ITC Takes Scholarships to the World Wide Web

International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) has created a social-media-based competition for its 2013 scholarships.

“We thought it was a great way to engage high school students with the competition, but it also recognises the exciting role that social media has come to play in the travel and tourism industries and in education,” says ITC’s Marketing Director Claire Huxley.

“From online bookings to travel blogs and popular review sites like Trip Advisor, the internet increasingly plays a part in how people plan, experience and share their travels. ITC also offers online learning and e-books – so the web is a big part of our learning environment.”

Students will be asked to create a video or a blog that shows their passion and enthusiasm for the travel and tourism industries and their commitment to learning. They then need to post a link to their entry on the ITC Facebook competition page. The public will vote for their favourite entries, and students are encouraged to get family and friends involved in the voting.

“It’s such a great format,” says Claire, “like our own version of the X Factor or New Zealand’s Got Talent! We are really excited about giving students this chance to show us what they can do and the internet provides a perfect space for them to really get creative.”

ITC, which has campuses in Botany, central Auckland and distance learning, has been a premium supplier of training programmes for the airline, travel and tourism industries since 1996 and is conscious of staying on top of changes in the industry.

The college’s tutors have real-world experience, its two Airport Training Centres simulate actual airport environments, and strong connections with industry groups and operators provide students with onsite work experience and jobs.

“That all helps us to keep in touch with what’s important to employers in the industry and travellers and tourists in New Zealand and worldwide,” says Claire. “The role that the internet and social media plays has become increasingly clear and we are keen to make sure our students get to experience that as well.”

To find out more about the ITC 2013 Scholarship competition visit

https://www.facebook.com/ITCNZ/app_399543336780182

or

A Well Deserved Success, ITC student again with TOP marks!

ITC student Raffaela Macke has received the country’s highest marks in this year’s International Air Transport Association (IATA) Foundation in Travel and Tourism examination.

The International Travel College is an IATA Authorized Training Center (ATC), which allows it to teach IATA’s travel, tourism and aviation programmes.

Raffaela completed the programme as part of her two-year International Diploma in Tourism and Travel Management.

This is the second year in a row that an ITC student has attained this distinction: last year Cristina Traczinski, also studying the management diploma, was the country’s top performer.

“We are thrilled both for Raffaela and for her tutor, Steve Burke, who is achieving great success with his students on this programme,” says ITC’s Managing Director Kerry Priestley.

“It’s important to us that our students are given every opportunity to succeed in the industry,” says Kerry.

“The IATA is an international trade body that represents some 230 airlines and around 93% of scheduled international air traffic, so the award comes from a highly respected industry body. It’s real-world recognition of the practical skills and experience we offer our students.”

This prestigious award is internationally recognised and will certainly help Raffaela in her chosen career.

Raffaela, who is originally from Germany, is an excellent student, says Kerry: “She thoroughly deserves this success.”

ITC’s staff and students congratulate Raffaela on her important achievement.

Louise talks about being a flight attendant

We have been so lucky to catch up with Louise Swann, an ITC graduate flying as a long haul flight attendant with Air New Zealand, you may have even seen her in some of their inflight satefy videos.

Check out the video of her story, she is such an inspiring person and just shows how you CAN achieve something when you make a plan, commit to doing it and believe in yourself.

ITC Excellence in Service Finalist

International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) was last night announced as a finalist in the Excellence in Service category of the Westpac Auckland Central Business Awards 2012.

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

Award details from Auckland Chamber of Commerce say that the Excellence in Service category “recognises a business that shows consistent dedication to superlative service and demonstrates its commitment through its service policy, staff training and/or other specific means.”

ITC’s Marketing Director Claire Huxley says this description exemplifies the values of the college and its staff.

“We are in the business of service,” says Claire. “It is the foundation of the travel and tourism industries, and we need to walk the talk by providing excellent service ourselves.”

And that extends beyond its students and into the wider business community.

“We have a commitment to the travel and tourism industry in New Zealand and that starts with our staff. They are the ones who train the students who will ultimately go out and represent not just ITC but our country to the world. It’s crucial that we support them and give them the training and tools they need to do that well.”

