ITC accepted as one of the best by Quality Education

The International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) has been accepted as a Quality Education College.

“We are really proud to be associated with Quality Education,” says ITC’s Managing Director Claire Huxley. “They have a reputation in the industry for only working with the best.”

Quality Education is part of Quality English Ltd (QE), a company registered in England and Wales that carefully selects the best of English language schools around the world.

Building on the success of Quality English, Quality Education is described on its website as being “the new global brand for quality independent course providers teaching in English”

Eligible schools are invited to apply and undergo a series of quality checks, including a visit. The schools are then able to use the QE logo and have a presence on its website, where students can search for schools by country and subject.

“QE regularly checks the standards of the schools it associates with to monitor their quality,” says Claire. “They are essentially putting their reputation on the line each time they accept a new school or college to be part of their brand.”

ITC has welcomed and supported the advent of the new brand and its global reach by being second in the world to become a Quality Education College.

“We were only pipped at the post by Sterling College in Perth,” laughs Claire. “Quality English has such a strong reputation in English language teaching that we jumped at the chance to be associated with the launch of this new brand supporting programmes taught in English.”

ITC, which has been a premium supplier of full-time and part-time training programmes for the airline, travel and tourism industries since 1996, is well placed to understand the importance of being associated with a well-known global brand.

“Travel and tourism is by its very nature an international affair,” says Claire. “We are thrilled to be part Quality Education and value the opportunity it will bring to engage with new students from around the world.”

ITC training opens industry doors

Recent ITC graduate Mohammed Alzergawi has a role as an airport ambassador at the domestic terminal at Auckland International Airport.

“This is a great opportunity to work and meet new people from all around the world,” says Mohammed. “I am constantly developing the skills I learnt at ITC by interacting with people and providing exceptional customer service to passengers arriving and departing Auckland.”

Natasha Allen, ITC’s Campus Manager Botany, says that the opportunity for ITC’s students to work at the airport is second to none and has already resulted in new roles for students.

Students who wish to apply to work at the airport have an initial interview with Natasha; they then attend a presentation at the airport about the role and requirements, which leads to a formal interview. A full security check is then completed on each individual, as safety is paramount at the airport.

“Successful students are then given the very smart and stylish new black and red uniform – they all feel so proud to wear it and to represent the airport and New Zealand to arriving and departing passengers.”

And the work itself is thoroughly enjoyable, reports Mohammed.

“The days are varied and occasionally you even get to meet celebrities and athletes, which is very exciting. Every day I learn something new, which means I am always challenged and ensures that I enjoy each shift I work.”

“I appreciate the opportunity that has come my way and am excited that it will potentially open doors for me in this industry.”

“Mohammed’s attitude is fantastic,” says Natasha, “and goes to prove, yet again, that putting in hard work, showing commitment and dedication will definitely pay off.”

Graduation 2013 – a night of fireworks and magic

Toni Waterhouse, ITC’s Academic Support Coordinator, reports on this year’s graduation ceremony.

The 4th of July, America’s Independence Day, was the perfect day to celebrate our graduates’ success as they embarked on the next chapter in their lives.

Guest Speaker Kevin Biggar, from TV programme ‘First Crossings’, kindly came along to watch future successes take to the stage and to share his journey of self discovery, struggles and stardom. He provided enough motivation and drive to spark the light in many of us.

We embraced our multicultural college with many students in traditional dress, and a fantastic performance by the La Fuze Dance Crew. On the back of their Miss World NZ act, they treated us to a mixture of cultural and current dance moves, lathered in oil – They certainly knew how to entertain a crowd!

Special thanks to the wonderful people of our industry, who not only attended the night to scope out the talent but who graciously donated gifts for our Special Awards. We give warm thanks to the Langham Hotel, YHA, Intercity, Rainbows End, Nomads, Explore NZ, EcoZip Adventures, Sky Jump Auckland, Fullers, Auckland Bridge Bungy, Jucy and Stray Tours.

Congratulations to all of the students who graduated on the night, in particular Romain Villard and Elizabeth Adams who were awarded Student of the Year from the City and Botany Campuses respectively. And congratulations to the family, friends and staff who supported them along the way. The students have achieved greatness under our wings, but it is now time for them to set out on their own. As Socrates said: ‘To find yourself, think for yourself’ and remember the best is yet to come!

An Excellent Season For Travel and Tourism Graduates

International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) Account Manager Ceri Jenkins has noticed an upturn in the entry-level employment market.

“If current vacancies are a reflection of the state of the industry, the future is looking very positive,” says Ceri. “I cannot remember a winter season where so many companies have contacted us to advertise entry-level roles with almost immediate starts.”

