Meet past and current students enrolled on our Chartered Managers Degree Apprenticeship. Created in partnership with the University of Cumbria and members of the Lake District Hotels Association.
Conor David Sedgwick
Gilpin Hotel & Lake House
What appealed to you most about this programme:
The opportunity to work full time with little to no personal financial sacrifice and work my way toward a degree, also gaining skills and knowledge to help further my career.
What do you enjoy most about the programme:
Personally I find the tutors on the course excellent, very open understanding and engaging. Not piling us students with comprehension but helping to shape your ideas and management style.
What do you find the most challenging with the programme:
After being more than ten years out of a classroom I found writing my first few assessments difficult but I'm certainly getting better and better with proper planning and time management.
What area of Hospitality and Tourism do you hope to enter after the programme is complete:
Currently I work in many roles at the Gilpin as one of the conditions of my apprenticeship. I always believed food & beverage was my career path but now I'm enjoying learning new roles and new skills.
“ I always believed food & beverage was my career path but now I’m enjoying learning new roles and new skills.”
I don't know what post graduation aims I have but I'm sure they'll be exciting (and hopefully well paid) when they come to me.
What's your favourite place to explore in the Lake District, and why:
I have recently become addicted to climbing the old man of Coniston, just driving to the car park is breathtaking and once you begin the climb I enjoy traversing through all the visible history of the slate mines and of course the views.
The crafty bad fridges are also a great place for intrepid explorers.
Megan Brierley
Lakeland Arts
What appealed to you most about this programme:
I really liked the idea of being able to work while getting my degree and gain the qualification and experience to back it up.
What do you enjoy most about the programme:
Being able to practice what I am learning in class in real life situations in the workplace. Making sure I fully understand while still getting the support of my employer and the university.
What do you find the most challenging with the programme:
I find writing the essays difficult and getting to the university standard hard as I have not done it before.
What area of Hospitality and Tourism do you hope to enter after the programme is complete:
I’d really like to stay within attractions such as the museum I work for now. I like how much is going on and all the different parts to the site.
What's your favourite place to explore in the Lake District, and why:
I love trying new restaurants and in the Lakes we have such a high standard of food and drink so I like being able to find great restaurants so close.
“I really liked the idea of being able to work while getting my degree and gain the qualification and experience to back it up. ”
Nicolaos Karakasis
Lake District Country Hotels
What appealed to you most about this programme:
Being able to develop my skills and knowledge allowing me to progress in my career.
What do you enjoy most about the programme:
Learning all the different aspects of the industry and acquiring a great understanding of the business as a whole.
What do you find the most challenging with the programme:
Settling back into studying after being out of it for a number of years.
What area of Hospitality and Tourism do you hope to enter after the programme is complete:
Higher management roles within the hotel.
What's your favourite place to explore in the Lake District, and why:
All the adrenaline activities they have to offer, I love being outdoors and conquering new challenges.
“ I love being outdoors and conquering new challenges.”
Kate Barton
The Mountain Goat Tour Company
What appealed to you most about this programme:
I want to further develop my career and learn all aspects of business in tourism. I wanted to do this to incorporate a busy working life, and this course seemed to deliver that with having a good balance between work, campus and family life.
What do you enjoy most about the programme:
I am looking forward to learning more about data analysis about businesses and developing my current skills in other areas. This will help develop my career further and open new doors of opportunities for myself.
What do you find the most challenging with the programme:
I have never been one for Maths so at the present I find Business Finance not one of my favorite subjects.
What area of Hospitality and Tourism do you hope to enter after the programme is complete:
Transport and Travel
What's your favourite place to explore in the Lake District, and why:
Currently completing the Wainwright's and have my own Kayak so either on the Lake up in the hills is where you will usually find me.
“A good balance between work, campus and family life.”
Jennifer Acott
Langdale Leisure ltd
What appealed to you most about this programme:
I'm wanting to progress further in my work and think this course will give me a better understanding on how to do that
What do you enjoy most about the programme:
Having one day a week on the course and doing work based assignments.
What do you find the most challenging with the programme:
Working full time and trying to fit in assignments and reading.
What area of Hospitality and Tourism do you hope to enter after the programme is complete:
Sales and revenue manager.
What's your favourite place to explore in the Lake District, and why:
Tarn Howe. Love how peaceful and well kept it is there.
“I enjoy having one day a week on the course and doing work based assignments.”
Adam Parker
Queens Head Inn
What appealed to you most about this programme:
The program appealed to me due to the fact it allowed me to work and earn a wage whilst studying, I wanted to go on to further education but did not want to move away, when the opportunity arose to go from part-time to full-time at my work this course suited my situation perfectly.
What do you enjoy most about the programme:
The thing I enjoy most has to be the fact you can put theory into practice every day. We can leave the classroom with ideas and be implementing them at work within 24 hours which is absolutely fantastic for my employer but also for my personal development.
What do you find the most challenging with the programme:
Sometimes it can be difficult trying to balance full-time work, university and a social life, however my employers have catered my routine to be flexible which helps a lot. Having the perseverance to think of earning a degree keeps me going.
“We can leave the classroom with ideas and be implementing them at work within 24 hours”
What area of Hospitality and Tourism do you hope to enter after the programme is complete:
I would like to eventually go into hotels or own my own pub and restaurant one day.
What's your favourite place to explore in the Lake District, and why:
Pooley Bridge by Ullswater. 5 minutes down the road and it’s absolutely beautiful. Good food options and artisan shops. You can also go for a nice stroll along the lake which is lovely.
Thought of a degree?
You may have thought a degree was out of reach, too expensive or too far away - think again!