ITC is no stranger to the business awards. The college won the Excellence in Marketing category at the 2011 Westpac Auckland Central Business Awards, 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.

The category winners and the overall winner of this year’s Westpac Supreme Business Excellence Award will be announced at a black-tie gala dinner at The Langham, Auckland on Friday 2 November.

ITC Student “Olympics” a Success

Students from two Level 5 International Travel College classes organised a 2012 Olympics event at the college.

The event was conducted as a quiz session along the lines of TV show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”

ITC tutor Lanthia Stewart oversaw the students’ organisation of the event and was impressed with the project management skills they demonstrated.

Lanthia initially briefed both classes on how to manage a project, and the students were asked to nominate and select a project manager by secret ballot.  Student Raffaela Macke was selected. 

Lanthia and tutor Jacques Janse Van Rensburg met with Raffaela and a team member from both classes to discuss the process and procedures to follow in managing a project.

“Raffaela then basically managed the whole project and event, with Jacues or I attending their progress meetings to provide guidance, advice and support,” says Lanthia.

“It was quite a challenge for them to decide on how they could run a really fun event without having the space to have any actual sporting events,” she says. “They settled on having an Olympics quiz, which was an excellent choice, as they could accommodate all the classes in the one student area.”

“To begin with they held a series of brainstorming sessions to decide on the activity, format, process, rules, criteria, prizes, judges, music, and team themes.”
 
“Then they identified all the tasks that needed to be performed, and grouped them under categories. The next step was to identify the people, resources and skills they had within the Level 5 classes, and to appoint teams with team leaders. They then allocated tasks with deadlines to each team and monitored and controlled the project with weekly meetings.”

Each class designed and dress a mascot to carry the class flag they created.

A “specialist” was nominated in each of the six categories: Ancient Olympic History, Modern Olympics, Olympic Destinations, Olympic Athletes, Olympic Flags, and Olympic Sports.

This team member sat in the “hot” seat and competed against the specialists from the other teams. 

Instead of using buzzers, it was the first contestant to hop on one leg and hold both hands in the air who was given the opportunity to select the correct answer from four possible choices. 

Contestants did not have the TV version’s options of asking the audience, 50/50 or phone a friend.
 
“The tutors entered a team, although they were not eligible for prizes,” says Lanthia. “The students had enormous fun watching the antics and the sometimes wrong answers of the tutor team!”

The prizes were:
 Best Mascot: One-day trip to Bay of Islands
Top team:  Return cruise tickets to Rotoroa Island
Second team: Single event tickets to Spookers
Third team: Movie tickets
Best class flag and mascot outfit design and production: Pizzas
 
“The whole event was a great success,” says Lanthia. “I was really impressed with the students’ maturity and competence. They all did an excellent job and everyone is anxiously awaiting the next student event!”

Taufiq Asad – a different world

Taufiq Asad moved from Afghanistan to New Zealand with his family in 2004.

“I had no idea where I was going,” he says. “I just got on the plane with my family. I remember my sister telling me we were going to New Zealand, which was at the end of the world!”

“We landed in New Zealand and came out of the airport and I saw a different world… so clean and beautiful. I loved the fresh air.”

The family started to settle into their new country, a process that Taufiq describes as being “like a newborn baby” because of the incredible difference between living in a war-torn country like Afghanistan and a peaceful country like New Zealand.

It was also the first time he and his sister had seen their father for eight years: “It was the best feeling ever,” he says.

Taufiq briefly attended Western Springs College before the family moved to Mt Roskill and he began attending Mt Roskill Grammar, which seemed to him to be “the biggest school ever!”

The transition to an English-speaking school was difficult: “I spoke very little English and understood little as well. I was like a small fish in an ocean – I felt lost for months,” he says.
“But then slowly things started to change for me, as I met new people and made friends with them. My teachers spent a lot of time and effort teaching me English, and I spent every night learning English for the next day so it could help reduce my problems in school.”

Taufiq worked hard at his studies and his effort paid off when he received a certificate at the end of his first year for being the second highest achieving student in his class.

“I was very proud of myself,” he says, “and so were my parents.”