The vacancies are across a broad range of sectors, including adventure tourism, car rental, travel agency, airline, accommodation, airport and tour operators.

Ceri says there are a number of contributing factors to the upturn in the market: “There seems to be a genuine confidence out there from both employers and employees.

“Employees are taking the next step in their careers and creating entry-level vacancies, and employers are planning ahead and training new staff now to ensure they are ready when peak season arrives.”

Ceri says there is no doubt that the lure of Australia is still a factor in creating entry-level positions, with employers recounting stories of staff leaving to chase more money; but ITC’s graduates are benefiting greatly from this upturn.

The key recruitment period in the travel and tourism industry is traditionally from September to November, notes Ceri.

“If the entry-level job market is this busy now, it seems an indication that the 2013/2014 season will be an excellent one for New Zealand’s travel and tourism industry.”

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.

Top 10 Tips for ITC students

Three More ITC Students Experience the Disney World Dream!

Three International Travel College (ITC) graduates will join three former ITC students at Walt Disney World Resort, Florida, USA on the work experience programme of a lifetime.

Last year, ITC students Michelle Phillips, Celeste Reid and Soteria Alia were accepted to the Disney College Program.

“Once news got out that it was possible to dream big and actually achieve what was thought to be impossible, we had an influx of interest from students,” says Natasha Allen, ITC’s Campus Manager Botany.

Claudia McCarthy, who graduated from her Level 4 course in March this year, was quick to jump at this opportunity.

“She is such a bubbly smiley person and, with her long blonde locks, I can see her being Cinderella for a year!” laughs Natasha. “Claudia is an incredibly sweet person who gets along with everyone and always has a positive view on life – this obviously shone through her interview, as she has been accepted to join the wonderful world of Disney.”

Cara Adams graduated in June this year from her Certificate in Travel Level 4. Cara has exceptional academic grades her commitment to her assessments is reflected in her A grade module passes.

Cara’s classmate Celeste was one of the previous successful applicants for Disney World, and Cara decided it would be an amazing chance to experience the “living, earning and learning” programme with her friend. Cara was accepted to the programme within just a few short days of her interview.

“Cara is not one to sit and wait until she jets off to sunny Florida in January,” says Natasha. “She is already working to save up money for her trip, which just goes to show that if you want something, you have to take the risk and go for it.”

Lola Tokelau is currently studying her Level 4 Certificate in Travel, but her journey with ITC began in 2012 when she enrolled in the Level 3 Certificate in Aviation.

“It takes a very special student to apply herself to three courses while working part time in a customer service role,” says Natasha. “ Lola has reached 100% academic achievement in her Level 3 courses and is well on her way to achieving her final qualification with us.”

Natasha says Lola was hesitant about checking her emails for a reply from Disney.

“After urging her to do so she returned with the biggest smile on her beautiful face, her eyes were alight with happiness and disbelief– she had been accepted!”
The Disney College Program is not an easy one to get in to and there are a huge number of applicants each year. Natasha says she is incredibly proud of the six students who have achieved a place on the programme so far.

“They have put themselves out there, taking a risk, striving to be the best and achieving so much in such a short time. Their careers in this amazing industry are just starting, and to have their first taste of it with one of the most recognised tourism brands in the world means that their future is going to be bright.”

Introducing Amy McPhail

I am so delighted to introduce myself as a new Travel and Tourism Tutor here at ITC.

I began my career in travel just as you are, as a student studying towards a Certificate in Travel, Tourism and Business. This gave me a great foundation to launch my career and introduced me to the wide variety of work available in this exciting industry.

After completing my study I moved to Australia and began my first job in travel working for the Hilton Hotel in Brisbane. My dream of becoming a flight attendant came true when I was hired by Virgin Australia to be part of the crew that would launch Virgin’s new international airline out of Sydney. After four years in Australia I decided it was time to return home and have since worked for a travel wholesaler and as a travel agent.

My favourite part of working in the travel and tourism Industry is, of course, the travel. I have been extremely fortunate to see some amazing destinations through my work including Fiji, Thailand, the United States of America, South Africa, Italy, Austria and Switzerland. Working in travel can be extremely rewarding and fun. If you work hard and want to succeed the world truly is your oyster!

I can genuinely say that I have used all of the skills that I learnt through my Certificate in Travel at some point in my career, and that is why I am so thrilled that I will be teaching such a practical and valuable course. As a tutor I hope to be able to inspire in you the same passion for this industry that I have discovered, and I can’t wait to share my knowledge and experiences with you.

