Professional Development Report

This report examines the importance of professional development, focusing on the travel and tourism industry. It analyzes the skills needed for a Travel Consultant role at Thomas Cook, assesses the author's own abilities, and outlines a development plan to improve communication, time management, and public speaking. The report also includes a detailed account of a job interview for a Travel Consultant position at Thomas Cook, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the interview process.

Assessment

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
PART A...........................................................................................................................................1
1.Overview of the organization....................................................................................................1
2 Key benefit of ongoing professional development for different stake holders. .......................1
3 An investigation into the skills and competences expected by the employer for Specific role2
4 Assess own ability and skills and competencies for specific job role......................................3
PART B............................................................................................................................................5
5. Development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies...............................................5
PART C............................................................................................................................................7
6. Job interview for a Travel and tourism industry (Thomas Cook)............................................7
7. Key strengths and weaknesses of an interview process...........................................................8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Professional development is the tool that improving and enhance the capabilities of
person, employees, staffs by the help of training, learning, development, and education. The
Professional development is the necessary for the administrators, teachers, and other educators
that they improve their growth by development such as increase knowledge, skills etc. For better
understanding the professional development, taken the Thomas cook Group plc is the British
global travel and tourism company. The report will describe about the benefits of the
professional development for the different stakeholder of the Thomas cook. Also, report will
describe the overview of the Thomas cook. Further, report will explain about the expectation of
employer for specific job role for the Thomas cook group plc. Further report will describe the
own ability and skills for specific job role. Moreover, report will describe the different learning
theories and approaches used for personal and professional development process. Furthermore,
report will explain about and construct the development plan To enhance the skills. Moreover,
report will describe and evaluate the interview process. Also, Report will evaluate the strength
and weakness of applied interview process (Eklund and Hjelm, 2018).
PART A
1.Overview of the organization
Thomas cook group plc is the British travel and tourism company. There headquarter in London,
England, United Kingdom. Company serves different type of products such as Charter and
scheduled passenger airlines, package holidays, cruise lines, hotels and resorts etc. Company was
founded in 1984. In 2007 (Akers,2017). It was announced that My travel group and Tomas cook
AG got merged. Key people of the company is frank meysman non executive chairman, peter
fankhauser ( ceo). Subsidiary of the company is Thomas cook Tour operations, Thomas cook
Airlines Uk, Thomas cook Airlines Baleacrics, Thomas cook Airlines Balearics and condor.
2 Key benefit of ongoing professional development for different stake holders.
Ongoing professional development for Different stakeholders
Employees can benefit from
Increase confident and credibility
Professional development helps to improve the quality of work. This helps to improve the
confident among the employees. Provide the professional development training facilities to the
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employees for increase the motivations as well increase the confident towards the work. This is
the opportunity for the employees of Thomas cook to build their confidence and credibility of
work so that its help to increase the knowledge and gain the new skills. So professional
development programs allows increasing the motivation among employees toward the work.
Improves efficiency
Professional development program is helps to Thomas cook employees for increase the
efficiency of work that they provide the best services to the customer. As other guider and
professional share their experience of work that how they increase their efficiency of work. So
this is helps to employees for that they learn and adopt new ideas and thoughts for make better
performance and increase profitability of the Thomas cook (Akers, 2017).
Employer can benefit from
Make succession planning easier
Professional development programme helps to leaders and managers for making the best
succession plan of the Thomas cook. This helps to increase the confident among the Managers
that they achieve the goal of the Thomas cook by using the best strategy. Also, helps to shape the
development of your future managers and leaders.
Increase opportunity
Professional development plan helps to manage for increase their future growth because, training
is provides the opportunity to the manager and leaders that they show their ability of work by
obtain training facility and skills of others.
