5 ways to get travel and tourism work experience while you study
Get your foot in the door of the travel and tourism industry by making the most of work experience opportunities.
If there’s two words you will hear over and over again at ITC it’s these: work experience, work experience, work experience.
Did we mention work experience?
Doing some work experience in the travel and tourism industry while you study is one of the best ways to increase your chances of landing a dream job after you graduate.
“Work while you study, no matter what job it is,” says ITC graduate Aish Rangarajan, who is currently working as Marketing Manager (NZ & Pacific Islands) for Tourism Malaysia.
“Every experience gets you that much closer to your dream job!” she adds.
Another ITC graduate, Joanna Sperring, takes this one step further and suggests applying for paid jobs as soon as you can.
“If there’s a particular area of interest you wish to work in, check out the current job opportunities while you’re studying,” advises Joanna.
“Even if you can’t accept the job straight away, getting to know the recruitment/interview process will help once you graduate and are ready for full-time employment.”
At ITC, we try to make applying for work experience as easy as possible. Here are five tips to help increase your chances of getting a successful placement.
1. Come to class everyday
ITC won’t endorse your work experience application unless you’ve got excellent attendance rates. So make sure you come to class everyday, turn up on time, and stay up-to-date with your assessments.
“Be in class everyday and pay attention. What you learn here is very much the key to starting your career in the industry,” says ITC Student Services Adviser Sharon Roy.
2. Dress to impress
Make sure you turn up to ITC dressed professionally in the black-and-white dress code (don’t forget to wear tidy shoes and brush your hair).
The reason we have a dress code is to prepare you for job interviews. If you get into the habit of dressing well for College, you’ll make a great first impression with potential work experience employers. Practice makes perfect!
3. Check the ITC Facebook Groups
When you started studying at ITC you would have been invited to join a private Facebook group for your campus (if you’re not a member, please ask your tutor or student services).
Work experience opportunities are posted in these groups nearly every week, so make sure you keep an eye out.
4. Attend a CV workshop
We hold regular CV workshops at each campus – try to attend the next one to get your CV in good shape. Most employers will ask to see your CV before they invite you in for work experience.
Your tutors will also be more likely to put you forward for opportunities if they have peace of mind that your CV is tidy and professional.
5. Be open to all opportunities
Last but not least, be open to all opportunities. Some work experience might not sound very glamorous, but you just never know what doors it might open in the future.
“Be open minded,” says ITC graduate Allanah Winiata-Kelly.
“Make the most of every opportunity that comes your way even if it seems scary or out of your comfort zone. Go for it and be adventurous.”
This post was written for ITC students. If you are thinking about studying at ITC, please get in touch – we’d love to meet you!
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