Dave Essam
Study Type: School Leaver Vocational
Study Location: The Roundhouse
Subject Studied: Travel and Tourism
Operations director attributes career journey to confidence gained at Derby College
Taking leisure and tourism qualifications with Derby College led to the job in travel Dave Essam had always dreamed of.
Thanks to the knowledge – and confidence – he gained at South East Derbyshire College (now part of Derby College Group), he enjoyed a long career with Co-op Travel, spending more than seven years as assistant manager of the flagship Ilkeston branch.
Dave, now 40, said: “Working in the travel industry was amazing. I went all over the world and got to see so many countries, including America and Australia.”
Despite loving his work, he decided to switch careers in 2009, and is now operations director of Frontline Recruitment.
He found the management and people skills he acquired while working in travel highly transferable to the recruitment sector.
Dave attributes much of his career success to the help and support he received when he first went to college aged 17.
He said: “I liked my time at college. It was a good set up and going there did a lot for my confidence. The lecturers were great – really supportive – and I’m still in touch with one of them, Julie Gibson.
My family was going through a tough time back then as my mum had just been diagnosed with MS. The staff on my course were understanding and did all they could to help me.
They worked hard for all of us and wanted everyone on the course to do well.”
Dave was promoted to his current role with Frontline Recruitment in February 2019. The business delivers temporary, permanent and on-site recruitment solutions in sectors such as commercial, driving and industrial to clients in the UK & Europe.
I liked my time at college. It was a good set up and going there did a lot for my confidence. The lecturers were great – really supportive – and I’m still in touch with one of them, Julie Gibson. My family was going through a tough time back then as my mum had just been diagnosed with MS. The staff on my course were understanding and did all they could to help me. They worked hard for all of us and wanted everyone on the course to do well.