Windermere Lake Cruises is holding a summer jobs fair on Sunday, February 23, to help fill around one hundred seasonal vacancies from Easter onwards.
Traditionally, over the warmer months, the demand on Cumbria’s most popular attraction means staff numbers must be boosted to around 170 to help cope with its annual 1.63 million passenger journeys.
The attraction is actively encouraging people from all walks of life to apply for a role - even those who have no prior related experience and no matter how unusual their previous employment history may be.

The Mail:
Windermere Lake Cruises HR manager, Ian Wilkinson, said: “By casting a quick glance over our current team’s CVs, it’s amazing to see what a diverse employment history they have. From professional musicians to motorbike racers, it just goes to show how we love to work with people of all backgrounds – no matter how unusual.

“Take Jon Bennett for example, who is not only one of our skippers, but a fell-top weather assessor for the Lake District National Park.”
Team member David Sharp used to be a professional glassblower, while HR assistant Janet Johnson forged a career as a Kangaroo-keeper at the South Lakes Safari Zoo in Dalton. Meanwhile, Gary Elliott used to work as a Zoologist at Steve Irwin’s famous ‘Australia Zoo’ in Queensland.

The Mail:
Ian Guest used to work for Father Christmas in Lapland as Santa’s chief sound engineer, while other diverse roles enjoyed by staff include an auctioneer, Colour Sergeant with the Grenadier Guards and even a hostage situation negotiator.
Windermere Lake Cruises employee Alison Cotton is a celebrant, she said:” When becoming a celebrant I wanted to give people the ceremony they wanted for their special event, whether that is a blessing or a naming ceremony.

“Working at Windermere Lake Cruises gives me the opportunity to do this from another aspect of their day and I endeavour to provide great customer service.”
Ahmed Abdelaziz worked in Egypt as a qualified scuba diving instructor, while Mike Donley was a hostage situation negotiator for the police and attended 160 incidents throughout his career.

The Mail:

Mike said: “Bowness is the prettiest place I have worked. I love Windermere Lake Cruises because they’re not put off by age”.
Ian Wilkinson said: “It just goes to show working with Windermere Lake Cruises is so appealing to people from different walks of life. We really hope to see this fascinating variety of folk continue when we hold our next recruitment event.”
This year, the roles will be available from March right through until November at the attraction’s Bowness, Ambleside and Lakeside piers. Weather-permitting, the recruitment open day will take place on board the attraction’s most iconic vessel, the MV Tern.
The vacancies include roles for onboard crew members, ticket office staff, café and restaurant positions, retail assistants, along with self-drive and rowing boat hire attendants.

The Mail:
Anybody interested in taking a summer role with Windermere Lake Cruises is invited to find out more before applying, by attending the recruitment open-day at Bowness Piers, Lake Road, in Bowness between 12pm and 4pm on February 23.
Mr Wilkinson, added: “The fixed-term seasonal contracts will span a range of job roles due to the higher demand for our attraction over the summer. Currently we have staff ranging from as young as 16 years old right through to people in their 70s – many of whom love working, despite having retired.
“We had a really successful recruitment open-day last year, so we’re hoping to welcome just as many – if not even more people to our 2020 event. We always look forward to meeting our potential new colleagues who like the idea of spending the summer working on England’s longest lake. I can’t think of a better place to earn some money!”
You can register your interest in the event here or by calling 015394 433 60.

Find out about all our upcoming vacancies here.

You can also just turn up on the day without booking a place. Refreshments will be provided. For more information, please contact Peter Storry:

Email: pstorry@cumbriatourism.org

Telephone: 07493 884 634
Web: www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk
Twitter: @Windermereboats
Facebook: www.facebook.com/windermerelakecruises