Addressing the SPAA’s annual dinner on Thursday evening (27 February), Dobson criticised the previous Conservative government’s decision to defund level 3 travel and tourism qualifications and the current apprenticeship levy, which requires employers with an annual pay bill of more than £3 million to pay an additional 0.5%.
"Defunding courses, a levy system that is unfit for purpose and an ongoing skills shortage is undermining the principle that young people are essential for future business success,” said Dobson, who will step down as SPAA president at the end of the year. “Once young people join travel, they tend to remain there for the rest of their careers.”
