Company News · 3 min read · 2026

Local company opens its doors to students

Holiday Extras welcomes 150 students to its Newingreen campus for its Student Discovery Day, as part of a Community Engagement Programme reaching 8,000 young people each year.

Short on time? Let us summarise this guide for you.

Holiday Extras is opening its Newingreen campus to 150 students on Thursday 25th June for its Student Discovery Day, offering hands-on sessions covering careers, AI in the workplace, and workplace culture. The event is part of the company's Community Engagement Programme, which engages around 8,000 local students each year through 80 active employee volunteers. The programme recently won the Folkestone and Hythe District Council's Excellence in Volunteering Award.

Welcoming students to the world of work

23 June 2026: Recognising the importance of workplace exposure and career exploration, local company Holiday Extras is opening its doors to students this week for its Student Discovery Day as part of its wider Community Engagement Programme.

This comes after the Hythe-based company was awarded the Folkestone and Hythe District Council's Excellence in Volunteering Award, for its commitment to the community.

On Thursday 25th June, Holiday Extras' Student Discovery Day will welcome 150 students to its Newingreen campus as an introduction to the world of work. The event will offer the students an immersive opportunity to explore careers and aims to help familiarise them with the skills, roles and technologies shaping today's workplaces.

What students can expect

Designed to mimic a school open evening, the students will meet employees from across the business and be encouraged to participate in a series of interactive experiences, including:

• Meet the Teams : Holiday Extras employees will showcase different roles, career pathways and the skills needed to succeed.
• AI Arcade : hands-on activities demonstrating how AI is being used in modern workplaces.
• Life@HX Lounge : an interactive space focused on careers, workplace culture, personal development and key skills.

A programme reaching 8,000 students a year

The event feeds into the company's wider Community Engagement Programme. Recognising its role as a major local employer, Holiday Extras launched the programme two years ago to facilitate access to future career opportunities and valuable exposure to the workplace.

Beyond its Student Discovery Day, 80 active volunteers across the company engage with around 8,000 local students each year through careers fairs, assemblies, insight sessions, CV writing, interview and career journey workshops, business challenges and mentoring support.

Additionally, Holiday Extras delivers its Work Experience Programme, providing 30 placements each year for students from its partner schools, and donates monthly towards The Hythe Youth Club's running costs.

Inspiring the next generation

Michelle Clarke Cowell, Associate Director of Engagement and Performance at Holiday Extras, said:

"We are honoured to be recognised with the Excellence in Volunteering Award and to have the opportunity to work with so many young people across our local community. This achievement reflects not just the impact of our Community Engagement Programme, but also the commitment of our employees who give their time to support and inspire the next generation.

"Many young people don't have the opportunity to experience a modern workplace first-hand or understand the wide variety of careers available to them. Over the past two years, we have seen first-hand the difference that meaningful business engagement can make in helping young people build confidence and explore future possibilities, and we would strongly encourage other organisations to consider what they can offer. We look forward to continuing this work and welcoming students to our Student Discovery Day this week."

About Holiday Extras

Holiday Extras is the UK market leader in airport parking, airport hotels, worldwide airport lounges, destination car hire, airport transfers and holiday insurance. Established in 1983, Holiday Extras helps more than 11 million travellers have a better holiday every year. When booking with Holiday Extras, if plans change, no matter what the reason, Flextras ensures it will always be easy and free to cancel the booking and reschedule for another date. The company has been listed eleven times in The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For.

For more information, contact the Holiday Extras PR team at Gold79: [email protected]