After the demise of Thomas Cook, Travel Counsellors is holding induction courses over the next two months in attempt to meet the demand from professionals in the industry who have found themselves jobless.
It has been reported that new leisure travel businesses will be launched through home workers or through shared office spaces by the end of November.
Travel Counsellors held ‘Thomas Cook Care’ events across the UK extending invitations to ex-Thomas Cook staff to attend workshops aimed at supporting their next future career, and offering advice on health and mental wellbeing in the aftermath of job loss. Two Thomas Cook regional managers have also been employed to assist in a smooth career reestablishment for the new Travel Counsellor business owners.
Darren Bien, who worked previously as Birmingham and Bristol regional sales manager, and Jayne Marlor, previously of Manchester central regional sales manager for Thomas Cook, have been given roles as liaison officers at Travel Counsellors. Darren Bien said: “It’s been fantastic to be able to continue to support my fellow colleagues from Thomas Cook in my new role at Travel Counsellors.
“Our teams meant the world to us – they were and always will be our family. I continue to feel a strong connection and responsibility to the brilliant people I worked with for many years, and both Jayne and I have been in touch with hundreds of our colleagues to not only help them to consider the opportunities available to them at Travel Counsellors, but encourage them to take the time to pause and reflect on their next career move, wherever this may take them.”
Jayne Marlor added: “I have been absolutely blown away by the warm welcome we’ve received at Travel Counsellors, and the strong ethos of care that runs through the heart of the company community. It’s also opened my eyes to the idea that running a business from a home doesn’t mean that you are working alone. ”There is huge sense of team spirit fostered between the Manchester support team and Travel Counsellor business owners across the UK and beyond, as well as individual Travel Counsellors working together on local and regional levels. It’s truly been a great experience to witness first-hand.”
Travel Counsellors CEO Steve Byrne said: “For the new Travel Counsellors who have already joined from Thomas Cook, and for those set to attend our induction courses and launch their new businesses over the next few weeks, we are only too pleased, and very humbled by the fact that they can now feel safe, secure and positive about their future in travel again.”