I’d like to leave you with one of my favourite travel quotes: The world is like a book and those who do not travel read only a page – Saint Augustine.
I look forward to meeting you all!
Amy McPhail

Tips on gaining employment

ITC’s Account Manager Ceri Jenkins discusses two of the key barriers to graduates gaining employment in the travel and tourism industry.

“I am often asked at careers events by parents of prospective students, ‘What are the chances of my daughter/son getting a job when they finish the course with ITC?’,” says Ceri. And his reply is always the same: “If you really want a job and work hard with us, you will get a job when you graduate. However, if you sit and wait for the job to come to you, you will be sitting for a long time.”

ITC’s students and graduates have gained something of a reputation for doing what it takes to get the dream career they love. Whether it’s working and studying at the same time, volunteering at local events, or taking part in the many opportunities the college offers students to get onsite experience, most jump at the chance.

And the majority of graduates understand that to land their dream job they need to start on the first rung of the travel and tourism ladder, says Ceri. But often two things stand in their way of even getting to the first rung: lack of customer service experience and no restricted or full drivers’ licence.

For jobs such a flight attending or check-in, says Ceri, two years of customer service experience is usually required.

“This is easily worked on by encouraging students to gain part-time work while studying with us. ITC works hard to create strong industry relationships that see our students regularly working or gaining experience in hotels, backpackers, tour operators, car rental companies, cruise ship check in and local attractions.”

“If a student is doing a six-month course with us, they then only need another 12 – 18 months of work experience to achieve the two-year target. Upon graduation students are also encouraged to focus on customer service roles in any sector of the airline travel and tourism industry. By the time they are 20 or 21 they can have the sufficient experience and maturity that roles such as check-in or flight attending demand.”

Going through the process required to get a restricted or full drivers’ licence is also strongly advised, says Ceri.

“It would be no exaggeration to state that about 25 per cent of the roles we advertise at ITC require students to have at least a restricted licence. Therefore, if you don’t have a licence, you are immediately restricting the number of jobs you can apply for to 75 per cent of those advertised.”

Ceri says jobs that require a licence are wide ranging and include any role at Auckland airport, many accommodation providers and ferry services.

“These are the kind of jobs where you may be working varying hours of the day and night and they may not be close to home. It is simply not feasible to reply on public transport or Mum, Dad or partner to pick you up and drop you off for most of these jobs.”.”

Many travel and tourism jobs also require staff to drive company vehicles, such as car rental operations or even activity-based companies.

“Auckland Bridge and Bungy, for example, prefer to employ staff who can drive the courtesy bus to pick up and drop off customers at hotels, motels and backpackers.”

Ceri acknowledges that there are obstacles with learning to drive, such as the cost of gaining a licence, access to a car or access to a parent with a licence to teach children to drive. But not having a licence can seriously restrict graduates’ employment opportunities.

“So get out there and get some experience and get your licence if you can,” he says. “These are two certain ways to enhance your employability.”

One Big Whanau – ITC Famil Trip June 2013

ITC’s CTT01 and CTT02B recently experienced the famil trip to Rotorua’s Tamaki Maori Village, the Kaitiaki River for whitewater rafting, the Agrodome for some adrenaline-fuelled adventure, and Whanganui National Park’s Blue Duck Station.

Also along on the trip for the first time was ITC tutor Geraldine. Nicknamed “Mama G” by the students, Geraldine had at first been nervous about going; but she soon realised it was best decision she could have made.

“It confirmed to me that I am in the right place helping students achieve their dreams,” says Geraldine. And she appreciated the opportunity to get to know better the students she has been working with for the past 6 months.

“Most of these students have had it rough,” she says, “They have been through so much throughout their lives. This experience opened my eyes and my heart to all of my students. It has taught me that I have to do all that I can to help make a difference so that they too can make a difference within the travel and tourism industry.”

As always on the famil trip, the Tamaki Brothers’ Maori village experience was popular with the students and had a real impact on some.

“I never understood how beautiful Maori culture is until I saw this,” says Neharika.

Mohammed was nominated chief for the evening: “I think that was the most amazing thing I did,” he says. “I was a little bit scared, but it was something I will never forget and the people there were really kind.”

Tonu says he enjoyed learning about the history of the Maori people and the Treaty of Waitangi and was extremely impressed by meeting “people who are actively involved with keeping their culture alive.”

Judith also enjoyed experiencing a place she thought she knew well: “I’ve been to Rotorua, but never explored it like we did at the famil.”

Jessica says that she relished the opportunity “to get to know more about my Maori side; it’s something that I’ll cherish for a lifetime.”

