreams really can come true.

Charlie’s success story began with her enrolment in the Level 3 Diploma in travel and tourism programme at South Devon College. She studied the course for two years before going on to complete the one-year cabin crew course, which was reintroduced by the college. Charlie found that both courses greatly prepared her for her career, as they covered everything and gave her a basic understanding of all aspects of the job.

The process of actually getting the job was exactly as she was told it would be, starting with applying for the job and then going on to an assessment day. If accepted, applicants would then be interviewed, and the company would be in contact with them soon after. Charlie found that the previous course she had taken helped her understand the questions they asked in the interview and the terminology used on the assessment day.

Charlie’s current job role is a cabin crew member, and her responsibilities include ensuring the health and safety of passengers and crew, as well as managing security and providing friendly service. She is very happy with where she is now and feels that she has achieved a great deal in a short amount of time.

Charlie’s next steps consist of continuing to work as a cabin crew member and hopefully progressing to larger airlines. She also hopes to work for an airline based in another country in the future, a testament to her dedication and ambition.

South Devon College is proud to have played a role in Charlie’s and Lisa’s success, and anyone considering working within the travel or aviation industry, no matter your age, is encouraged to get in touch with the college and explore the website to find out what courses are available.

You can get in touch with the College on 08000 380 123 or email [email protected].

SDGs that align with this story