ITC Media releases

updated 11th November 2011

ITC Continues Business Award Success

The International Travel College (ITC) of New Zealand won the Excellence in Marketing category at the Westpac Auckland Central Business Awards on 10 November 2011.

ITC, which has campuses in Botany and central Auckland, has been a premium supplier of full-time and part-time training programmes for the airline, travel and tourism industries since 1996.

The award represents ITC’s continuing success in its field.  The college recently won Excellence in Marketing at the 2011 Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards, and in 2010 won both the Excellence in Service Delivery and Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality awards.

“To win in both the Central and Manukau awards this year gives us real confidence that we have it right throughout the whole college,” says Marketing Director Claire Huxley.

“We work really hard to integrate our passion for the airline, travel and tourism industries in everything we do, across all of our departments and campuses.”

Strong industry links, which create work experience for students and jobs for graduates, play a significant role in ITC’s marketing.

 “For us, marketing isn’t about coming up with a brand and just saying ‘this is who we are’. We have to walk the talk – get out there and create and maintain relationships with the people who employ our students and support our college.”

A commitment to providing real-world work experience means that ITC’s students are often in the industry and public eye.

“Our students’ talents are regularly on show at events like the Auckland International Students Welcome, The Rugby World Cup and through work experience at organisations like JUCY Rentals and Auckland Museum. They are the real test of our marketing success. You can say you’re the best, but the results have to measure up.”

And they do. Regular positive feedback from industry contacts has proven that ITC practises what it preaches.

And the students have something to say about that too. Recent graduate Margaret Wilson wrote to ITC after getting a job as a telephone sales consultant at Qantas. Margaret says, “I will continue to work my hardest, and achieve the goals and tasks set for me to show that I am and will always be an ITC student. I want to show Qantas I was taught by the best.”

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to Westpac and the Auckland Chamber of Commerce for running this event and for their support of the business community,” says Claire. “And, of course, we are always grateful to the wonderful staff, students and graduates that make ITC the place we love to be.”

ITC Proud to Sponsor Student Charity

The Twinkle Child Foundation held its inaugural Comedy Night on 7 October in support of children receiving medical treatment at Manukau Superclinic.

The International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) was proud to donate $1000 to sponsor the event. The night was a great success, with $2000 dollars raised for much-needed toys, activities, and medical equipment.
 
The Twinkle Foundation, which was begun in 2009, has a mission “to brighten the experiences of children and infants by providing gifts and funding for paediatric support services.”

“Obviously, it’s a fantastic cause,” says ITC’s Marketing Director Claire Huxley, “but what really impressed us is that the foundation is New Zealand’s only charity run exclusively by secondary and tertiary students.”

“It is such a great example to students everywhere that they can make a difference.”

The night began with a hilarious performance from comedian Jarred Fell, who wowed the audience with magic tricks. Next, the Indian Cultural Group from Auckland Grammar School and St Cuthbert’s College delivered a satirical spoof on culture. The evening continued with performances from the band PreMixed, the highly entertaining dancing Crazy Animals, a selection of the world’s funniest Youtube videos, and a parody of the “planking” phenomenon.

The Twinkle Child Foundation was delighted with ITC’s donation, saying, “It is greatly appreciated… and will go a long way to benefiting the Manukau Superclinic through the Comedy Night fundraising event.”

“We are so impressed with what this group of dedicated young people has managed to accomplish in just a few short years,” says Claire. “And we’re delighted we could be a part of helping them support the children at the Manukau Superclinic. And a big congratulations to ITC student Rachael Gee for her involvement with this charity"

For details of the Twinkle Foundation, please check their website -  http://www.twinkle.org.nz/

ITC Nominated for Further Business Award

The International Travel College (ITC) of New Zealand has been nominated for the Excellence in Marketing category in the Westpac Auckland Central Business Awards.

ITC recently won Excellence in Marketing at the Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards.

The entry criteria for the Auckland awards states that the marketing category “recognises a business that shows a thorough understanding of - and commitment to - marketing in a way that makes it a clear leader in the field.”

“We certainly hope that describes us,” says Marketing Director Claire Huxley. “Marketing at ITC is about more than getting students to sign up to our courses – it’s about integrating all aspects of the college into the travel and tourism industry.”

ITC’s strong commitment to developing relationships with industry pays off for its students, who regularly get real-world experience and job opportunities through ITC’s connections.

“For example, our Account Manager Ceri Jenkins is constantly working to market the college by developing strong links between the students and their future careers.”

