Be inspired: ‘ITC helped me to speak up and stand out’
ITC graduate Brooke Manak says ITC helped her feel more confident and outspoken.
Welcome to ‘Be Inspired’. Every few months, we give you a ‘behind-the-scenes’ glimpse into the journey of an inspirational ITC student and share what it took for them to achieve their goals. Everyone climbs their own Everest, and these students hope to inspire others by sharing the truth of their journey to the summit.
Like many students, when Brooke Manak started studying at ITC she was quite shy.
Public speaking terrified her and she would get anxious before presentations.
But, thanks to ITC’s supportive tutors and learning environment, she slowly came out of her shell and gained the confidence to speak up and stand out.
“I’ll never forget what my tutor, Takeyuki, shared with me: ‘It’s not about who you know, and it’s not about what you know. It’s about who knows what you know’. Basically, if I don’t speak up then I won’t get to where I want to be,” says Brooke.
With this advice in mind, she started to speak out more in class and feel less worried about presentations. By the time she completed Level 5, she was soaring – despite a rocky beginning.
“A massive obstacle I faced during my time at ITC was my self confidence, both with speaking up in class and doing presentations. I often found myself breaking down in front of class or my tutor. But ultimately, studying with ITC improved my confidence. I would tell myself to have more confidence, to put myself out there and to enjoy life a bit more – and step by step, I got much better,” says Brooke.
From shy student to first job
All of Brooke’s perseverance paid off – she landed her first tourism job after her first ever job interview.
“I was extremely nervous, but talking to Nicky (one of the Employment Consultants) and Take (my tutor) did wonders for my confidence going into the interview,” reflects Brooke.
“They helped me prep and create a CV I was proud of, despite having a rather small amount of work experience.
Brooke is now working as Sales Support for GO Holidays.
A bright future
Brooke says one of the highlights of studying at ITC was feeling supported every step of the way – and that she still feels supported even now she has finished studying.
This support allows her to relax and focus on doing well in the present moment without worrying about everything the future holds.
“The support you receive at ITC both during and after your studies is fantastic,” she explains.
“There was never a time that I felt stressed about finding a job or as though there was no one helping me.”
Now, she’s excited to see what happens next.
“The tourism industry holds infinite possibilities,” she says.
Are you inspired by Brooke’s story? Would you like to learn more about studying at ITC? Get in touch today to learn how we can help get your airline, travel and tourism career off to a flying start.
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