Successful
tourism initiative
now on track at
Waverley Station
A
SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYER engagement
project, which was piloted at Edinburgh
International Airport, will now be rolled out
to create paid work for students at one of Scotland
main railway stations.
The STARS project, which responded to airport
management’s requirement to improve the customer
experience of international visitors, will now be adopted
by Virgin Trains.
The initiative has provided outstanding career
development opportunities for hospitality, events and PR
students by helping them develop international customer
relations skills whilst being positioned at the airport’s
international arrivals point.
Conceived by QMU’s world-leading events industry
academic and the University’s Employability and
Development Adviser, the partnership enhances the
visitor experience at the airport, providing positive first
impressions and strengthening Scotland’s reputation as
a welcoming nation.
Christine DePlacido from QMU’s Clinical Audiology, Speech
and Language Research Centre, said: “We’re extremely grateful
to Dr Barr-Hamilton and the Oticon Foundation for helping us
mark our 10th anniversary by housing the Scottish Hearing
Aid Collection at QMU.
“There are very few collections of hearing aids as
comprehensive as this in the UK outside London. We feel
it provides the University with an unrivalled opportunity to
raise awareness about hearing loss and deafness, as well
as providing audiology students and members of the public
with a deeper understanding of the evolution of the modern
hearing aids.”
Gavin Lockhart from Oticon, added: “The Oticon Foundation
recognised the merits in ensuring the Collection found a suitable
home to tell its story. Where better to showcase this Collection
than QMU - a source of lifeblood for the future of audiology?”
The hearing aid collection is now on public display on the
2nd floor at QMU. ❒
The project has been particularly enhanced due to
the talents of multilingual UK and international students
who were able to converse with international visitors. In
addition, the students, who worked as Ambassadors,
have benefited from paid employment, which in some
cases has led to international work opportunities at, for
example, Walt Disney World.
Juan Garcia, Employability and Development Adviser
at QMU, explained: “Edinburgh International Airport was
so pleased with the pilot that it funded the extension of
the project for a year. In that time, our STARS students
interacted with more than 90,000 visitors to the airport
which helped improve their costumer experience. In
addition to satisfying the needs of the employer, it
provided improved levels of confidence amongst the
STARS and provided outstanding paid work in their
chosen area.
“We are delighted that the potential of this project has
been recognised by the industry and that further work
opportunities will now be available at Waverley Station,
Edinburgh through funding from Virgin Trains.” ❒
QMYOU / Development News
29