A successful work experience programme at a Warrington theme park is giving lots of young people the opportunity to get first-hand experience of a career in the leisure and hospitality industry.
Gulliver’s World has been running a work experience scheme for over four years working in partnership with several schools and colleges across the town including Willow Green Specialist Further Education College, Warrington Vale College, Great Sankey High School and Helsbury High School.
One of the young people to benefit from the programme is Dan Ayo (22) from Willow Green College, which offers opportunities to young people with SEND in Warrington on both Education and Adult Social Care. Dan has special educational needs and has been completing a Supported Internship work placement at Gulliver’s World once a week over the last 12 months.
Dan works in different areas of the Gulliver’s World resort including in stores, the hotel and catering providing an excellent work environment for him to flourish and increase his skills knowledge and behaviours. Completing these roles has enabled Dan to develop in a number of areas including developing his communication, work ethic, decision making and working as a member of a team.
Dan said: “I am really enjoying my work placement at Gulliver’s World. I have learnt new skills and each week I learn something different that helps me as a young person with Autism in the workplace.
“From the outset everyone at Gulliver’s World has made me feel welcome and, importantly, I have felt part of the team which I really like. I am very grateful for this opportunity.”
Melanie Burrows-Carr, safety and training manager at Gulliver’s World said: “Dan is a great example of someone who has really benefited from work experience with us and with the right encouragement and support his confidence has come on leaps and bounds. Most young people don’t often get the chance to try different job opportunities as a lot of schools don’t do work experience anymore and companies don’t seem to host work experience placements.
“Here at Gulliver’s, we want to promote the leisure and hospitality industry, and all the different roles associated with it to give young people choices for their future career as well as real life experience of being in a work environment. We get such a lot from the students who work with us and hopefully they learn a great deal from us, too.
“The programme is proving to be really successful, and we must have welcomed over 100 students and young people through our doors over the last four years.
“We have hosted students from Warrington colleges and schools on several occasions over block weeks or a day a week. For example, Warrington Vale college students have been gaining valuable experience in multiple departments such as plumbing, painting, joinery, hospitality and tourism, accountancy, rides, entertainment, retail and catering and office-based roles such as IT.
“We have worked with Expanse Learning in Wigan, a specialist provider in SEND education, health care and school workforce development to support people with bespoke innovative learning programmes. Students come to the resort one day a week and work in catering and retail at the theme park as well as at the Burtonwood Heritage Centre.
“And we have pupils from Great Sankey High School and Helsbury High School due to come later this year which we are really excited about.”
Gulliver’s World in Warrington opened in 1989 – the second of four Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts across the UK. The resort, aimed at children between the ages of two and 13-years-old, has more than 50 rides, attractions, shows and activities as well as numerous themed accommodation options.
If you are interested in finding out more about work experience opportunities at Gulliver’s World, please contact [email protected]
