Seventeen Traveltrain Holidays staff members, with a collective 187 years industry experience between them, have been awarded a �Certificate III in Tourism � Retail Travel Sales� without ever having set foot in a classroom.

The new graduates, employed by Traveltrain Holidays in both the QR Travel Centres and Brisbane-based Call Centre, were part of a collaborative �Recognition of Prior Learning� (RPL) program between Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE and Queensland Rail, which saw them accredited for their on-the-job industry experience.

QR�s Group General Manager of Passenger Services, Mike Scanlan, said QR had approached several TAFE colleges, with a tourism specialty, because it recognised the value of its staffing resource and was committed to providing flexible training opportunities for staff.

�We are delighted that 17 of our Traveltrain Holidays� family have been formally recognised for their on- the-job experience with a �Certificate III in Tourism� and proud that many are now considering furthering their tourism studies,� he said.

Point in case is Traveltrain Travel Consultant Dave Allen, who started his career with QR some 31 years ago as an apprentice electrician in Ipswich, but jumped at the chance for a career in tourism admin 10 years ago.

�I�ve worked in Traveltrain Holidays Customer Contact Centre and more recently as a Travel Consultant and have done the hard yards,� he said. �It is always nice to have a qualification to stand by and it�s great that QR has recognised our potential.

�I don�t know what�s next now I have this certificate,� he said. �But the sky�s the limit.�

Barrier Reef TAFE�s leading tourism teacher John Mundlle said the �Recognition of Prior Learning� process enabled the Traveltrain Holidays students to fast-track through the program to gain their TAFE qualification.

�TAFE�s flexibility allows students to enrol in the program at any time throughout the year, and undertake training regardless of where they live,� he said.

�In the case of Traveltrain Holidays, TAFE was able to assess the students� industry skills and training and use this assessment to match the requirements for the Certificate III Program.�

Traveltrain Travel Consultant Jodie Proietti is another graduate who seized the opportunity to advance her studies and gain industry-recognised accreditation without having to formally set foot in a classroom.

�When you are on the job, you don�t realise that what you do on a day-to-day basis can be recognised as part of a course,� she said. �You just get on and do it because that�s your job.

�I think it is awesome that we were given this opportunity and now have the chance to not advance our careers but our studies as well,� she said.

Barrier Reef TAFE has confirmed it will use the Traveltrain Holidays� RPL model as a benchmark for future Recognition of Prior Learning submissions.

Ends.

Media Contact: Jodi Clark, Publicist, QR Passenger Services phone 07 3235 3862 or 0405 621 812 email Jodi.Clark@qr.com.au.