International student profile: Delbaere “Dhie” Bangcado

Bright, bubbly and full of life – Delbaere Bangcado chose to study tourism in New Zealand so she could overcome her fear of heights. Her inspiring story is a must-read for anyone looking to pursue a career in travel and tourism.

Delbaere Bangcado is an ITC international student from the Philippines. She loves studying in New Zealand and dreams of one day becoming a flight attendant. We caught up with her to learn about what life is like as an international student at ITC. She shares her story, as well as some words of wisdom for other international students looking to study in Auckland. 

What inspired you to move to New Zealand to study at ITC?

New Zealand is the adventure capital of the world, and I have a lot of fear regarding certain ‘adventures’ – specifically anything to do with heights! To achieve my dream (of becoming a flight attendant), I knew I would have to conquer my fear… and where better than New Zealand where I can actually enjoy overcoming it? I researched a lot of New Zealand schools online, however ITC’s marketing strategy was the best I had ever seen. Not to mention, it has an awesome Airport Training Centre. For me, ITC is by far the best option!

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Three reasons why studying tourism in New Zealand is amazing

New Zealand is one of the best places in the world to study tourism, thanks to its stunning natural landscapes, friendly people and amazing culture.

Did you hear the great news last week? New Zealand was once again voted the best country in the world by the UK’s Telegraph publication. This is the fourth time we’ve been awarded this prestigious accolade.

To celebrate this epic win, we’ve put together 3 reasons why studying tourism in New Zealand is amazing. If you’re thinking about pursuing a career in tourism, there’s really no better location than Aotearoa. Here’s why.

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Five reasons why you should study travel and tourism – according to ITC graduates

Thinking about a career in travel and tourism? Read on for five reasons why this is a great career choice!

The New Zealand tourism industry is growing at a phenomenal pace. Everywhere you look new hotels and convention centres are being built, tourist attractions are popping up, international flight paths are being scheduled and visitor numbers are breaking records.

All of this makes 2016 a great year to study travel and tourism – but, of course, you’d expect us to say that!

The people you really want to hear from are the ITC graduates – the ones who have studied tourism and seen for themselves the doors it can open.

Without further ado, here’s five reasons why you should pursue this exciting career path, straight from the mouths of recent graduates.

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Another ITC student scores highest marks in NZ for IATA exam

ITC tutor Steve Burke is pictured with high achiever Danielle Barham, who scored the highest marks in New Zealand for her IATA Foundation exam.

Danielle Barham is the latest ITC student to score the highest marks in New Zealand for the challenging IATA exam. She follows in the footsteps of ITC graduates Anastasiya Kolchunova and Hayley Miles, who both scored top marks in previous years.

IATA – the International Air Transport Association – is a global trade association for approximately 260 airlines. The highly regarded IATA Foundation course covers topics such as international airfare calculations, aspects of running a travel business, world geography, international rail, cruises, tours, hotels and international travel regulations. It also covers booking systems such as Amadeus and Galileo.

To score top marks in this exam – which takes three hours to complete and is marked by IATA in Montreal – is a huge achievement.

“It is fantastic that Danielle has achieved so highly in a subject which is quite tricky to learn,” says ITC’s Head of Academic Services Tessa Henwood.

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Introducing Aruna Crichton and Susanne Snow

The lovely Aruna (on her birthday) and Susanne, our two fantastic student services advisors based at the ITC City Campus.

Aruna and Susanne recently joined the ITC City Campus team as Student Services Advisors. They are the lovely smiling faces you’ll see at the reception desk or the bright voices you’ll hear on the phone. Both ITC graduates, they are perfectly placed to help current students. Learn more about their experience and travel dreams below.

Aruna

I have always been interested in travel and tourism and wanted to work in this exciting industry. I completed a short course with ITC while in high school and enjoyed it so much I decided to enrol in 2012!

I chose to study at ITC because it’s a friendly environment and I felt so welcome from the day I first stepped into the building. I enrolled on both the Level 3 and Level 4 courses and graduated from both. This was a really good experience for me as I got to learn new things about the industry and see places I’ve never been to. I enjoyed going on work experience with SkyJump as I got to see what it’s like to work as one of the frontline staff dealing with a lot of international tourists. I also had the opportunity to experience one of New Zealand’s major tourist destinations – Rotorua. This was a huge highlight for me.

