Alton Towers and Staffordshire University have teamed up to offer a Foundation Degree in Visitor Attraction and Resort Management at the UK university’s business school.

According to the university, students will learn about key areas of the business including operations and commercial management; strategic management; health and safety marketing and digital communications; financial and human resource management and customer service. Students will then have the opportunity to put their learning into practice during key seasonal peaks at the theme park.

“We believe this course will offer students an amazing opportunity to develop their career potential to work in the leisure industry, which is an ever-growing sector,” said Guy Brazier, HR director for Alton Towers.

“We’ve worked alongside Staffordshire University on a number of training and development projects in recent years, but this course is really the culmination of everything we’ve been aiming for," continued Brazier. "It will give those that complete it a credible background that will make them far more attractive to prospective employers and of course we are hoping it will act as a catalyst for our own workforce, to support our succession strategy.”

Students will work in front line roles within retail, hotels and park operations in their first year of the programme and at team leader level in the second year. As an alternative to full time employment, they will also have the opportunity to top up to a full degree on completion of the Foundation Degree. The course will enrol 20 students for the term starting in September 2015. The syllabus involves a two-year programme, which includes 18 weeks of paid work experience.