Technical Account Manager Review

Management of a portfolio of leisure accounts selling BA fares via New Distribution Capability. Including regular phone calls and face to face meetings where we discuss the issues being faced, blockers to adoption as well as good news stories and new NDC functionality. I am also responsible for managing the NDC performance (volume as a percentage of total bookings) and engagement of my accounts.

Personal confidence and public speaking has developed significantly. I used to have a slight fear of public speaking however, I am now a confident public speaker. My interpersonal skills and networking abilities have also developed as my role involves meeting stakeholders and building and maintaining relationships on a daily basis

I thoroughly enjoyed my Head Office Apprentice programme for many reasons. I was challenged every day which motivated me to work harder and develop my skills. Many of the people I met and worked with became close friends which made my work life that much more enjoyable. The culture across the different teams that I was a part of suited my work style and personal preference perfectly.

The Head Office Apprentice Programme is structured very well in theory, with the 20% study time. However, this was not always achievable due to the responsibilities given to the apprentices in their day-to-day role. It was sometimes challenging to manage the expectations of both our placement manager and our apprentice manager to get in the 20% study time as well as still deliver in our job role.

I feel as though I received plenty of support from both my placement manager, apprentice manager and other colleagues. Everyone I came in to contact with understood we may require more support than a permanent employee and, in my personal experience, an adequate amount of support was always available when required.

The training provider was always available to either respond to an email, have a phone call or come in for a face to face meeting if we ever required support with our qualification. We would always be given ample time to go through any questions or concerns we had with the work we were doing.

I have a better understanding of how a business functions from the facilities management of the building to the administration systems used across the business. My qualification helped me to also understand the different management style I may come across as I change managers and how best to deal with these to work most effectively with them.

Overall there are a decent amount of opportunities for extra-curricular activities within my organisation. There were often social activities that I attended. I also play for an internal football team a couple of times a week which is a great opportunity to network. Attended a couple of networking events during one of my placements.

Yes

British Airways is a great place to work for many reasons. The people are so supportive and friendly. The work is challenging and motivating, keeps you wanting to develop your skills and perform to a higher standard. There are also plenty of developmental opportunities and extra training provided to employees.

Do it. If you have a passion for the aviation industry or just a general interest in business I would highly recommend you apply for a role in British Airways. The career opportunities are endless and once you are in, you gain valuable experience in any role you are in.