Taufiq continued to work hard “step by step, year by year” until he graduated from high school.

He knew he wanted to work in the travel industry, but was unsure what path to take. One fortuitous day he opened his mailbox to find an ITC information booklet.

“I discussed it with my father and he supported me and told me I should go check it out and see what they could offer.”

Taufiq met with Lesley Brough, who talked him through all the course options and requirements.

Taufiq chose to study aviation, as he was interested in working at airports and travel agencies. He began the six-month course in June 2011.

“During those six months I met a lot of beautiful people, including my awesome teachers,” he says. “I don’t have the words to describe them, but they changed my life and helped me get to where I wanted. I don’t think I will ever be able to repay what they did for me.”

After graduating from ITC Taufiq experience the frustrations of trying to find a job. He was working at a café, but knew that wasn’t what he ultimately wanted to do.

Impressed by the hardworking student who showed such gratitude to his teachers and the college, ITC’s account manager Ceri Jenkins helped Taufiq to get a job interview at Jucy Rentals.

“Ceri was always there for me and helped me a lot,” says Taufiq. 

After a successful interview Taufiq was offered a job in April 2012.

“Jucy is a great place to work,” he says. “The people here are friendly and helpful and I’m happy to be part of the Jucy team.”

With his usual hardworking attitude Taufiq says he does his best every single day at work and his manager is happy with him.

“We have busy days and quiet days but that’s part of the business,” he says. “On quiet days I help the groomers and wash cars with them, which I’m very good at! The staff here appreciates what I do for them, including outside working hours.”

While Taufiq enjoys his work at Jucy he still hopes to work for one of the airlines or at the airport. With his attitude and his willingness to go the extra mile there’s no reason to think he won’t achieve his dream.

Students Show The ITC Attitude at Hawaiian Evening

ITC students Sian and Natalia helped out recently at the Hawaii tourism showcase evening at the Hilton’s Auckland hotel. The evening was part of the Aloha Down Under 2012 Roadshow.

ITC regularly arranges onsite work experience like this to give students a chance to see what working in the industry is really like.

Sian and Natalia said that it was a “wonderful opportunity, which not only broadened our knowledge of Hawaii, but also allowed us to meet and make new friends and, more importantly, to be a part of the travel and tourism field for the night.”

The two met event organiser Jill at 2.30 pm at the Hilton. They got straight to work helping to set up the tables for the different agents from Hawaiian hotels, tour operators, transfer operators etc, who would be representing their companies at the event.

Next they set up their registration table at the main entrance with attendees’ name tags and got into the swing of things by donning their official Hawaiian print t-shirts and flower leis.

The students greeted the B2B group, who were there for the first hour-long session, handing them their name tags and leis.

Next to arrive were the agents from New Zealand, who were received with a traditional greeting from the Hawaiian team.

Natalia and Sian continued to greet guests and ensure that anyone who had come to the event dressed in the Hawaiian theme was given a ticket for the evening’s prize draw.

When most of the guests had arrived, Jill invited Natalia and Sian to sit with the audience and take in the evening’s presentation.

“We were also invited to join in on the food and drinks, as we were now ‘off duty’,” says Sian. “We had such a great evening. We learnt so much about the six islands of Hawaii and it was so cleverly presented that we were both sold on the idea of making a trip out there one day.”

At the end of the evening Natalia and Sian helped Jill to pack up even though she assured them they could leave, but in true ITC style the students said “we were more than happy to help her ‘close up shop’ quite simply because we had helped her ‘set up shop.’”

The evening held special interest for both students, as they are currently covering destination marketing in their ITC qualification.

“It was super to actually see how all the principles and methods we are being taught were being applied throughout the Hawaii tourism evening, ” said Sian. “We are very glad to have represented the college in the form of assistance, but, if anything, it was of more help to us.”

Thanks to Natalia and Sian for showing such great enthusiasm and professionalism at this event – this is exactly the kind of attitude that takes graduates far in the travel and tourism industry. Well done!

A Journey Through 10 Countries… In Botany

Global Friday is ITC’s annual student event that takes the college on a whirlwind adventure through exotic countries exploring their cultures, festivities, language, and most importantly, their food! 

