Hays Travel announces 1,500 new jobs and apprenticeships - with hundreds in our region

Sunderland based company Hays Travel has announced plans to create 1,500 new jobs and apprenticeships, including more than 300 in our region.

Hays Travel started out in Seaham, 40 years ago. Since then, the firm has become a presence on high streets around the country. When travel giant Thomas Cook collapsed in September, Hays stepped in to buy 555 UK shops. Most have now been re-opened and more than 2000 former staff re-employed.

The new roles, which are available now, include 200 new posts at the company’s head office in Sunderland and 500 jobs handling foreign currency in each of the new Hays Travel stores around the UK. There will also be an apprentice taken on at each of Hays Travel’s 737 branches over the coming months.

Thomas Cook collapsed in September Credit: PA

The family-run company said the additional posts will potentially take the workforce to 5,700.