Learning Takes Off for Travel & Tourism Students
Our Travel & Tourism students had the chance to experience the aviation industry first-hand during an unforgettable visit to the SkyPeople Training Academy in Manchester – and it was a day that truly brought their learning to life.
Designed to replicate the realities of working in aviation, the purpose-built training academy gave students a unique opportunity to step into the world of cabin crew and airline operations. Guided by world-class instructors with industry experience, students gained valuable insight into the skills, professionalism, and teamwork required for a career in travel and tourism.
Throughout the day, students took part in a wide range of immersive activities based on real-life airline scenarios. These included emergency procedures such as a simulated ditch landing over water, aircraft evacuations, slide deployment, and hands-on fire-fighting, and first aid workshops. Students also worked with authentic Boeing and Airbus aircraft doors, learning how cabin crew respond quickly, calmly, and effectively in high-pressure situations – including the evacuation of up to 800 passengers in just 90 seconds.
fun experience
One student said: “It was such an exciting, fun, and worthwhile experience. Getting to take part in real cabin crew procedures made me feel more confident and showed me exactly what the job involves. We are now all more aware of how to react in emergency situations and how to work together to help people around us. This extra raining will look great on our CVs!”
Beyond the technical skills, the visit helped students develop essential employability qualities such as communication, leadership, and teamwork – all vital in the fast-paced world of travel and aviation. Working together during emergency simulations highlighted the importance of trust, coordination, and clear decision-making.
Another student added: “The instructors were amazing and really inspired me. It confirmed that this is the industry I want to work in and showed me how my course is preparing me for an actual career, not just exams.”
Experiences like this are a key part of studying Travel & Tourism at Hull College. By combining classroom learning with hands-on industry exposure, students gain the confidence, skills, and ambition needed to succeed in a global industry full of opportunity.
Michelle Cray, Travel & Tourism Tutor, said: “Experiences like this are an invaluable part of our students’ development and future career prospects.
This is the same high-level training delivered to professionals already working in the aviation industry, so giving our learners the opportunity to develop these skills at such an early stage is incredibly powerful. At Hull College, we work hard to create meaningful industry experiences that go beyond the classroom, ensuring our students gain a broad range of practical skills, confidence, and insight to support their next steps. A huge thank you to SkyPeople for delivering such an engaging and valuable professional development experience for our learners.”
It was an action-packed, skills-filled, and unforgettable day – and a powerful reminder that for our Travel & Tourism students, the sky really is the limit!
Interested in a career in Travel & Tourism? Explore our courses and take the first step towards your future.
