Meet the ITC graduate working in Canada
ITC graduate Sarah Collins is living and working in Jasper, a beautiful alpine town in Canada.
“Thank you ITC for opening my eyes to what is out there in the world.”
These are the words of Sarah Collins, an ITC graduate who is now working as a ticket agent in the beautiful alpine town of Jasper in Canada. Set on a lake and surrounded by snowcapped mountains, Jasper is a popular tourism destination renowned for its stunning natural beauty.
“Everything is going so amazing over here!” says Sarah, who has been working in Jasper since May.
“I’m absolutely in love with the town. There are so many New Zealanders and Australians here so I don’t feel far from home.”
We caught up with Sarah to learn more about her exciting Canadian adventure and to get some tips for future ITC graduates looking to pursue an international career.
What is it like to work as a ticket agent in Jasper?
It’s a fast-paced working environment. I meet lots of different travellers from around the world, and get to work alongside like-minded people. I also love being surrounded by stunning views of the lake.
What skills did you gain at ITC that you use every day in your job?
Dealing with customers and knowing how to communicate with all the different types of people. Feeling familiar and confident with the booking systems and confident when giving out information.
How is Jasper different from home?
We almost see bear, deer, and moose every day when making our way to and from work! It’s also really nice getting out of the city and living in a small town in the middle of nowhere – it’s very refreshing.
What sparked your interest in travel and tourism?
I started off wanting to get into flight attending, but I realised there is so much more out there in the industry. The travel and tourism industry has a lot of opportunities and it’s always changing, which keeps things exciting. I love the idea of being able to travel and meet new people, you learn so much through other people’s experiences. Travelling across Canada has been the best thing I’ve done and I’m absolutely loving it.
Do you have any tips for future ITC students?
- Take the role plays seriously while studying – they really help to give a real-life feel of the different jobs available in the industry.
- Do your research when applying for jobs.
- Make the most of every opportunity to build up your experiences and grow as a person.
- Don’t hesitate to ask questions.
- Don’t think of the ‘what ifs’ – just go ahead and follow your dreams!
Some things may be hard to achieve and you may think it’s not possible – but if you put your mind to it, you will succeed and look back and think it was so worth it to get to where you have got in the end.
What do you miss most about studying at ITC?
I miss how helpful all the tutors are – they helped me a lot. I really enjoyed hearing about their past experiences in the tourism industry. I also miss the friendly atmosphere and doing role plays where I pretended to work in many different positions. It was all heaps of fun.
Are you inspired by Sarah’s story? Get in touch today to begin your airline, travel or tourism qualification with ITC!
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