Others can benefit from such s organization
 Increase profitability
 Future growth
 Generate high Income
 Increase customer base
 increase productivity
3 An investigation into the skills and competences expected by the employer for Specific role
Specific Role – Tour operator
Making best arrangements
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The employer of the Thomas cook has expected the best skills in the tour operator, that they have
ability to operate and makes the best arrangements for the customer such as transport, tour
activities, selected tour destinations, Accommodation, Contacting airlines, hotels, cafe travel
agencies, and ground transport companies For example, coach operators who guide the customer
on destinations to make suitable arrangements (Akers, 2017).
Advising the customer
The employer of the Tomas cook has expected the best skill in the tour operator, that they have
ability and skills to provides the best advice to the customer such as travel issues, financial
matters like exchange rates, provide the suggestion of destinations etc. Also have skill to making
the best holidays package to the customer, providing advice of different travel destinations. So
tour operator have ability and skills to manage the customers (Eklund and Hjelm,2018).
4 Assess own ability and skills and competencies for specific job role
Ability
As a tour operator i have ability to manage and making the best arrangements for the
customer such as different tour activities, transport arrangements, contract to the airlines' hotel,
travel agencies, Planning the best package for the different class of customers, also planning the
different promotional activities to promote the Thomas cook (Wareing, Buissink and Rainford,
2017).
As a tour operator I take the responsibility of making the best arrangements to the
customer, also I can provide the different packages with suitable prices provide the best service
to the customer such s best travelling facilities, the best hotel facility, etc. also I can ensure that
all need of customer are fulfilled (Goldie, 2016).
As a tour operator I have ability to manage and making the report to the travel group also
I can manage the good dealing with the customer, in other words I can make the dealing and
payments facility in systematic manner. Also, I can manage the different promotional activity to
increase the demand of the packages that customer want the package of Thomas cook.
Skills
 As a tour operator I have an interpersonal skill.
 Have an ability of work in a group of team.
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 Have a good knowledge about the geography.
 Have a good It skills to manage the payments and other activities.
 Have an ability of influence the customer
 Good communication skill
 Good sales skills influence the customer for purchasing the package.
 Have a high confidence
 Have an ability of work under pressure
 Have ability of manage the time according to the work.
 Have an ability of control the team (Goldie, 2016).
5 Learning theories and appropriate used for personal and professional development process.
Learning theories
 Behaviourism
 Cognitivism
 Constructive
Learning theories
Learning theory is helps to increase the performance of the employees which means different
learning theory helps to company. Company use this theory in their business to provide training,
learning and development programme to the employees. This programme helps to employees for
enhance their efficiency of work in the work place and they improve their knowledge by
understand the learning process. So Thomas cook uses the different learning theory in their
businesses to develop and improve the knowledge in the employees. Also, improves the
productivity of the company as well as improving the future growth of the Thomas cook (Eklund
and Hjelm, 2018).
Behaviourism
The behaviourism learning theory is described the different changes, that employees and other
staffs are accepted and they change their behaviour to increase the future growth, this changes to
increase the personal growth as well as increase the professional growth (Akers, 2017). So
behaviourism theory helps to employees for enhancing the bonus points, providing incentives to
employees. Also, repetitive practice is helps to increase the motivations among employees. So
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Behaviourism learning theory is help to employee for recall the all work and increase the
performance to achieve the goal. So Thomas cook has used this theory in their business to
improve the personal and professional development process.
Cognitivism
Cognitivism learning theory is described that the employees and learners are really wanted to
change and they easily accept the changes. Learners are actively understood and seeking the
knowledge through Cognitivism theory. This theory is help to Thomas cook for develop the
motivations and increase the knowledge among the employees. This theory helps to employee
for solving the problem, providing the best organizational structure to the employees (Joffe,
2016). So basically this theory helps to employee for increase the performable and productivity
of the company.
Constructive
Constructive theory is described that the professionals shared their experience in the different
learning programme. That they share their experience to employees, also employees are accepted
all the experience of the professional and they can change their own behaviour according to the
experience of professionals (Murray and Ward, 2019) So Thomas cook has used this theory in
their business to increase the motivation among the employees. Also, employees motivates by
learn different experience of professionals. So basically this theory is helps to improve the
knowledge and skills among the employees (Sharp, 2018).