Ceri has brokered numerous opportunities for students to undertake part-time work with companies such as JUCY Rentals and Auckland War Memorial Museum. And students regularly get onsite experience working behind the scenes at events like the Auckland International Student Welcome and the TRENZ tradeshow.

“Those kinds of relationships come about because we have the confidence that we are genuinely preparing students for jobs in the real world,” says Claire. “And you can’t fake that – you have to have the full support and belief of the staff, the students and the people working in those industries to make it work.”

The award winners will be announced at a black-tie gala dinner at The Langham Hotel Auckland on Thursday 10th November 2011.

ITC, which has campuses in Botany and central Auckland, has been a premium supplier of full-time and part-time training programmes for the airline, travel and tourism industries since 1996. ITC also offers a wide range of Distance and Online learning courses.

ITC’s Business Awards Win

International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) has been named the winner in the Excellence in Marketing category at the Westpac Auckland South Business Awards 2011. This is the first time that this category has been in the Awards and was one of the most contested categories.

The awards (formerly the Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards) aim to recognise and celebrate excellence in South Auckland’s businesses, particularly in relation to promoting and strengthening economic development in the region.

The announcement was made at a gala dinner held at the TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre in Manukau on 12 August.

“We are so thrilled,” says Marketing Director Claire Huxley. “We integrate our marketing in all that we do – whether it’s college-run events, our website and blog, our relationship with industry or work experience for our students.”

“We know that marketing isn’t just about the promotional material we produce. Everyone at the college represents the ITC brand, and it’s an important part of our job to make sure we create an environment where everyone is proud to represent us – whether that’s our staff, our students or our graduates.”

“A passion for the tourism, travel and airline industries is the foundation of our college. Our staff members all have a great deal of experience and a real commitment to sharing that with our students and helping them on their way to their dream career. All of our marketing stems from that core focus.”

“We’d like to say a big thank you to Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development who run the awards, not just for recognising ITC, but for the faith they show in our business community and for the opportunity to show people what we are all capable of.”

ITC, which has campuses in Botany and central Auckland, has been a premium supplier of full-time and part-time training programmes for the airline, travel and tourism industries since 1996. ITC also offers a wide range of Distance and Online learning courses.

This is not the first win for the college, which won the Excellence in Service Delivery and Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality awards in 2010.

Cristina a Top Performer at ITC

On Friday 22 July, International Travel College of New Zealand student Cristina Traczinski received some wonderful news. She had just been named as the student with the best performance in the country for the IATA Foundation and EBT Course.

The course is administered by the IATA Training and Development Institute (ITDI), the training arm of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) – an international trade body that represents some 230 airlines comprising 93% of scheduled international air traffic.

The International Travel College of New Zealand is an IATA Authorized Training Center (ATC), which allows it to teach the IATA Travel and Tourism and Aviation training programmes. Cristina completed the ITDI course as part of International Diploma in Tourism Management.

“We’re so proud of Cristina,” says ITC’s Managing Director Kerry Priestley. “This is an exceptional achievement and will stand her in good stead in her career.”

The letter telling Cristina of her achievement came from Ismail Albaidhani, Head of Distance Learning at IATA in Canada. It congratulates her on her performance and tells her that she may use the letter as a reference for any future job application.

Not that she needs it just yet; Cristina has just also found out that she is to start her first role in the travel and tourism industry on 1 August at travel consultancy BTI.

“What a success story!” says Kerry. “Cristina is a stand-out example of the kind of momentum that builds once people really set their sights on a dream. We work hard to give our students the training, the experience and the industry contacts to realise their dream, but in the end they have to give it their best shot – and that is exactly what Cristina has done.”

Congratulations to Cristina from all her classmates and the staff at ITC.

ITC has been a premium supplier of full-time and part-time training programmes for the airline, travel and tourism industries since 1996, and has campuses in Botany and central Auckland.

ITC Nominated for Two Business Awards

International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) has been nominated in two categories in the Westpac Auckland South Business Awards 2011: Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality; and Excellence in Marketing.

The awards (formerly the Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards) are run by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development Ltd (formerly Enterprising Manukau), a Council Controlled Organisation of the new Auckland Council.  They aim to recognise and celebrate excellence in South Auckland’s businesses, particularly in relation to promoting and strengthening economic development in the region.

ITC, which has campuses in Botany and central Auckland, has been a premium supplier of full-time and part-time training programmes for the airline, travel and tourism industries since 1996.

