Even though many of our graduates will have progressed in their careers since completing a case study, they are still of interest to students who wish to gain an understanding of the world of work.

Negotiating with existing suppliers and developing new relationships in order to facilitate the travel requirements for our clients; the majority of whom are charity / academic organisations.

Working together with all internal departments on a range of projects, which include marketing, IT, training, finance, reservations & management.

These range from gaining access to better fares for our clients, to training a team on a new supplier we have established a relationship with, to organising and fulfilling team incentives which support the work we do with our suppliers, to sponsoring a conference and producing text for marketing on the work we do as a Travel Management Company.

The people I work with and those I help on a day to day basis.

Getting your head round everything that you have to balance in order to ensure that I offer the best service to every single individual / group / supplier I speak to.

I have had a little experience in travel during my time and seem to have always got drawn back to it as a job / career.

The chance to use languages even a little bit is sometimes quite problematic but this is an international facing company so there can be opportunities to speak to suppliers who are often native speakers of other languages which is always a pleasure.

It's a job that involves developing relationships with people and this is something that has always appealed.

A GDS system (airline booking system) called Amadeus and other travel specific programmes used to book flights, accommodation etc. Then just great organisational skills and the ability to establish and maintain rapport, i.e. talk to other human beings!!

Pretty much every day is a school day with all of us helping each other with questions and new things that arise / things we've forgotten (temporarily of course).

Travelling Sept 08 - 09.

Working in London "steamond journeys" Oct 09 - August 10.

Working in Manchester STA Travel Oct 10 - July 11.

Diversity Travel - Business Travel Consultant Sept 11 - Sept 14.

British Council - Language Assistants Programme Sept 14 - Sept 16.

Diversity Travel - Supplier Relationship Executive Sept 16 - now.

I tried a PGCE course between coming up from London and moving to Manchester and sadly at this time it wasn’t right for me, maybe I will go back to working in education some day.

I think I would really enjoy talking to students again and sharing anything I’ve been lucky enough to see and learn so far.

Be patient, there are jobs out there, don't settle, but balance up where you are at the time with the kind of job you will realistically be able to get, then apply to anything and everything and see where the chips fall.

You really can make your own luck with the odd conversation / e-mail here and there. It really can be a case of who, rather than what you know but definitely if an opportunity comes knocking, go for it all guns blazing.

Do your research on the company, care about spending extra time learning the names of the people interviewing you so you can look them in the eye and smile and not be confronted by total strangers. From the outset show you know who you are and what they would miss if they didn’t consider you further!