Catching up with student-turned-tutor Laura, who is also a Disney Alumni!

Laura Osbourn has had quite the journey, starting as a student, earning a place in the Disney Exchange Program, and now a tutor!

Back in 2018, we spoke to a graduate who had returned to ITC to complete her level 5 Diploma with the intention of joining the Disney Exchange Program.

She made it to Disney, but the pandemic threw a spanner in the works and she had to return to New Zealand – so we interviewed her again in 2020!

However, that wasn’t the end of her story. After many ups and downs and a lot of hard work, Laura Osbourn returned to ITC again, but this time as a tutor.

As we continue with our ongoing ‘Adventures after Disney’ series, we felt it was a great opportunity to interview someone who has not just successfully applied for the Disney Program, but someone who will also be helping current students prepare for their applications as well.

With that said, here’s the latest updates on graduate, Disney alumni, and tutor Laura Osbourn!

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How the Disney Cultural Exchange helped this graduate find her confidence and her future career

Taylor Still had an unforgettable time with the Disney Exchange Program.

Recently, we’ve been catching up with ITC graduates who were accepted into the Disney Cultural Exchange Program.

This is a fantastic opportunity where students can head overseas and work in various roles for this world-renowned brand, earning valuable work experience, meeting people from around the world, and enjoying a huge international adventure all at once.

But what happens next?

In the lead-up to the next Disney intake, we’ve been checking in with graduates who took up this opportunity in a series we’re calling ‘Adventures after Disney’.

Today, we’re sharing our interview with Taylor Still, who was part of the 2018 program. Read on to learn more about her story, and what she’s been up to since! (more…)

Your insider’s guide to: Working in a senior HR role at a leading hotel

We hear from Carol Mendes (centre), Assistant Director of Human Resources for Cordis Hotel, about her career and what it’s like working in HR.

Travel and tourism is an incredibly broad industry, with many different pathways to take.

To help highlight the range of options available to our graduates, we’re getting in touch with some of our industry connections to learn a little more about the different jobs and what it’s like to work in them.

We’ve heard about what it’s like to work in bungy jumping, and this time we’re taking a completely different perspective. We’re chatting to Carol Mendes, the Assistant Director of Human Resources for Cordis Hotel.

Read on to learn about her story, and what she looks for in new employees. (more…)

Catching up with a 2018 Disney Exchange Program alumni

Aunima went to work at Disney in the 2018 Exchange Program. Learn what she has been up to since!

In 2018, Aunima Haque was one of a number of ITC graduates who was accepted into the prestigious Disney Exchange Program.

This exchange invites young graduates to work in a number of roles at Disney, where they earn valuable skills and experience. Many students use this time as a launching pad for a career in tourism in travel, which is why we have been catching up with some of them.

We’re looking forward to the next Disney intake this year, and leading up to it with a campaign called ‘Adventures after Disney’. Last week we spoke to Emma Morris, and this week we have a new graduate to interview!

This week, we chatted to the lovely Aunima Haque. Here’s what she had to say about her time at ITC and Disney, and what she’s been up to since!

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Meet the graduate who used her ITC education and the Disney Exchange as a springboard for her business career!

Emma Morris had an incredible time during her Disney Exchange.

We are once again full steam ahead preparing our graduates with their applications for the next Disney Exchange Program opportunity happening in August this year. 

Our level 4 & 5 graduates are all so excited to meet the Disney representative who will soon visit to discuss this life changing experience.

To celebrate this amazing opportunity we reached out to a number of ITC graduates who were lucky enough to be a part of the Disney Cultural Exchange. We’re calling this project ‘Adventures after Disney’, and will be following up with where the graduates are now, and how they feel that the exchange impacted their lives and careers.

ITC takes pride in supporting and communicating with graduates over the 26+ years we’ve been in business, this is so exciting for us to once more re-visit our students’ adventures. 

To start, we spoke to graduate Emma Morris.

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It’s never too late to get that dream job. We meet Carol who at 64-years-old decided it was time for a career change – and is becoming a flight attendant!

It’s never too late for a career change! Just ask Carol Weaver.

Whether you’re fresh out of high school, have been out of the workforce for a while, or are looking to make a career change, it’s never a bad time to study at ITC or with Study From Home.

Just ask Carol Weaver, the 64-year-old who had thought about becoming a flight attendant often throughout her life. She has been working as a science teacher and career advisor for Orewa College, which is how she came into contact with ITC in the first place.

Here’s Carol’s incredible story in her own words.

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Read our reviews for the 2023 study year

Our ITC and Study From Home students seem to be pretty happy with their courses so far this year. See some of their reviews below!

Every year, ITC and Study From Home strive to offer the best travel and tourism education in New Zealand.

From the courses themselves to our team of experienced, passionate tutors, everything we do is designed to provide the best experience for students. That also includes a four-day study week for ITC students so they can balance their education with their lifestyles, and an Employment Consultant who works to connect students and graduates with industry roles.

Naturally, we always love to hear how we’re doing. Reviews let us know what we’re doing well, and where we can improve for next year. We recently gathered together our reviews for the 2023 tertiary year so far, and we’re excited to share them with you!

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Your insider’s guide to: Working in bungy jumping

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work in bungy jumping? We asked one of NZ’s top bungy pros to learn more!

When you study travel and tourism, there are so many exciting careers available to you.

Here in New Zealand, we’re the home of the bungy jump, and many of our students graduate with the goal of working as a Jump Master – like Fleur, who recently landed her dream job in Queenstown. 

To find out a little more about what it’s like to work in bungy jumping, we reached out to Graham Trubuhovich, National Operations Manager for AJ Hackett Bungy. Here’s what he had to say.

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What to do if you’re back at school – but don’t feel like it’s for you

Not sure if high school is the right choice for you this year? There is another option!

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

This famous quote is attributed to none other than Albert Einstein, and it’s a wise way of explaining that everyone is great at something – but we’re not all going to excel at the same things.

For example, some people do really well in school and enjoy their time there. For others, they’re left sitting in the classroom wondering why it just doesn’t feel quite right. And if you feel like a fish trying to climb a tree, then it might help to remember that there are other options!

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ITC opens this week – start your studies now!

Ready to start your 2023? Enrol today to get started right now!

ITC is back in the office and the classroom and excited to get started!

It’s a New Year and a new chance for Kiwis to begin studying for an incredible career in travel and tourism.

And if you’re not sure what your plans are for the rest of the summer or the year, now’s your chance to enrol.

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