The college won the Excellence in Service Delivery and Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality awards in 2010, and the staff at ITC is thrilled to be nominated for more awards this year. 

“Tourism is what we are all about,” says Managing Director Kerry Priestley. “That award recognises those who meet the needs of their customers in the industry, and that is what we aim to do by providing the best, most relevant training so that our graduates can, in turn, contribute to the industry we are all so passionate about.”

The nomination for marketing excellence is also highly relevant to ITC’s commitment to the travel and tourism industry.

“For us, marketing isn’t a stand-alone aspect of our business,” says Marketing Director Claire Huxley. “Our marketing principles run through everything we do.

“We are constantly forging new relationships and partnerships with industry leaders in the travel and tourism fields. It's not just about attracting students to the college, but about letting the industry know what great training we provide.

“The outcome is that our students are regularly given real-world work experience at events and with travel and tourism operators, which helps them to achieve their goals in their chosen field.

“And our graduates are spoken of very highly by their employers – in a sense our graduates are our strongest marketing tool, as they are proof of the quality of training they have received at ITC.”

The award winners will be announced at a gala dinner to be held on 12 August at the TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre in Manukau

ITC Gets Global

Students at the International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) celebrated their annual Global Wednesday festival with a huge variety of food, costumes and entertainment.

ITC, which has campuses in Botany and central Auckland, has been a premium supplier of full-time and part-time training programmes for the airline, travel and tourism industries since 1996.

“Student events like Global Wednesday play an important part in the ITC experience,” says Marketing Director Claire Huxley. “Obviously, they’re a huge amount of fun, but they also get our students working together, thinking about other countries and cultures, and give them a taste of what it takes to put together an event like this.”

Each ITC class was assigned a country and had to organise costumes, food and entertainment for the big day. Countries for the 2011 Global Wednesday were India, South Africa, Japan, Jamaica, Spain, Brazil, Germany, Pacific Islands, USA, Mexico and Ireland.

Prizes were given on the day, and Campus Manager Michelle Chatfield and Academic Support Coordinator Caroline Phillips were this year’s judges. They had a hard time choosing the Best Food and Presentation award. A wide range of homemade food was presented and the Jamaican team went with a cocktail theme – presenting the students and judges with delicious non-alcoholic cocktails. South Africa was the winner on the day; not only did they have tasty food, but they had decorated the entire room with African items including a jungle safari area with huge stuffed tigers and lions. Dressed in African costumes, they played African-inspired music and danced as the judges walked through.

The Supreme Costume Award was another tough choice for the judges with Indian saris, Mexican Day of the Dead costumes and the German team decked out in red and yellow. But the Irish team, dressed in green, painted with shamrocks and accompanied by leprechauns won the prize.

The students had put a great deal of effort into the entertainment section of the day. “The teams really gave it all they had this year,” says ITC’s Recruitment Advisor Lesley Brough. “Group dances from Spain, Ireland, Mexico, South Africa and Brazil let the students show their moves, and the Jamaica class challenged the audience with a quiz, which they won an extra prize for.”

In the end, the judges couldn’t decide on a single winner and the Japan and India classes tied for the prize.
 
A number of spot prizes were given out with Best Costume winner Gordan Newman and Best Entertainer Ali Kutty winning Sky Tower Skywalk passes.  The Best Dancer award was tied between Moli Tuigamala and Neelam Prasad, who was so outstanding she even had a costume change during the dance!
 
“It was a fantastic day,” says Lesley, “and what made it so special was all the hard work that the students put in to it.  They had such a great day and are still talking about how much fun they had.” 
 

“A Supportive Extended Family” – ITC’s online study makes it easy

The International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) has been a premium supplier of full-time and part-time training programmes for the airline, travel and tourism industries since 1996, and has campuses in Botany and central Auckland.

Since 2006, ITC has offered several of its courses via online and distance learning.

For mums like Kim Hooper, Susannah Eaton, Ann-Maree Nimalota and Lyn Redstall, and those with full-time jobs like Harpreet Kaur, ITC’s online study offers opportunities that would otherwise be closed to them.

Ann-Maree, who recently completed the National Certificate in Tourism (core skills) while working part time, says “I had always wanted to get into the travel and tourism industry, but found it hard as I needed to work. With a young one there was no way I could go back to classes. Then I heard about ITC’s online distance learning course and I knew it was perfect for me.  I was able to be at home with my baby and still work part time.”

