Meet Keeanu Cookson: From ITC short course, to full-time student, to full-time employment!

Keeanu Cookson went from short course student, to full-time ITC student, to landing a role in the industry!

One of the many pathways ITC offers into the travel and tourism industry is through our short courses in high schools all over the country.

These short courses span just one to three days, but they can be the start of a lifetime in the industry.

That’s exactly what happened to Keeanu Cookson, who began with a short course, enrolled to become a full-time student, and quickly landed a full-time job! We spoke to Keeanu, his tutor Daniel, and his boss to learn more about his journey. (more…)

A Disney Program recruiter shares what’s new, and what he’s most looking forward to post-covid

Working overseas at Walt Disney World has long been a favourite programme for ITC students.

Every year, the Disney exchange program is a popular option for ITC students.

It offers young students the change to work abroad in Walt Disney World, earning valuable experience, practicing transferrable skills, and meeting people from all over the globe in one of the most magical settings on the planet.

While the program sadly came to a halt due to the pandemic, that doesn’t mean it won’t be back one day in the not-too-distant future.

In the meantime, we chatted with Disney program recruiter Joe Iglecia-Scholl about what’s happening with the program right now, what he’s looking forward to seeing as the world recovers, and what students and parents need to know if they’re considering the program in the future. (more…)

Meet Stacey Elie: The graduate who landed on her feet after covid derailed her plans

ITC graduate Stacey Elie spent two months at Disney before the pandemic interrupted her exchange.

Stacey Elie is a wonderful recent ITC graduate who was living the dream, working at the Disney Exchange Program, when the pandemic broke out.

Despite this upset, Stacey managed to return to New Zealand and land an incredible new role in tourism thanks to her own hard work and ITC’s support. 

Learn a little more about Stacey’s journey, what she’s up to now, and her advice for students. (more…)

Meet Eitaro Goshima: The ITC graduate whose boss won’t stop raving about how amazing he is

Eitaro Goshima is a recent ITC graduate who began his studies at our Christchurch campus before moving to Auckland and continuing with level 5.

Soon after graduating, our Employment Consultant Sarndra approached Eitaro with the opportunity that she knew he would be perfect for.  She arranged a phone call with SkyCity.  By the end of the conversation both Eitaro and SkyCity employer Shaun knew he was a perfect fit for the role.  This is another example of the extra mile our Employment Consultants go to for our students. His new boss Shaun can’t stop talking about just how wonderful Eitaro has been to work with.

“Eitaro has done a fantastic job since joining the SkyCity Hotel Concierge team. Being an ITC graduate, Eitaro is a great success story, and an example of how ITC prepares its students. Eitaro settled into the team relatively effortlessly and now runs his own shift. I am impressed with his can-do attitude, his willingness to learn, and I look forward to seeing Eitaro progress in his career,” he said.

So we decided to catch up with Eitaro and find out a little more. Here’s what he had to say! (more…)

12 essential pieces of advice for graduates from ITC’s CEO, Claire Huxley

ITC CEO Claire Huxley has 12 pieces of advice for graduates.

Claire Huxley is ITC’s Chief Executive Officer and a worldwide traveller. Her background in international travel and tourism and her own extensive travels, paired with her marketing background, make her an incredible leader for the International Travel College.

Recently, Claire offered up some words of wisdom for graduates, and for those graduating over the coming months.

“Remember the lessons you learnt during this year – resilience is about learning from what you have been through and don’t forget you’ve come this far, you can do so much more!!! Focus on progress not perfection” (more…)

Enrol now for our NZ Certificate in Tourism with a strand in Tourism and Travel (Level 3)

Enrol for a NZ Certificate in Tourism with a strand in Tourism and Travel now.

Considering studying for a travel and tourism qualification to kick start your career in this exciting industry?

Now is your chance!

ITC has added a new course start date for our New Zealand Certificate in Tourism with a strand in Tourism and Travel. This level 3 course begins at the Auckland City Campus on July 12, and takes 20 weeks to complete, so you’ll be graduating at the end of the year!

Here’s more about this fantastic course. (more…)

Check in for a high-flying career in aviation

Considering a career in aviation? Here’s your chance to get started!

With the travel and tourism industries looking up, we’re seeing increased demand from the industry for employees in the aviation sector – which is why we’re launching a 20-week aviation course.

The New Zealand Certificate in Tourism with a strand in Aviation Level 3 will be held at our Botany Campus, starting July 12.

Here’s why you should sign up! (more…)

Tourism update: How is New Zealand going with our travel bubbles?

It’s been over a month since the Australian bubble, so how is it going?

Thanks to our successful management of the virus, and that of our neighbours across the Tasman, we’ve been able to create one of the first quarantine-free travel bubbles in the world.

It has now been a little over a month since New Zealand’s travel bubble with Australia opened, and a week since the beginning of the bubble with the Cook Islands.

So how is it going? And what does it all mean for the tourism industry? (more…)

Receive a $300 Visa Prezzy card when you recommend a friend

Ready to study and experience new adventures with a friend or loved one? Refer them to receive a Visa Prezzy card!

ITC regularly sees friends and family studying together. We’ve had siblings, parents and their children, cousins, twins, partners, and even husband and wife duos!

Whether you’re a current student with ITC, you’re about to become one, or you’ve already been one, you can share the travel and tourism love with a friend and receive $300!

It’s all thanks to our Recommend a Friend initiative. (more…)

New Zealand set to host major events – and needs workers

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is just one of many major events coming to New Zealand over the next few years, and the industry will need staff to make it happen.

New Zealand has long been a fantastic destination for tourism, and more recently, it has become increasingly popular as a destination for major events.

Of course, we’ve just enjoyed hosting the America’s Cup, but there’s plenty more coming up. From sporting events to performer tours, artistic and cultural celebrations to foodie festivals, the annual calendar is filling up with exciting major events.

Here are a few of the most anticipated events on the horizon, and what that means for our tourism industry. (more…)