Forget university, run a Travelodge instead

Students in fear of racking up huge debts by going to university now have another option - running their own Travelodge.

The company is looking to shake up the way it recruits its managers, and is now offering 500 apprenticeship spaces to school leavers - who could earn up to £30,000 in their first two years of the programme.

Chief exec Guy Parsons said of the new scheme, called JuMP: 'I genuinely believe this programme is the way we are going to grow our senior management going forward. By 2015, I would say some 45% of people managing our new hotels will have come through this scheme.'

According to Government figures, many people who take degrees leave uni with debts of more than £43,000.

Travelodge is one of Britain's fastest growing companies, and expects youngsters will be tempted by the thought of running their own hotel by then age of 21 instead of facing debts.

Parsons told The Sun: 'For a lot of people the thought of that level of debt hanging over them is something that really frightens them.'

The 500 apprenticeships will be offered over the next five years - kicking off with 50 this summer.
Travelodge currently boasts 466 hotels across the UK but has plans to double in size in the next few years.

Penny-watching Brits opting for a staycation instead of a holiday abroad this year have already virtually snapped up all rooms this summer in St Austell, Torquay and Glastonbury.

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