Each class draws a country to discover and share with the rest of the class. They are then given a designated area to transform into their selected country.

The aim is to enrich our knowledge of the travel and tourism industry that we are so passionate about – and to have a great deal of fun while we’re at it!
 
Thailand took us on a journey complete with two silent monks – we learnt that Tiger Woods’ mother is from Thailand and we enjoyed the delicious Thai green chicken curry.
 
The UK was all geared up for the Olympics – we learnt how to wave like the queen and had a performance by the “Spicy Girls”.
 
In the USA all the students were down in the ‘hood and some brave tutors joined in with the street style dancing.  There was pizza, doughnuts, Coca Cola and American brownies – the complete food pyramid for the nation!
 
Mexico was a fiesta with the whole class performing a Mexican line dance while we feasted on tacos, guacamole and spicy rice – it was absolutely delicious!
 
Japan was a sea of fluttering fans and giggling geishas – a tower of sushi, sweet and sour pork with rice and noodles and a shot of “sake” completed our trip to its wonderful shores.
 
Argentina presented an in-depth display of its culture and we got to try Argentinean hotdogs!
 
India was a sea of colour and incense, we had a dance performance that we all thought was amazing and the food was out of this world.  The best curry I have tasted in New Zealand!
 
Italy was famous for its scrumptious pizzas – they must have been delicious because by the time we got there they had all been eaten!
 
A student dressed in an abaya introduced Morocco to us; we sampled cous cous, hummus and Arabic sweets, which we washed down with delicious mint tea.
 
Last but not least, we journeyed to Greece – the land of Gods.  Interesting facts on the mythology of the Greek gods brought lots of laughter and ended with the Campus Manager being offered to Hades the God of the Underworld as a sacrifice!  Two couples performed a traditional Greek dance, which was followed by three male students performing a hilarious Greek line dance – lots of clapping, laughter and whistles echoed the airport area! A tower of Ferraro Roche chocolate with blue and white cupcakes, cheese and crackers and a Greek salad was laden upon tables for the students and tutors to devour.
 
A journey of a thousand miles through ten countries… and all at Botany Campus of The International Travel College of New Zealand.

ITC’s Short Courses – providing a world of experience

ITC’s Short Courses aim to give high school students a taste of the travel and tourism industry. But as Short Course Tutor Mel Verwijmeren found out the courses do a lot more than that!

“Just some of the wonderful feedback our students have given us is that they miss the college and that they learnt so much in such a small space of time. They miss the warm atmosphere and the friendly faces, and most of all the new friends they have made along the way. Students also gain a real sense of what it is like to study out of high school,” says Mel.

“Being immersed in an airport environment and learning in a plane instead of a boring classroom makes it a much more fun experience,” said a student from Macleans College. “Even though there is book work to complete you do not even notice it; it is really straight forward, as Mel teaches you the stuff you need to know, stuff that I had no idea was involved in being a flight attendant!”

ITC tutors are committed to using fun and engaging methods to teach their students, and the Short Courses are no exception. 

“We use group exercises, role play, competitions and creative design,” says Mel. “We get the students using their imagination and taking learning to a new level to give them the tools to deal with experiences they may meet in the industry.”

A Mt Albert Grammar student said: “Mel was a great tutor and made me feel comfortable and not embarrassed to do the role plays. I loved how we would learn something and then be assessed on it straight away so it was fresh in our minds.”

“Mel encouraged everyone that it’s alright to step out of your comfort level,” said a student from Aorere College. “Also mistakes are there to be made so we learn from them.”

The Short Course students have also gained NCEA credits ranging from two level 2 credits on ITC’s Big Day Out Course to nine credits on the five-day travel course.

But it’s the hands-on training that gives students a real sense of what working in the industry is all about that they value most.

“This course was very beneficial and informative and I definitely would recommend it to people who are even the least bit interested in flight attending, as it really opened my eyes to the realities of the job,” said one student from Macleans College. “There was a good ratio of theory and practical, which showed us the realities of flight attending and the environment.”

“This course was amazing – after coming here I know what I want to do,” said a student from Mount Albert Grammar. “I loved being downstairs and working in the airport. I can’t wait to come to ITC next year!”