PART B
5. Development plan to enhance chosen skills and competencies.
Target Strategies Outcome Time
I need to improve my
Communication skills.
I have problem in
both language and
fluency.
I will be following the
following strategies to
improve my
communication skills -
 Firstly I will
take classes and
coaching of
grammar in
order to
 In Spoken
English classes I
get to learn
about the proper
pronunciation of
words.
 By taking
grammar classes
I can improve
Total time I will take
is 4 months to
improve my
communication skills
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improve my
communication
skills in written
form.
 Then I will try
to improve my
verbal
communication
skills by taking
classes and
session of
Spoken English.
 To Enhance my
fluency I will
start talking to
speak in English
with my Friends
and relatives by
practising it in
routine through
this I can
improve my
fluency.
my verbal
communication.
I need to learn how to
do Time Management
In order to improve my
time management I will
follow this -
 I will prioritize
my work and
according to my
priority I will
try to complete
those work
which is more
important
(Professional
development,
2018).
 I will make a
proper schedule
of my daily
routine work
and according
to time table I
will do my
work.
 I will stop doing
Time management is
crucial for managing
the tourists and
planning their
destinations in the
Thomas Cook
industry(Kitto,
Danilovich and Hendry,
2018).
Total time I will take
is 2 months to learn
Time management.
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multitasking
and also
delegate the
responsibilities
to others too
because I
cannot handle
all alone.
I have Fear of public
speaking. I need to
overcome it.
In order to overcome
the fear of public
speaking. I will be
following the particular
criteria -
 Firstly I would
learn the basic
non-verbal
communication.
Through
physical cues an
audience
perceived the
presenter.
 To overcome
the fear of
public speaking
firstly I will
start giving
presentation in
front of my
friends.
 I will ask for
honest
feedback.
 Being in a
tourist industry I
Thomas cook
we need to talk
people on daily
basis and need
solve their
queries. This
will help me out
there.
 While engaging
the audience
into the
discussion and
asking them for
the honest
feedback it will
help to boost my
self confidence.
Total time I will take
is 2 months to
overcome the fear of
public speaking.
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PART C
6. Job interview for a Travel and tourism industry (Thomas Cook).
Job position applied for – Travel Consultant
Industry - Thomas Cook
Interview process of Travel Consultant and my own abilities during this process
The committee of Human Resource managers were sited and I enter with full confidence
and I greeted all the top committee members right there. They ask me to take sit on Sofa which is
in front of them. They asked my good name and then they just go through my CV. First question
they asked me was about my past job experience and why I am interested in Travel Consultant
post in Thomas Cook industry. I answer them that this is my key interest to meet new people
mainly tourist which came from overseas to just have a look in our heritage and culture. I feel
happy by providing them consultancy about various tourist places in the UK and through making
their destinations more superior. Second question they asked me was that how I will handle a
difficult client (Wareing and et.al., 2017). One of my strength is that I have lots of patience. So I
replied that I hear the client what he wants to convey me with patience and try to read his mind
what he wants from me. I will show calm and saddle nature as if the client was in anger. I will
try to resolve its queries and provide solutions for its problems.
The third question I was asked for is that what I will do if my client was unable to afford
the package which I previously offered to him. My answer was that I can easily tackle the people
and can easily convince them I will show them various discounting offers or combo sets for their
family. I will try to tell them that what there benefit in it to purchase a particular package of
mine. First I would offer the package at higher price and by considering their problem I will give
that package at my original price but for him I would pretend like that I give him discount on the
package. I will pay smart in this scenario. The fourth question I was asked was that which
holiday destinations are popular in this time. I answer them that I regular get updated myself
from the latest tourism trends and I used to see the travel and tourism and news channels on
regular basis. Last question I was asked that is about my approach and planning to a large scale
conference in another country. My answer was that firstly I will decide the theme and on the
basis of the theme I will manage all the work. The best themes are catchy, relatable and trigger
(Wallace and May, 2016). I will prepare budget and a plan for conducting a conference. Then I
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will administrate a team. I would arrange the sponsors and will assemble a team of volunteers
that will look afters all the activities.
