Job Security a Top Priority in UK Ahead of Changes to Travel

Click here to search our current SEN Jobs

A United Nations policy brief has recently revealed the worrying extent of Covid-19's impact on the tourism industry. The brief expects that the pandemic will threaten more than 100 million jobs worldwide in the travel industry, and that within the first few months of the coronavirus pandemic alone, $320 billion had already been lost. This figure is more than three times the loss experienced during the entire 2009 economic crisis.

There have been job losses and instability across all aspects of the industry due to travel bans and public health concerns. Cruise staff, airline workers, theme park leaders and hotel teams have been largely furloughed or left unemployed, and there is no clear understanding for these people of when, or whether, the industry will ever get back to normal again.

This has really come to a head for the UK travel industry with the on/off situation of holiday destinations under government travel guidance. As a result, job security within the different sectors that make up the industry is increasingly untenable. So what trials and questions have workers been facing, and what can they do to find a job that will survive future pandemics?

Portugal moving to amber list sparks fear in job security within travel

In June 2021, Portugal was moved back on to the amber travel list after a few weeks of being one of the only holiday destinations that British people could fly away to. Not only was there frustration from holidaymakers, but also, after more than 12 months of economic losses and inactivity, there was increased anxiety from the travel industry about having the means to keep staff on.

Already, 34% of hospitality workers have been asked to work shorter hours, and two out of 10 workers say they will not earn enough money to survive if they continue to work within the travel sector. A survey of 1,671 workers across the retail and hospitality sector also found that 9% of employees have not returned to work due to Covid-19, and only 61% said they have been able to return to some form of work since restrictions began in March 2020.

Without big destinations like Portugal being open to us, many key figures within travel analysis suggest that just like when SARS hit in 2002, there will be long term damage which means that some jobs within the tourism sector will be eliminated entirely. This means that employers may only keep on their skilled core staff, and so statistically, part-time workers, women, migrants and younger staff members are most likely to lose their income and be left to find alternative work.

The big businesses within travel and tourism will have to find new ways to structure jobs to make the industry a viable career option in the future. Some have suggested creating more versatile working methods, re-skilling staff, and incorporating more flexible working hours within their roles. This need to be flexible however, does not mean that there will be more job creation opportunities within the industry. Flexibility also means ‘multi-skilling', and so one person may have to carry out what were once two separate jobs.

After the loss of Portugal and other destinations, many travel workers have left the sector. This action will ultimately devastate the future of the industry because if travelling freely is suddenly reinstated, then there will be no skilled or experienced staff left to employ. Within the challenging and changing climate of worldwide travel, training brand new staff is expensive and time-consuming, and the essential knowledge and expertise required cannot be taught in just a few months to meet the changeable advice given by the government.

As a result of the flux in destinations available, IAG, the parent company of British Airways, warns that it could take ‘several years' for air travel to return to 2019 levels.

How important is job security?

In the middle of a global pandemic where we have got used to remote working where we can, or waiting for a Zoom call about a prospective job interview, job security has never been more important. According to a new UK job survey by Indeed, 71% of respondents felt that a stable and secure form of employment will be a top priority for 2021.

Although many have said how being at home or having a greater work/life balance has had its positives, during this time job insecurity has negatively impacted their mental health too. 23% of UK respondents cited that anxiety and depression linked to work has affected their outlook on life, above the global average of 19%.

The pandemic has really brought into focus how jobs and careers are intricately interwoven within our physical and mental health, and so when our jobs are stable and more certain, we too feel stable and more certain about our lives and futures.

Is job security more important than salary?

All that being said, does the pandemic show us that job security is more important than salary?

Interestingly over the last year, job security has increasingly overshadowed salary for both workers and employers. Indeed's survey highlights how 60% of respondents would sacrifice perks like a higher salary in order to obtain a job, and reveals that 2 in 3 employers have already cut perks for their employees due to wanting to keep people on despite the pandemic.

On top of this, the main trend we have all seen during lockdowns is recognition of the human aspect of work, and how the job itself and the security of keeping one has become a major part of public discussion. For many people, a job now goes beyond monetary necessity. Job security also means working within a role that gives people a greater sense of fulfilment, social pride and an opportunity to follow their strengths and passions. Indeed, within the job losses of the travel industry, some workers have taken on smaller roles for less pay. Others have again taken a pay cut to have a go at following their lifelong dreams in new careers. Some have even decided to start up their own businesses despite the pandemic, and so are earning less money but have a more secure job which they feel in control of.

What are the most secure jobs throughout the pandemic?

A global survey which has taken information from five separate dates from March 2020 to March 2021, has found that there are 10 key professions which maintained a steady income and remained stable throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. These professions include:

• Nursing
• Teaching
• Corporate employment
• Veterinary work
• Non-profit professional employment
• Health Assistance
• Law work
• Medical workers
• Government employment
• Pharmacy work

As you can see, many of these careers have a direct link to helping people, meaning that travel, tourism, hospitality, and entertainment have suffered greatly, and may become industries that job seekers will avoid from now on.

In the UK in particular, there has been a boom in recruitment for software engineers across all industries, with digital skills being a great asset to support hospitals, schools and businesses working from home. Also, the number of warehouse and delivery driver jobs has been on the rise due to people ordering more items online, and the supermarkets have also needed more people to help in their stores, taking on more than 50,000 workers during the coronavirus outbreak.

Equally, the demand for education staff has greatly increased for both short-term and long-term roles, and as many parents are recognizing the challenges and joys of teaching in lockdown, working within the education sector has become a popular career change for many. Although teaching has been difficult during this time for many practitioners, their roles have not been adversely affected economically and there have been no major job losses, making education an extremely stable career choice of the future.

Where to get started in Special Education

Here at Senploy, we specialise in helping people find careers in Special Education across many different types of roles, and can support you in finding that stable job which will survive pandemics or changes in government policy. We know that getting started in Special Education does not mean you have to follow a particular route, that you have years of specialised experience, or that the skills you have gained in other sectors have to be abandoned. In fact the routes are varied, ranging from apprenticeships, placements and university courses; specialised experience can be gained over time; and every skill in your arsenal will be of great use to you in whatever area you choose to work in.

If you are considering working within Special Education, then you must visit the National Association for Special Education Needs website, which provides lots of advice on how to improve your skills, and gives examples of volunteering experiences you may find useful. It is very important that you gain as much information as you can, either from online sources, or by talking to special education providers. After volunteering for a few days or weeks, you might surprise yourself and realise that you want to work in a different role, and so it is a good idea to approach all volunteering opportunities with an open mind.

As you will see, there are many ways of meeting the standard requirements for particular jobs in special education. It is equally important however, to know that within any job in education, you will be constantly learning and improving your practice. Therefore after you are trained, be prepared to learn so much more on a daily basis, and to attend extra courses and training throughout your career. What will help you as well, is to create a strong professional network of peers who can help you in challenging and problematic situations, and whom you can share advice and learning with on a regular basis. Find out even more about this by checking out our previous blog post on how to get started here.

Job security has never been more important now that the Covid-19 pandemic is continuing to effect big employers across all industries, and particularly within travel and tourism. We hope this post has been helpful for those looking for a job or for a career change, and to see that there are ongoing, stable opportunities within Special Education that could improve your economic, mental and physical health for years to come. For more information on these opportunities please visit our job board here.

Click here to search our current SEN Jobs