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Six ITC graduates share their tips for success

From left to right: Tuita, Jessica, Lewis, Gemma, Mohammed and Evelin. Now leading successful careers in the tourism industry, each of these graduates share their tips for success with current ITC students.

Studying can be hard. Sometimes, you might be tempted to skip class or take a break. But, as these successful ITC graduates will tell you, it’s all worth it! When you’re feeling low on motivation, read these tips and remember: there’s an amazing career waiting for you when you graduate.

“If you feel like you have been studying for a lifetime and that graduating is so far away, keep working hard because in the end it will all be worth it. Study hard and it will pay off.”

– Jessica Adamson, Customer Service Representative, Contiki

“If you really want to do something go get it and DREAM BIG.”

– Lewis Wilson, Slide Operator, Disney World

“Study hard and aim high. Try your best in everything you do, because your future is what counts.”

– Tuita Tokareta, Customer Service Representative, 360 Discovery Cruises

“Make the most of every opportunity you are given. Even if it’s not your dream job, but if it helps you get one step closer, grab it with both hands and run with it.”

– Evelin Toala, Flight Redemption Consultant, American Express

“The best advice I could give them is to always show up to class, make sure they do the work, to put in the hard work now and it will pay off in the end. Make sure you finish all of your assessments.”

– Mohammed Alzergawi, Sales Representative, Disney

“Study seriously, put in the hours and do the work to your best standard. The travel industry is competitive and the best jobs go to those who are willing to work for them.”

– Gemma Delia, Wholesale Travel Agent, Adventure Travel

Learning outside the classroom: ITC students visit Te Tahawai Marae

ITC students learn how to weave flax and perform a traditional Maori song and dance at Te Tahawai Marae

A group of students from ITC’s South Auckland campus recently visited Te Tahawai Marae in Pakuranga to learn about Māori culture. The students are currently studying a cultural unit which requires them to research the many different cultures that are important to New Zealand’s tourism industry.

They were welcomed onto the marae with a traditional powhiri, followed by an engaging history lesson about the marae’s heritage. The group learned about the significance of some carvings and listened to stories that have been passed down from ancestors.

ITC tutor Cathy Alder said it was wonderful to see the students enjoy this special experience.

“As most of our students are from different parts of the world, this is sometimes their first time in a marae. This visit was a great insight into the beliefs and practices of Māori culture, as well as an insight as to how much this culture is a part of the New Zealand tourism industry,” says Cathy.

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Get 2016 off to a great start with a course in travel and tourism

New Zealand’s tourism industry is expected to grow exponentially in 2016. A qualification from ITC can help you pursue this exciting career path.

On behalf of everyone at the International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC), Happy New Year! We hope you enjoyed a lovely Christmas break.

Now that 2016 is underway, it’s a great time to start thinking about your goals for the year ahead. If you’ve been thinking about pursuing a career in airline, travel or tourism, it’s not too early to start working towards this dream.

ITC has classes starting as early as January 11 – that’s less than a week from now! Even if you’re not ready to enrol on this date, you could still arrange to come into the college for a chat. Every day our friendly course advisers meet with prospective students and chat to them about their interests and ambitions. It’s their job to provide students with advice about which course might best suit their needs.

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ITC graduate gets her ‘Disney Ears’

Taryn Brown, a former ITC student, recently graduated from the Disney World Cultural Exchange Program.

Exactly 8 months ago to the day, ITC graduate Taryn Brown received the good news that she was off to Disney World for the work experience trip of a lifetime.

Participating in the Disney Cultural Exchange Program has been a goal of Taryn’s since she started studying tourism at ITC. After much hard work and determination, in August she found herself on a plane to Orlando – her dream was coming true.

Now, many new friends and amazing memories later, Taryn has graduated from the program and received her ‘Disney Ears’.

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‘I’m over the moon’: ITC graduate secures dream job

Tony Moses is ‘over the moon’ about the education he received from ITC. Tony studied the Level 3 Certificate in Tourism with a Strand in Aviation and recently started a new job with Menzies Aviation.

A graduate from the International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) has landed a great job with Menzies Aviation at Auckland Airport – and he believes this is largely thanks to the support and encouragement of his tutors.

“I’m over the moon with how much time and support the tutors gave me and my classmates,” says Tony Moses, who recently completed the Level 3 New Zealand Certificate in Tourism with a Strand in Aviation at ITC’s South Auckland Campus.

“They give so much of their own time and advice, and help students with whatever career direction they want to go in. I’m honoured to be known as an ITC graduate,” he added.

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