8 tips to getting a great part-time or full-time job

1. Get experience
It’s one of the great ironies of job hunting that many employers want you to already have experience. But there are plenty of ways to get experience outside the traditional working model.

Gateway programmes are available through many schools. Volunteer work is another fantastic way to explore different work environments, give back to the community and add to your skill set.

Even if it isn’t in the industry you want to work in, any teamwork and customer service experience is going to be seen as valuable by an employer. ITC has great industry connections and we offer work experience whenever possible, so if you are studying with us, make sure you make the most of the opportunities we provide.

2. Knock on doors
You would be amazed how many managers will employ people who go the extra mile to find work. Like volunteering, it shows you have motivation and initiative. 

Present yourself in a professional manner at a business you wish to work for and ask to see the manager to enquire about any current vacancies. Dress as if it’s your first day on the job – you want to look like you could sit down behind a desk straight away and belong there. Present your clean and pristine CV in a clear wallet, and if you have the opportunity, explain briefly to the manager why you would particularly like to work for their company.

If the manager is unavailable, ask if you can come back at any other time, or at the very least leave your CV. 

Ensure you maintain your professionalism when speaking to anyone within the company – if you are unable to meet the manager, this person’s comments on their impression of you could be critical.

3. Offer your services on a voluntary basis
Say you would like to prove to the employer how good you are and that you will commit to a week or two of unpaid work to prove that to them.

Even if it doesn’t lead to a job, it will still be great experience to add to your CV, and you could ask for a letter of recommendation if it has gone well.

4. Apply for the job that is advertised
It sounds obvious, but all too often people send a generic CV and covering letter that doesn’t actually address the specifics of the job being advertised.

Read the job advertisement carefully and ask for a job description if the ad says one is available. Job descriptions provide a lot of detail about the duties and skills required, so it’s a great way to show you really understand and can meet their needs.

Do some internet research on the company as well, so that you really know what their business is and who their customers are.

Your CV can be a reasonably static document that you might just tweak a bit for each job you apply for, but you should always write a brand new covering letter for every job application.

5. Create a professional CV that shows off who you really are
Your CV is the most important way of marketing yourself that you have. You may not always get to dazzle a prospective employer with your sparkling personality, so ensure it shines through in your CV.
Remember the phrase: “Show, don’t tell”. Writers use it to write stories that really engage their readers. For example, instead of saying you are honest, hard working and reliable, show HOW you are those things. Your honesty might be shown by the fact that you have been trusted with cash handling experience in a job; your reliability might be shown because you always get to work on time. You might be able to prove you are hard working by saying that you worked part time while studying at school and maintaining good grades. Even if you only have a small amount of experience, if you can tie it in to positive employment attributes, your CV will stand out.

Make sure the design is clean and tidy; the structure is easy to understand; and you have had it proofread by someone who you know has good English skills.

6. Make the most of your contacts
The phrase  “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” is still true in any industry. Once you start to reach out to people – friends, family members, and other contacts – you will be amazed how many people you can connect with. It’s not always about asking for a job either – ask for help and guidance with which companies are great to work for, which companies are hiring, and what are the most important things they are looking for in their employees.

7. Google yourself
Increasingly this is what prospective employers are doing, so you need to know what they might find. Check your security settings on all social media sites, like Facebook, to ensure your private life stays that way. Create a positive profile of yourself on the web – ensure anything you do that is positive is all over the internet! Join relevant discussion posts and social groups and create a professional profile for yourself – you can do this through reading and interacting with relevant blogs and forums, and using business networking sites like LinkedIn.

8. Prepare, prepare and then prepare some more
If you make it to the interview stage, this is your big chance to impress. Research the company and the sector you are interviewing for. If you know who is interviewing you, research them too if possible – it’s amazing what is on Google. If you have something in common with people on the interview panel this could be a great way to create a connection with them. Take advice from anyone who has experience with interviewing and research interview techniques and practice answering tough interview questions with a friend or family member. And remember to relax and be yourself as much as possible in an interview. You want them to get a good sense of who you are and how you might fit with their company.