ITC students help to bring The 36th America’s Cup to life
The America’s Cup is returning to Auckland, and ITC student volunteers are helping to make it all happen.
The 38th America’s Cup is returning to Auckland this summer, and once again, ITC students have offered their time to help make it happen.
We’re counting down the days until this world-famous yacht race gets started, so here’s a little more about the cup itself and how ITC is getting involved.
What is the America’s Cup?
The America’s Cup is a major yacht race held every four years, and is usually held on the home turf of whoever won it last – in this case, that’s Emirates Team New Zealand. It is also considered to be the oldest sporting trophy in the world, with its first race held in 1851 in the Isle of Wight.
While the actual event will take place from the 6th until the 21st of March 2021, there is a large round robin in the lead up to the event to determine the final two teams who will battle it out on the water. This is called the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS), which pits yacht crews against one another, two at a time, to determine the winners.
In another interesting quirk of the sport, the defender (in 2021, this is the New Zealand team), is always guaranteed a spot in the final, so the round robin is largely to determine who will be going head to head in the final race, although New Zealand will still take part.
How ITC students are getting involved
The America’s Cup is a huge tourist attraction, and a fantastic chance for the host country to show off its coastlines and experiences. Naturally, this means there is a real need for ‘all hands on deck’ when it comes to welcoming visitors from around the country and the world, starting well in advance of the event itself.
That’s why, from December 17 until the final race on March 21, ITC students will be at the heart of the action, volunteering their time to become official Auckland City Skippers.
This is their chance to help Tāmaki Makaurau shine on the world stage and support our region as we come together to rally behind Team New Zealand.
Students volunteering must have:
- Positive attitudes
- Ability to thrive in a team environment
- Approachable and friendly natures
- Willingness to go the extra mile
- Flexibility
- Ability to adapt
- Willingness to work in a range of roles across a range of dates and times
- Ability to be an outstanding ambassador for Auckland and New Zealand
For the students, this means they are committed to working for a minimum of four days during the event, for up to six hours per shift. They will receive a meal and refreshments during each shift, and will wear a City Skippers uniform.
Each volunteer will each receive training, including Tū Mai accreditation and training with Be.Lab. And to celebrate their dedication, they will each receive an invitation to an exclusive ‘volunteer thank you’ event at the conclusion of the final cup match.
This is an incredible opportunity to practice the skills they have learned at ITC, gain practical industry experience, and make invaluable connections with local tourism operators. Conversely, local tourism operators get to enjoy the benefits of working with passionate, skilled, and promising ITC students.
Comments from an ITC volunteer
We asked one of the students, Ragini Patil, who recently went through the training to tell us more about the event and her training.
“The training day was amazing! I feel so much more knowledgeable about the America’s Cup, what to expect, the teams, and about Auckland as well.”
“I can’t wait for race days and to help manage many of the events taking place alongside the racing. There is going to be so much happening! Concerts, activities, a kids’ zone, and so much more and I get to be a part of all that as well.”
“When I got home from my training day my flatmate commented about the massive smile on my face. I was so excited.”
“I have also just got a part time job with Fullers so I have an exciting time ahead, working with Fullers, volunteering for the America’s Cup and studying at ITC. ITC has helped me with these opportunities.”
ITC student Ragini Patil has recently completed training, and will soon be helping to bring the America’s Cup to life in Auckland as a volunteer.
If this sounds like the kind of opportunity you’d like to gain through your tourism and travel training college, ITC could well be the place for you. Get in touch to find out more about ITC and our upcoming courses.
Campus Study – college@itc.co.nz 0800 TOURISM (0800 868747) or https://www.itc.co.nz/contact-us/
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