10 Jun
2009

Midlands Co-op signs up to ATP

Midlands Co-operative Society is the latest ABTA member to join the Accredited Travel Professional Scheme (ATP). The continuous professional development scheme, which has become the travel industry standard, will be offered to all of the Society’s 800 employees who have successfully completed a minimum service of three months.

The ATP scheme has been developed by ABTA, in association with ITT and People 1st, and charts an individual’s career progress in the travel industry by recognising qualifications and experience. Once membership is gained, progress is recognised through a points scheme. Qualifications attained and seminars attended are all awarded ‘ATP points’, which can take individuals onto the next level of membership, currently bracketed as bronze, silver and gold. Midlands Co-operative Society staff will be able to earn points for some of their in-house training which has been mapped and accredited by ATP.

Ken Smith, General Manager of Midlands Co-op Travel said: “We are thrilled to be able to offer ATP to our colleagues.  We believe in ongoing professional development and ATP is a great way to reward and recognise our highly professional teams.”

Midlands Co-operative Society has now joined a growing band of companies - including the Co-operative Travel Group, (who is enabling 2,000 of is employees to sign up to the scheme), Knock Travel, Sunvil, Hoseasons, Oasis Travel, Association of Cruise Experts (ACE), Open University, Training for Travel, Intraining, Travel Uni and Online Travel Training, who have all committed to raising professional standards.

Vicki Wolf, Education Liaison Executive at ABTA and ATP project manager said: “It’s great to have a key organisation like Midlands Co-operative Society signed up to ATP. Not only does ATP recognise professionalism but it also gives staff access to a wide range of discounts and benefits. We are thrilled that Midlands Co-operative Society has joined a growing number of organisations which formally recognise their staff’s professionalism through ATP.”

For more information on ATP go to www.travelprofessional.co.uk or email administrator@travelprofessional.co.uk.