Students and employers meet at ITC Botany

ITC’s Botany Campus held its industry expo on 3 September. As always the campus and students were looking immaculate.

Another excellent group of speakers , with guests from American Express Travel, AVSEC, Auckland Bridge Climb and Bungy, Explore NZ, Harvey World Travel and Intercity.

Each presenter was assigned two students to help them set up and to keep a steady stream of tea and coffee flowing. As many excited students had arrived early, a number of presenters had to walk through the crowd by the entrance to the college, with one commenting that it was like being a film star on the red carpet!

The students were very impressed with each of the presentations, but the array of prohibited items confiscated by AVSEC at the airport caused the most interest – it is amazing to see what people think they can legitimately bring through security at our airports!  The goodies from American Express were also a big hit, especially the flasks.

Employers certainly view the ITC expo as a recruitment tool and are always on the lookout for their next super star. The presenters discussed the students, particularly those who asked questions throughout the presentations – those students did their employment chances no harm at all. Every year there are a number of students at each campus who gain part-time or full-time employment due to first the impression they make in the presenters during the expo.

The day finished with staff and presenters sharing a well-earned lunch, which allows ITC staff to interact with the industry representatives in an informal setting with a lot of information gathering and sharing on both sides.

The students got a great deal out of the day and their feedback was overwhelming positive:

“Helped by explaining different options that I hadn’t thought about before.”

“The day helped me to broaden my career thoughts and expand my knowledge on companies that I never would have though of as a career choice.”

“Gave me options to think about. Positive thoughts gained.”

“Made me realise there is more to life than flight attending.”

“Described the things we needed to have to be able to apply for their jobs.”

“Presenter spoke clearly and had valuable info about the company.”

“Very organised, was a good speaker and the content was interesting.”

“Explained more about what we should know about the job and also the qualification and requirements that they needed.”

“They made me want to apply for their job, presented it well.”

ITC Students meet the Industry!

ITC’s City Campus held its industry expo on 27 August.

Presenters from seven companies came to speak to the students and we are very grateful to AVSEC, American Express Travel, Auckland Bridge Climb and Bungy, Eco Zip, Intercity, Renaissance Tours, and Stray for their presentations.

The expo had a professional feel, as ITC wanted the students to experience a real industry event. The presenters had banners and posters promoting their businesses and the students all arrived looking very professional.

The students were organised into seven groups and each presenter gave a 20-minute presentation to each of the groups throughout the morning.

The main purpose of each presentation was to enlighten our students about the company, the sector of travel and tourism in which the company specialises, the speaker’s story of how they got to where they are today and some useful recruitment information. The presenters do amazingly well to fit all this into 20 minutes!

Most of the presenters brought an ITC graduate who is now working with them. This gave the current students are real sense that the careers they were discussing were achievable, as the students could identify with the graduate as someone like themselves.

The day went without a hitch, with students moving quickly between sessions and quiet reigning over the whole college during the presentations.

The expo was also open to our Distance Learning students and it was great to see a number of them there on the day, with one even organising her own work experience with one of the presenters.

The day went extremely well with extremely positive feedback from students:

“They were very informative and I enjoyed the vibe in the room while they were presenting.”

“He was passionate, had great knowledge and sold it as a fun way to work or experience.”

“He was very outgoing and easy to understand, he was funny and had good body language, which gave us a good impression.”

“She was really passionate about her job and shared her experiences with us.”

“They were lively, and made the audience participate in their presentation to help remember their information.”

”Made me think that anything is possible and there is so much you can put into travel and tourism.”

“Opened my eyes to many career paths.”

“Eco-tourism is a new product that has just come into the tourism industry and it really sparked my interest to start a career.”

Guest blog – Blogger at Large – Cruise questions?

In this blog, we again, would like to introduce you to Megan Singleton who has been travel writing for 1 years and blogging for 7. It’s been a fantastic ride (as you can probably guess). She has over 400 posts here where you’ll find reviews, tips, itinerary ideas, recommendations for places to stay and things to do and all sorts of tidbits from her travels.

She has been chuffed to receive the US Travel Association Travel Writers Award in 2009 and 2011 and she is on the list of NZs Top 50 Tweeters.

Thinking about taking your first cruise but have an armful of questions?

Here are some of the most common cruising questions and her answers as best she can.

