Level 1 Exploring the Aviation Industry Course in Redhill. Classes run at East Surrey College, full-time during the day. The course runs for 34 weeks and covers aviation, travel, tourism, and customer service. You'll learn how the UK travel industry works, what employers look for, and how to deliver effective customer service. Topics include locational geography, overseas resort work, accessible tourism, and planning travel itineraries. This exploring the aviation industry qualification suits anyone looking to enter the travel and tourism sector or move on to a higher-level course.
Who this course is for
16 or 16+
What you will learn
You'll explore how the UK travel and aviation industry is structured and how it operates.
You'll study the UK tourism industry and the range of organisations within it.
You'll develop customer service skills specific to travel and tourism settings.
You'll build knowledge of locational geography relevant to travel planning.
You'll learn about the role of overseas resort representatives and what the job involves.
You'll study accessible travel and tourism and how to support different travellers.
You'll practise planning travel itineraries for different types of trips.
You'll explore what employers in the travel sector expect and how to prepare for work.
How you will learn
You'll learn through classroom-based sessions at East Surrey College. Assessment is through a portfolio of completed work built up across the course. Units are a mix of mandatory and optional topics. You'll gather evidence as you progress through each unit, covering both knowledge and practical understanding of the travel and tourism industry.
What you will need to bring
Bring pens, highlighters, a pencil, and a ruler. You'll also need an A4 folder for your portfolio, A4 lined or blank paper, and a world atlas such as the Collins School World Atlas. East Surrey College will confirm anything else you need before you start.
Where next
Jobs you could do
Holiday representative: working with tourists at overseas resorts
Tour guide: leading groups on organised trips and excursions
Tourist information centre assistant: helping visitors plan their stay
Travel agent: booking holidays and travel for customers
Customer service advisor: front-line support in a travel or tourism business
Resort representative: supporting holidaymakers at UK or overseas destinations
What you could study next
Level 2 Travel and Tourism Qualification: builds on this course with deeper industry knowledge and broader job options.
Level 3 Travel and Tourism Diploma: a more advanced route that can lead to supervisory roles or higher education in travel, tourism, or hospitality.
Level 3 Aeronautical Engineering or Aviation-related courses: if your interest moves toward the technical side of the industry.