7. Key strengths and weaknesses of an interview process.
Strengths -
 I have lots of patience that I had shown in Interview round too. When they asked me how
will I handle a difficult client and I have replied that I hear the client what he wants to
convey me with patience and try to read his mind what he wants from me
 I can easily tackle and convince people to purchase my tourism package so these put
impression on interviewer when they ask me the second question and I will expert in
using the marketing tactics that will bound the client to purchase my tourism package.
 One of my greatest strength is that I have collaborative and supportive nature. At the time
I would be giving services to my client I will also maintain coordination with the other
departments of Thomas Cook.
 I am empathic person who is skilled at relating to people in order to understand my
clients needs.
Weaknesses –
 My weakness is that my communication skills are not good. My language fluency is not
good. I stop in between the sentences while giving the interview.
 My weakness is that I cannot do time management which I even faced in interview round
too. I arrive there late so that put bad impression of mine on them.
 My weakness is that I loose self confidence at the time of giving the interview as I also
have fear of public speaking.
 I am credibly introvert that makes me wary of sharing my ideas with the interviewer.
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CONCLUSION
The conclusion is being made from the above project report of professional development
that the one need to improvise its skilled in order to drive an industry. Specially the professionals
who is backbone of an industry (Walsh and Craig, 2016). They need to work on themselves and
need to evaluate the there inner strengths and weakness. The conclusion is being made that the
Thomas cook group plc is the British travel and tourism company and the company is providing
superior services to their customers. Form the above project report I have concluded that my
strengths is patience, cooperative nature and empathy and my weakness are poor communication
skills, Time management and fear of public speaking.
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REFERENCES
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MODEL (Doctoral dissertation, University of Leeds).
Eklund, R. and Hjelm, A. 2018. “Til’I can get my satisfaction”: The Role of Sexual
Assertiveness in the Relationship between Attachment Orientation and Sexual
Satisfaction.
Joffe, S. 2016. The Clairmont Family Letters, 1839-1889: Volume I. Routledge.
Goldie, J.G.S. 2016. Connectivism: A knowledge learning theory for the digital age?. Medical
teacher. 38(10). pp.1064-1069.
Akers, R. 2017. Social learning and social structure: A general theory of crime and deviance.
Routledge.
Mezirow, J. 2018. Transformative learning theory. In Contemporary Theories of Learning (pp.
114-128). Routledge.
Grant, J., 2017. The good CPD guide: A practical guide to managed continuing professional
development in medicine. CRC Press.
Wareing, A., Buissink, C., and Rainford, L., 2017. Continuing professional development (CPD)
in radiography: A collaborative European meta-ethnography literature
review. Radiography.23. pp.S58-S63.
Walsh, R. and Craig, A., 2016. Radiation Therapists’ and Diagnostic Radiographers’
participation in continuing professional development and knowledge of Regulatory
Body Registration. Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, 15(2).pp.150-160.
Murray, K. and Ward, K., 2019. Attitudes to social media use as a platform for Continuing
Professional Development (CPD) within occupational therapy. Journal of Further and
Higher Education.43(4).pp.545-559.
Wallace, S. and May, S.A., 2016. Assessing and enhancing quality through outcomes-based
continuing professional development (CPD): a review of current practice. The Veterinary
Record.179(20).p.515.
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Kitto, S., Danilovich and Hendry, P., 2018. Uncharted territory: Knowledge translation of
competency-based continuing professional development in family medicine. Canadian
Family Physician, 64(4).pp.250-253.
Online
Professional development, 2018 [Online]. Available through :
<https://www.edglossary.org/professional-development/ >
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