THE blue uniforms of Adventure Island workers are instantly recognisable to residents across Southend and the firm prides itself as the go-to place for young people after summer holiday work.

For many of Southend’s teenagers, their first experience of the working world is Saturdays or summer holidays working at the Stockvale-owned theme park, whether it is operating rides, dishing out wristbands or serving burgers and doughnuts.

Like many of the staff at Adventure Island, media manager Emma also began her career as a teenager after visiting the park often as a child.

“I came here when I was little. I had my birthday party here, so now doing the birthday parties is the best thing ever. When I came here as a kid, I used to look at the people controlling the rides and doing the shows and think ‘you are so cool’. she said.

Media manager - EmmaMedia manager - Emma (Image: Adventure Island)

The 24-year-old, from Leigh, is confident there is a host of benefits and a “job for everyone” at the park.

She said: “I’ve worked here for eight years. I started off when I was 16 as an entertainment host, doing shows, costumes, parties, and then stayed here through uni, coming back in the summer. I did my degree in media, so when I went to leave, they said ‘no, no, no, let’s make you a job here’.

“I don’t think you’d find another job in the area that’s as fun as this, and as social. Just the amount of people who work here, it’s so social.

“When you start off when you’re 16/17/18, it’s so good because you make so many friends – everyone’s the same age and you’re all doing the same thing.”

“There is a job for everyone here. If there’s someone, who for whatever reason, might not be able or comfortable being on the rides or in costume, there’s still options”

“For the feel-good diner, we’ll ask them if they have any background in signing or dancing, and we actually get quite a lot of people who are doing musical theatre or from the East15 drama school. We’ve got people who want to be in catering, both front and back of house.”

Queensley Ahwireng, 18, works as a ride operator at the park and believes the working with “amazing colleagues and customers” is the perfect mix for success. She said: “I was really nervous when I first started but honestly the people I work with are amazing and the customers are amazing.”

Fellow ride operator Matthew Malkes, 17, added: “The environment’s very nice, I get to make new friends, the customers are really nice, especially once you get the hang of how to do the rides.”