The adventurous nature of the white water rafting and the activities at the Agrodome required courage, and many of the students took the opportunity to challenge their fears.

“I’d never in my whole entire life thought I’d do some of the things I did in Rotorua such as white water rafting,” says Tonu.

“That was the best activity,” says Manpreet, “even though I was really scared and thought I am just about to die, just before the big waterfall!”

Audrey said that the guides were “calming and funny. They made you feel safe. Loved it!”

“I want to thank ITC for this opportunity that got me to experience things that I’ve never done before,” says Loia.

Perhaps most impressive of all was Jessica, who had had a previous accident on the water and didn’t think she would ever do something like that again. “But I had an amazing time white water rafting,” she says. “I also never thought I’d do the Swoop at Agroventures, as I’m really scared of heights, but again I wanted to prove to myself that I can do it.”

And tutor Geraldine also had to confront her fears: “I’m always in front of my class teaching and constantly telling them to take risks. On this famil I had to follow my own preaching. I took a leap faith, which reminded me that I too need to take risks in helping my students be successful in all that they do.”

The beauty of Blue Duck Lodge also made an impression on the students.

“I never knew places like that even existed in New Zealand,” says Phillomina.

“I was blown away by the amazing hidden wonders of New Zealand,” says Neharika.

But what really stood out for the students and their tutor was the way that travel creates a bond between people.

“It was fun going through all the activities together as a group and it was a great opportunity for both classes to get to know one another,” says Siala.

The two groups came together over the course of the trip and shared many stories.

Telesia says that the famil trip changed “a lot of the things I look at in life. I realised that you have no right to judge someone before you have walked through their past. Getting to know each and every one of my classmates brought tears to my eyes – all I can say is you are all very strong and your story can change someone’s life.”

“They all motivate me in some way,” says Jessica. “It’s the encouragement and perseverance that has made me become who I am today. I’m so grateful to have met them all in my life. They are all amazing.”

“God bless each soul that came on this trip!” says Neharika “You’ve all made a space in my heart.”

Or, as Audrey puts it: “We went down as two classes and came back as one big whanau!”

For tutor Geraldine, it has confirmed that she has made the right career choice and that she is where she should be. Thank you ITC for continuing to make a difference in the lives of our students, our community and our country,” she says. “And thank you for this golden opportunity that you give our students to have this amazing experience.”

Taking a risk on a dream – Geraldine Mailei.

“My parents were always on my back to complete a degree in something I love,” says ITC Senior tutor at Botany campus Geraldine Mailei.

“I come from a big family, and I was pretty much the only one who hadn’t completed a degree – No pressure!” she laughs.

It wasn’t until she came to ITC that Geraldine realised that she wanted to be a teacher/trainer.

“ITC gave me the opportunity to do my Certificate in Adult Education level 4; this really motivated me to get a degree.”

Geraldine faced a number of obstacles in achieving her dream.

“I didn’t know how I was going to do it,” she says. I was working full time, I had church responsibilities and two other important roles of mother and wife.”

Geraldine attended a seminar by ITC founder and owner Karen Houston and co-owner Gavin Houston. The seminar inspired her to take a risk in order to achieve her dream.

“That is exactly what I did, I took a risk knowing that there would be so many obstacles in the way. I worked 7 to 8 hours a day and studied at night. I also sacrificed other little activities I normally do such as watching TV, shopping, going to the movies with family and friends to achieve my dream.”

Geraldine says she kept the big picture in mind and worked hard to get there.

“Every time I passed a paper,” she says, “ I told myself that I was a step closer to achieving my dream. I also give so much credit to my amazing husband who stood by me, taking over the household chores such as cooking, cleaning, washing, and ironing so that I could use all the time to study.”

Partway through her studies, another huge obstacle presented itself when her father was diagnosed with cancer. But rather than slowing her down, Geraldine says this pushed her even harder to achieve her degree before he passed away.

“Yes, I cried,” she recalls, “and cried some more going through all of these challenges while trying to keep my head above water. But I am forever grateful that I was able to finish and pass everything a week before he passed away.

Geraldine says that her journey to achieve her degree was difficult but it was “worth all the tears, headache, and pain.”

“I am the person I am today because of this journey I took,” she says. “I am forever grateful to my parents, especially my dad, for believing in me enough to continue to push me.

“Martin Luther King said ‘I have a dream’. If you don’t dream, there is no purpose in your life. Everyone is destined to become a somebody in this world, to make a difference. But in order to achieve that, we have to choose which pathway we want and then take a risk. I always tell my students that anything is possible with the right attitude.”