ITC’s Short Courses – providing a world of experience
ITC’s Short Courses aim to give high school students a taste of the travel and tourism industry. But as Short Course Tutor Mel Verwijmeren found out the courses do a lot more than that!
“Just some of the wonderful feedback our students have given us is that they miss the college and that they learnt so much in such a small space of time. They miss the warm atmosphere and the friendly faces, and most of all the new friends they have made along the way. Students also gain a real sense of what it is like to study out of high school,” says Mel.
“Being immersed in an airport environment and learning in a plane instead of a boring classroom makes it a much more fun experience,” said a student from Macleans College. “Even though there is book work to complete you do not even notice it; it is really straight forward, as Mel teaches you the stuff you need to know, stuff that I had no idea was involved in being a flight attendant!”
ITC tutors are committed to using fun and engaging methods to teach their students, and the Short Courses are no exception.
“We use group exercises, role play, competitions and creative design,” says Mel. “We get the students using their imagination and taking learning to a new level to give them the tools to deal with experiences they may meet in the industry.”
A Mt Albert Grammar student said: “Mel was a great tutor and made me feel comfortable and not embarrassed to do the role plays. I loved how we would learn something and then be assessed on it straight away so it was fresh in our minds.”
“Mel encouraged everyone that it’s alright to step out of your comfort level,” said a student from Aorere College. “Also mistakes are there to be made so we learn from them.”
The Short Course students have also gained NCEA credits ranging from two level 2 credits on ITC’s Big Day Out Course to nine credits on the five-day travel course.
But it’s the hands-on training that gives students a real sense of what working in the industry is all about that they value most.
“This course was very beneficial and informative and I definitely would recommend it to people who are even the least bit interested in flight attending, as it really opened my eyes to the realities of the job,” said one student from Macleans College. “There was a good ratio of theory and practical, which showed us the realities of flight attending and the environment.”
“This course was amazing – after coming here I know what I want to do,” said a student from Mount Albert Grammar. “I loved being downstairs and working in the airport. I can’t wait to come to ITC next year!”
