Free Training programme is good news for unemployed women in London

Alessandra Alonso, Founder of Women in Travel (CIC)

The social enterprise Women in Travel (CIC) has extended its free training and mentoring programme for women who have lost their job due to COVID-19.

Until September 2020, up to 90 women who live in London and have been made redundant during lockdown can apply to Women in Travel for free training and access to entry-level hospitality and tourism jobs throughout the capital. Provided as part of Women in Travel’s Female Employability Action Supported by Travel and Tourism (FEAST) initiative, the employment training sessions will initially be hosted online, with the aim to host meetings in-person once it is safe to do so.

Women in Travel has also partnered with The Global Travel & Tourism Partnership (GTTP) to offer women further training by taking part in GTTP’s online 10-week course, Introduction to Travel & Tourism: Passport to the World.

The online course introduces individuals to the tourism industry and how it operates. Individuals and companies interested in learning more about the FEAST training programme are encouraged to contact Alessandra Alonso (pictured)  at returners@womenintravelcic.com.

Throughout the summer, Women in Travel will also host supportive online mentoring circles for women who are either small business owners, self-employed or at risk of losing their jobs in the travel, tourism or hospitality industry due to the pandemic. Three twice-monthly mentoring circles will provide women in the industry with the chance to network, share and learn from like-minded women from around the world.

Commenting on the summer extension of Women in Travel’s supportive measures, Alessandra Alonso, the Founder of Women in Travel said: “We know how tough it can be for unemployed women to return to work in the best of times, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made the process even harder.

The travel, tourism and hospitality industries have been impacted enormously during the first six months of this year, so for those women who may have been made redundant or are at risk of losing income, it is great that we are able to continue offering our training and mentoring initiatives to help them, and boost the confidence and success rate of those looking to get back to work as soon as possible.”