Check out this blog from ‘Blogger at Large’
http://www.bloggeratlarge.com/cruising/7-common-cruise-questions/

ITC Ten Pin Bowling Day

Over 150 students from ITC descended on the Metrolanes bowling centre in Queen Street for a day of bowling, pool competitions and delicious food on 31 July.

Many of the students attended in fancy dress for the 90s-themed event, and the music and videos at the venue ranged from Spice Girls to MC Hammer. The tutors also dressed up, and Ginger Spice (Amy) and Sporty Spice (Tessa) did a great job of organising the day.

The students split into teams of six and took turns filling the bowling lanes for some friendly competition. When not bowling the students kept themselves entertained with free games of pool, 90s dancing and plenty of pizza, hot chips and drinks.

Four teams went head to head for the final rounds, with movie and bowling tickets up for grabs as the top prizes. The winning team was CAV03. Spot prizes also went to the students with the three highest bowling scores of the day, and to the most enthusiastic dancer.

The event was a great opportunity for the students to interact and get to know each other, strengthening existing friendships and meeting new people. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to all students who took part. Thanks also to Metrolanes for providing a fun venue that provided plenty of entertainment throughout the day.

Are you ready to fly high?

Since 1996 the International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) has been focused on providing training that gets students jobs in the airline, airport, travel and tourism industries.

With two Airport Training Centres at its City and Botany Campuses, ITC students get experience with the technology, the practical processes and the customer service skills they will need in their future careers.

The huge Airport Training Centres simulate real-world airports, including check in, customs, gate lounges, and planes where students are trained in all aspects of in-flight service. Training also incorporates the Ready to Check in online check in system, currently used by many airlines worldwide.

ITC is also committed to getting on-site experience for its students. This entails students helping out behind the scenes at industry events, and an increasing number of agreements with local industry employers, who are keen to give ITC students part-time work opportunities while they study.

“We’ve got great relationships with the industries we work with, and the practical nature of our courses means that our graduates are ready to work in their chosen fields,” says ITC’s Marketing Director Claire Huxley. “That translates into great job placement rates and a willingness from our industry partners to provide our students with work experience.”

“This whole experience has really shown me that what the tutors say to us at ITC is true – they push and encourage students to go for their dreams and never give up. My training at ITC has definitely helped me with my confidence and knowledge of the travel and tourism industry and thanks to them and my hard work it has all paid off, now I am in going to Dubai to embark on an exciting career as flight attendant for Emirates!” said graduate Lisi Kaihau.

Both ITC’s Botany and City Campuses have a few spaces on their last 2 courses in 2013, so it’s not too late to enrol now! Find out how you can launch your career in the airline, airport, and travel and tourism industries by phoning the ITC Team now 0800 868747 or (09) 373 5510 for more information, or check our website www.itc.co.nz

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.”

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!

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

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.”

Tutor Profile: Tessa Henwood

ITC’s newest tutor Tessa Henwood tells us about how her love of hospitality and tourism has led her to travel all over the world: and how it all started in a Yorkshire pub.

I was born in the UK, and when I left school I started working as a barmaid in pubs. I met so many interesting people and had so much fun; I just knew I had to pursue a career in the hospitality and tourism industry.

Although I was not very academic I decided to try and gain a qualification, so I enrolled in a Higher National Diploma in Hospitality Management with Tourism. I loved the course; it was so practical and it taught me so many things that I have used in my working career. In the end I stayed on an extra year to complete the Hospitality Business Management Degree. I graduated with a First Class Honours degree, which is one of my proudest achievements.

After university I just wanted to see the world! I worked hard, saved money and went traveling to as many amazing places as I could. Wherever I went, whether it was Cuba or Peru, Europe or Africa, I enjoyed amazing adventures and learned so much about myself.

After landing in New Zealand, I travelled for a year, working my way around the country in different backpacker hostels. I loved working in the tourist industry in New Zealand! The range of adventure attractions, beautiful national parks, and interesting cultures and history make the country unique and different to anywhere else I have ever traveled.

I eventually settled in Auckland working for the YHA as operations manager. Around this time I also started working with ITC, providing work placement opportunities and giving career presentations.

When I first visited the college I felt I had found somewhere that not only shared my passion for the travel and tourism industry, but that was also encouraging people to dream big. I believe that everyone has the potential to do anything, and I feel that by working with ITC and all my colleagues we can help people achieve their dreams.