Inspirational talk for NRC Travel students

Barry Sheils, an on-board manager with the prestigious airline, spoke to Level 2 and 3 3 Travel and Tourism students at the College’s Coleraine and Magherafelt campuses via Zoom.

He told them how, after he completed his Level 3 course, he’d flown with short-haul low-cost carriers for several years before progressing to a cabin crew position with Virgin and then landing his dream job as an on-board manager with the airline.

“My career has allowed me to see the world and no two days at work are every the same,” he said.

“The one thing that never changes though is that we must always provide the best possible customer service.”

He assured the students that although delivering exemplary customer service while operating across different time zones, several miles up in the air and a long way from land can be demanding, it is also very rewarding.

Barry explained that an important aspect of his role as on-board manager, which is the most senior cabin crew member on any flight, is having to deal with just about any kind of emergency that could happen on board.

 “It could be just about anything, from a medical crisis to coping with technology glitches and handling difficult passengers. It’s all in a day’s work,” he explained. Tourism lecturer Vivienne Baldwin said Barry’s talk was most professional and truly inspirational.

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