Focus on people who do unusual summer work
Natasha Duff (22), blue coat supervisor at Trabolgan Holiday Village
How did you hear about the job?Through an advertisement. They were looking for entertainers. My friend, Lisa Bradley, and I said we'll give it a go, and take a chance.
What was the interview like?It was an audition. We had to perform a song and a bit of a dance. We weren't very experienced. Afterwards, we said no way. We sang Christina Aguilera's Beautiful. We weren't very confident and we were very nervous.
What does the job entail?A bit of everything. We are the entertainment team, day and night, seven days a week. We run events, we organise quizes, competitions, karaoke, treasure hunts, we do dance classes and we supervise Florrie's Den, it's an adventure area, a playground for children. Florrie is a big fox, he's very friendly. All the kids love him. We have three clubs for three different age groups . . . so you could be working in any of those groups.
We have Hoy Bingo, that's really easy so that children can play. We have high-school music concerts and an ultra violet puppet show, which is one of the main attractions.
What hours do you work?We work from 10am up to 5pm and sometimes up to 3am. We have a break from five to seven. But there will still be someone working up to seven.
How many of you work together?There are 11 of us on a team, including the manager and the assistant manager. I'm a supervisor with the team. I must make sure that everything is in order, that everything is running on time.
Do you like wearing the uniform?I like it because it makes us very professional. We've got two different outfits. We wear a navy tracksuit in the day with orange writing that says Trabolgan Blue Coat on the back, that way if anyone is looking for us, they can spot us easily. In the evening we were a blue sparkly coat and skirt with a gold shirt and we wear black court shoes and tights.
Have you been doing it for long?This is my third season.
What's the best part of the job?I'd say getting to see the same people coming back all the time because, if they're coming back again and again, you know they must be enjoying themselves. I love getting to know people. I love the whole job because you get to do what you love. It doesn't feel like you're working.
Is there any aspect of the job you don't like?I suppose the split shifts because you get tired. It's six days and six nights. That's the only thing. You always have to be ready to go.
Is the money good?The money is great. It varies. Different weeks you come out with different amounts. You get €8.80 an hour. You get paid for every single hour.
Does the job have a future?I hope so. Lisa, my friend, in the space of three seasons, was promoted to manager. If you stick at it you can climb the ladder.
- in conversation with Catherine Foley
