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Meet ITC’s new Botany Campus Manager & Course Advisor!

Posted on 24/10/2024 by

Sam Gilmour is our new Botany Campus Manager & Course Advisor!

ITC has recently hired – or should we say rehired – Sam Gilmour as our Botany Campus Manager & Course Advisor.

Sam brings with her a huge array of experience in the tourism industry and passion for education, with past roles at Air New Zealand, AJ Hackett Bungy, and EcoZip! She has previously worked for ITC as well, and has come back to the team for this role – and it feels as though she never left.

We’re so excited to have Sam back on board, so we asked her a few questions about her experience in the industry and how she’s going to help our ITC students find success. 

How did you begin your passion for the tourism industry?

I selected tourism as an elective subject in year 12. During this subject, it sparked my interest to an industry I didn’t realize would become my passion and future career.

Towards the end of the school year, my tourism teacher spoke to me about the options for studying travel and tourism after high school. This is when I was first introduced to ITC. The course looked so interesting and opened my eyes to all the career possibilities within the industry.

 What does your travel industry history look like?

My experience in the travel and tourism industry has been in airlines, adventure tourism and education. I have loved all these different sectors of the industry, they all offered different experiences, opportunities to learn new skills and met people.

I started my career in travel and tourism at Air New Zealand. I started in the contact centre as a domestic consultant and worked my way through to a short haul consultant, long haul consultant, then an offshore consultant. I then moved into Business Direct, which was the business travel department.

I wanted to share my passion for the industry and had always wanted to pursue a career in education. When I saw a role available at ITC as a tutor, I knew I had to apply for it as it encompasses both my passions- the travel and tourism industry and the education industry.

I was successfully employed at ITC as a tutor and completed my education certificate.

I felt a calling to return to the industry in sales, this is where my adventure tourism experience came in. Through my role at ITC and having contact with the industry, I applied for a job as the Sales Representative at AJ Hackett Bungy. My application was successful, and I joined the team at Auckland Bridge Climb and Bungy. I then through a recommendation was successful in securing a job at Auckland and Taupo Sky Dive as their Sales and Marketing Manager.

My final adventure tourism role was at EcoZip Adventures as their Sales Manager.

What was your favourite job you’ve done?

My favourite role was at EcoZip Adventures. This role aligned with my personal values very well. I had grown to love the adventure tourism sector of the industry, so EcoZip ticked this box, it had a strong focus on the environment and valued its people. The company culture was fantastic, and I had a very supportive manager.

What is your role at ITC & what does it involve?

My role at ITC is the Botany Campus Manager. My role is varied, and this is what I love about it. My day can change quickly – from interviewing a potential new student to helping and supporting the tutor team to teaching a class to sitting at my desk doing lots of admin work.

I love working with and helping people and this role gives me lots of opportunity every day to do both. I love all elements of my role and the variety it offers each day. However, the most rewarding part of my role is seeing students succeed and gain employment in the industry.

How will your experience help support students/staff?

My experience within the industry is something I can share with both the staff and students. I hope that students see that I started in the industry in an entry level position and worked my way up to higher positions.  

What are you looking forward to the most in your new role?

I am looking forward to getting to know all the students and watching their progress. I can’t wait to see them working in the industry.

What do you think are the most important skills to have in the tourism industry?

An open mind is so important in the industry. The travel and tourism industry is forever changing and you need to change with it. There are jobs that have been created in the industry that were not even ideas when I started in the industry. It’s an exciting and innovative industry, so be open to the change and try new things. You never know you might just find something that changes your life or career for the better.

What is your best advice for those getting into the industry now?

Give it a go, you don’t know if you don’t try. Look at every opportunity presented to you. Often the best opportunities and experiences come from the least expected avenue.

Here is a little story… when EcoZip had grown enough to require a Sales Manager, the Managing Director approached me and asked if I would be interested in the role. I said no, I was happy where I was, but I offered to help him with the job description. We meet for a drink and talked about the sort of person who would be an ideal applicant for the job and what the job would entail. He advertised the position, and I put two friends forward for the position. The Managing Director offered the role to one of my friends, I was really excited for them as they wanted to get into sales, but I felt sad for myself- after spending time with the Managing Director, I realised I wanted to be a part of EcoZip. My friend turned the job down and I jumped into action. I immediately rung The Managing Director and said, I’ve changed my mind, I do want the position! His response was- we better meet for a drink and talk about it. We did exactly that, he employed me, and it was one for my most enjoyable positions in the industry.

ITC enrolling now

Sam is a great example of the ITC team. Passionate about travel, highly experienced, and excited to see our students shine – she’s exactly the kind of tutor you can expect to find when you enrol with ITC!

Our next courses begin on November 25, so here are five reasons to enrol right now (not even counting the opportunity to learn from professionals like Sam).

Or feel free to get in touch with any questions here!

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