Andy Walker
Food and Beverage Manager, Thorpe Park
BA Hons Business Marketing, Nottingham Trent University 2005
“The opportunity to join the Merlin graduate scheme came at a perfect time – I had recently graduated and was already working in an environment I loved, Alton Towers Resort. I had worked in other businesses before but my past jobs had never seemed “enough”. I knew this programme would enable me to fast track up the ladder of an organisation where the culture was exciting, fun and different to that of just about any other company out there.
“The biggest learning for me was working in a marketing department when the previous week I had been at the coal face working on the Waterpark reception. This experience and the variety of placements that followed developed my confidence and adaptability enormously.
“I presented to our board on my achievements at the end of each year – there are not many companies of this size where the CEO takes such an active interest in the future leaders in the company and I relish that. Since completion of the programme my experiences have included joining the opening team of a new SEA LIFE attraction in Germany, heading up the operations team at SEA LIFE Birmingham for the launch of the 4D Cinema, and most recently joining Thorpe Park as Food and Beverage Manager for the 2009 season. It's been a massive buzz: I've grabbed opportunities I certainly wouldn't have had if I wasn't in the graduate programme."