Lyn says that the hardest part was actually signing the enrolment form and “committing to the unknown”. She had not studied for many years and was uncertain how she would fit it in around work and family commitments. “I did have a few concerns; however, most of these quickly disappeared after I’d completed my first assignment and passed – that was a big confidence boost.”

She says that the course structure means the work “isn’t hard to pick up where you left off if you do get interrupted, and, actually, at times it’s quite beneficial to have a break.” She was surprised by how much time she had available.

Susannah agrees: “I sure did have some hectic moments juggling motherhood with student life, but once I started a routine and stuck to it I had loads more time than I thought.”

Ann-Maree found that the course structure allowed her to plan ahead to ensure her success: “I found there were times when I struggled, for example, when I got sick or my baby got sick, and over the busy Christmas and New year. Being a little ahead of the course schedule meant that if I was caught in a situation where I struggled to find the time to study I was never behind, and for me being up to date helped me to keep on going and really take the time to learn.”

Kim is a single mother with two children, and it is keeping her eye on the end goal that keeps her motivated. “My future goal to be a customs officer or a check in agent is my motivation to keep me going and not to give up. I get a lot of support and encouragement from my tutor Carla as well as my classmates.”

The others all agree that the support they have received from ITC’s staff and fellow students have been critical to their enjoyment and success.

“Over the past 40 weeks I have had close contact with fellow distance learning classmates and tutors through online forums and workshops,” says Ann-Maree. “This has been very fun and helpful, asking and answering questions that we were unsure about, also sharing our thoughts and experiences with each other.”

“I cannot forget the fantastic staff at ITC,” says Susannah. “They are such an organised and friendly bunch of people. I felt so comfortable asking them questions whether it was via email or telephone.”

Harpreet goes so far as to say that ITC’s tutors “are the best tutors in the world”!  “They will never put you down, even if you make a mistake,” says Harpreet. “They keep you motivated.  The online system, study resources, and help from tutors are just brilliant.” 

Like Susannah, Lyn has found that organising her family life and routine are crucial to success: “I now look forward to logging on to ITC Online as part of my daily routine to see if there are messages to be read and answered – it’s like I have a supportive extended family!”

All five students are looking forward to achieving their goals and working in their chosen travel and tourism fields.

“Starting here is the beginning of my future career in travel and I'm so excited,” says Kim..

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Kia Ora from ITC students @ International Student Welcome!

ITC students played a key role in giving a real Kiwi welcome to over 1600 international students at the Auckland International Student Welcome. The annual event hosted by Study Auckland attracted students of all ages from across the Auckland region.

Working at events such as this allows students to gain valuable industry experience while they study, says ITC City Campus Manager, Michelle Chatfield: “It’s a win/win situation!”

This year, nine ITC students worked behind the scenes at the Auckland Town Hall looking after the performing groups; VIPs including The Mayor - Len Brown,  student speakers; industry sponsors and the MC. “They also helped the international students feel welcome, handed out goodie bags and did whatever they could to make the day the huge success that it was,” says Michelle Chatfield.

Mayor, Len Brown welcomed students and applauded them for choosing Auckland as their study destination.  “I’m proud of what our region has to offer – both excellent quality of education and the superior lifestyle.  I encourage you to embrace life in Auckland, explore the region and make the most of your time here,” he said.

The ITC students loved the experience: “The day was awesome; I had so much fun and it was great to be involved in such a huge event.  Speaking to the students and helping them on the day, welcoming the industry VIP’s and working behind the scenes was so much fun– this is why I want to work in tourism!’ said

Manager of Study Auckland, Debbie Chambers, was grateful for the students’ work: “Your students did an amazing job!  We were very impressed by your student’s enthusiasm and professionalism towards this event.  They coped well with the pressure of the busiest times of the day and distributed information and handled all tasks with confidence.  We look forward to working with you and the ITC students at next year’s Auckland International Student welcome!”

Another great work experience for ITC students – we look forward to doing it again next year!

ITC in Top Ten

The International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) has been named a 2011 Asia Pacific Top 10 Authorized Training Center by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

IATA is an international trade body that represents some 230 airlines comprising 93% of scheduled international air traffic.

ITC is an IATA Authorized Training Centers (ATCs), which allows it to teach the IATA Travel and Tourism and Aviation training programmes

“We’ve always been proud to be associated with IATA,” says ITC’s Director Kerry Priestley. “This award makes us especially proud because it is for an ‘outstanding contribution’ in ‘developing the human capital for tomorrow’s air transport industry’. And that’s what we strive for in everything we do. ”

ITC has been a premium supplier of full-time and part-time training programmes for the airline, travel and tourism industries since 1996, and has campuses in Botany and central Auckland.

