The General Manager of Parkdean Resorts’ Cresswell Towers Holiday Park has achieved a distinction grade in his Level 5 Operations Management qualification, becoming the first employee at the UK's leading holiday park operator to complete a Level 5 apprenticeship.
Alex Pearson, 36, began working at Parkdean Resorts in 2020 as a General Manager in Scotland before moving to Cresswell Towers as a General Manager in 2022. Passionate about the value of apprenticeships and keen to enhance his management expertise, Alex began his two-year apprenticeship programme in 2022, and continues to inspire his team to develop their skillsets.
Seven members of Alex’s team are currently on apprenticeships, and in January 2024, Alex joined the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IFATE) apprenticeship panel as a panel member, representing the hospitality industry in policy discussions and promoting apprenticeships as both a route into employment and a means to gain further experience and career progression while on the job.
Parkdean Resorts is one of 200 Employer-Providers in England and the only Employer-Provider in the Holiday Park sector, providing qualifications ranging from Level 2 to Level 5 – the equivalent of a Foundation Degree – to hundreds of employees every year. Apprenticeship programmes include Kitchen Academy, Leadership Academy and Maintenance Academy to help employees develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours in their role at any level across the business.
Alex Pearson, General Manager at Cresswell Towers Holiday Park, said: “I’m really pleased to have completed my Level 5 Operations Management qualification. Apprenticeships are an invaluable way to develop your skillset, and it’s fantastic to be able to apply my learning directly into my role. I would recommend an apprenticeship in the hospitality sector to anyone and I am proud to see my team working to amplify their talents too.”
Paul Stevenson, Apprenticeships Principal at Parkdean Resorts, said: “We’re committed to nurturing talent and giving our teams opportunities to learn and develop, and we’re really proud of Alex. He’s shown fantastic development since studying for this qualification, and he’s a great example for his team of how they can develop their skills and grow their careers with us.”
Cresswell Towers, at Druridge Bay, recently earned a prestigious TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award for the second consecutive year. The award recognises businesses that earn consistently great reviews, and honours select accommodations, attractions and restaurants in the top 10% of listings which consistently demonstrate a commitment to hospitality excellence.
Cresswell Towers is one of 66 holiday parks owned by Parkdean Resorts, the UK’s leading holiday park operator, and one of three in Northumberland. The company employs more than 190 people in peak season in the county, and between them – Cresswell Towers, Church Point, in Newbiggin, and Sandy Bay in Ashington – welcomed almost 50,000 holidaymakers last year, a 3% increase on 2022 bookings, marking one of Parkdean Resorts’ busiest years on record.
Prompted by strong bookings for 2024, Parkdean Resorts will recruit 6,000 people for its 66 UK-wide parks, including 750 jobs in the North East. With 250 different careers across its business, the company is hiring for a wide range of roles in different departments, and job opportunities include Cleaners, Bar & Waiting team members, Maintenance Assistants, Lifeguards, Security Officers, Chefs and Kitchen Assistants. For more information on the roles available, please visit https://jobs.parkdeanresorts.co.uk.