“Our strength has always been our people,” says Kerry. “Our graduates constantly make us proud and we get fantastic feedback from their employers. Our staff works hard to provide our students with real-world training, so that they can get straight into their careers and become immediate assets to the industry.”

And special mention must be made of Steve Burke , says Kerry, who for the past five years has been ITC’s Senior Travel tutor. “Much of the success of this programme is down to his commitment to the college and our students.”

This award adds to ITC’s growing list of achievements. Last year alone the college opened its second Airport Training Centre, won the ATTO Tourism Education and Training category in the 2010 Tourism Industry Awards, and also won the Excellence in Service Delivery and Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality categories at the prestigious Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards in 2010.

“2010 was a big year for us,” says Kerry. “This award from the IATA reaffirms what we’re here for, and we have plenty of exciting plans for 2011!”

Getting off to a great start!

JUCY Rentals is one of Australasia's fastest growing independent car rental companies. The International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) has been working with JUCY to place students in part-time work while they study.

Established in 2001 by brothers Tim and Dan Alpe, JUCY Rentals operates over 2000 late-model vehicles throughout New Zealand and Australia and has just opened its first JUCY Hotel in Auckland.

As market leaders in the New Zealand car rental industry, JUCY’s vehicles range from cheap and cheerful runabouts suitable for backpackers and budget customers, to luxury full-size sedans, with a few soccer-team-movers thrown in for good measure.

Working with ITC, a premium supplier of full-time and part-time training programmes for the airline, travel and tourism industries for over 14 years, to give student’s real-world experience has made things much easier as an employer, says JUCY’s Maree Street. “We know that the quality of their candidates is always of a high standard, so half our interview work is done for us.”

Two recent student placements, Daniel and Zoey, have proven the value of the connection for both JUCY and ITC’s students.

“Dan was a perfect fit for JUCY,” says Maree. “As soon as I met him, he came across with a very genuine, bubbly, laid back personality: I knew he would slot right in at JUCY! We attribute our success to the calibre of the people we employ, and we’re always on the lookout for young, enthusiastic people like Dan to ensure that all our customers get that JUCY experience!”

“Zoey came across as very confident in her interview: she was bubbly, friendly and approachable, and this is what JUCY is looking for in a great customer service rep who will be dealing with a range of customers from all over the world. For JUCY, having Zoey on board means our customers are going to be starting their journey on the right note!”

“We are really proud of both these students,” says ITC’s Sales Executive Ceri Jenkins. “They’ve worked hard to incorporate everything they are learning at ITC about being successful in their chosen field. We value our industry connections, and it is initiatives like this that prove that we are getting it right for the college, its students, and New Zealand’s travel and tourism businesses.”

Innovation Key to ITC’s Success

Attendees from International Travel College were thrilled to hear ITC’s name announced as the winner in the ATTO Tourism Education and Training category in the 2010 Tourism Industry Awards.

The theme for this year’s awards was Innovating for Success.

“That certainly describes us!” says ITC’s Director Karen Houston. “In the past two years we’ve launched our Certificate in Aviation, introduced the CODECO online check-in system as part of our training, and opened our amazing new Airport Training Centre.”

ITC’s Airport Training Centre is one of the many contributing factors to ITC’s success. A simulation of a real-world airport, it contains check-in desks, a customs and gate lounge, and a plane to assist with training students in in-flight service. The centre, which is situated at ITC’s Botany campus has been so successful, the college is opening another one in November at its city campus.

“From day one we want our students to be prepared for the exciting careers they have ahead of them,” says Karen.  “In addition to their training at the college, we have built great connections with industry that allow us to provide our students with on-site work experience at businesses and events around the country.”

ITC has also recently launched its Study Awards, offering a scholarship fund of over $22,000 for more than 30 students. Applicants are asked to create a promotional brochure for an Auckland-based activity and innovation plays a big part in who will be successful. 

“Our success is about all of us,” says Karen. “It’s about the staff and the students all working together to keep improving this industry we are all so passionate about.  We’d like to say a huge thank you to the Tourism Industry Association for giving us this chance to showcase what we are all about.”

ITC has been a premium supplier of full-time and part-time training programmes for the airline, travel and tourism industries for over 14 years. ITC Botany has been based in the Botany shopping mall since 2005, and is now training over 300 students from Manukau and the surrounding area.