Head to an ITC Free Event these school holidays and make plans for next year!

Attend a FREE event these school holidays to learn about international exchange programs and aviation careers available with ITC.

Not sure what your plans are for next year? Want to work in a career that could help you meet amazing people, work in amazing places, or even travel the world?

The International Travel College of New Zealand could be a great fit for you and your future – and we’re about to host Free Events this school holidays to help you decide.

Our exciting Free Events invite you (and any friends or family you’d like to bring along) to visit an ITC campus and see what it’s like to be an ITC student.

With two different themes and two campuses to choose from, you won’t want to miss these events.  Better yet, they are absolutely FREE!

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Frederick Corbett: The ITC graduate who just left for the Disney Exchange Program!

ITC graduate Freddie Corbett has recently left NZ to start his Disney Exchange Program.

It’s been an exciting year as we have caught up with a number of ITC graduates who went through the Disney Exchange Program. Now, things are about to get even more exciting as we cheer on the students who have been accepted into this year’s August intake.  

We’ve already spoken to Bea Terreblanche, who has already left NZ on her grand Disney adventure. Now we’re excited to announce that her fellow ITC graduate Frederick Corbett has also ventured off to Disney.

Of course, we had to catch up with him to see how he’s feeling about the program! (more…)

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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“The happiest place…”

Cara (left) working at Disneyworld in Florida after completing her course at ITC, with Natasha (right) ITC Campus Manager Botany

Natasha Allen, ITC Campus Manager Botany, recently returned from a trip to the happiest place in the world, where she caught up with ITC graduate Cara Adams.

Natasha says the excitement of the trip started before they had even left New Zealand at the Koru Lounge at Auckland’s International Airport where she, her husband and their two very excited children sampled the complimentary food (and Natasha and her husband the wine) before boarding their flight. (more…)

Disney 2014 – new friends, a second family and the experience of a lifetime

Cara ITC Graduate now working at Disney, (in the red top) in Orlando. What an experience.

ITC Graduate Cara Adams tells us about her experience at Disney.

How do I even start to talk about this journey, it has been such a rollercoaster ride? I am so happy that I chose to do this; I have grown while being here and have met friends that I will keep forever. There have, of course, been ups and downs in the six months I have been here so far, but all of them have been an important part of this amazing experience. (more…)

A Magical Holiday

The International Travel College’s (ITC) Justine Glackin, in charge of accounts, celebrated her 10-year anniversary with the college earlier this year. To thank her for her hard work and dedication, ITC rewarded Justine with a trip to the value of $10,000.

Justine initially worked in ITC’s student services. After two years she took time off for maternity leave. She returned in 2006, went on maternity leave again in 2007 and returned again the following year.

Managing Director Kerry Priestley says they were always thrilled to have her return. “Justine has a fantastic sense of humour; she’s a good team player and is just great to work with.”

Justine recently came back from her trip and here she shares with us what she did on her dream holiday.

You have $10,000 to spend on travel, where would you go? It’s a bit like asking what you would do if you won Lotto. You just have to narrow down the choices! Having been lucky enough to go to Disneyland as a five year old I wanted to be able to take my own kids so when I was given the opportunity to choose a holiday thanks to ITC it was actually a fairly easy decision to make.

We had three full days in Anaheim, two of those at Disneyland and California Disney. Both these parks are amazing and we arrived on opening and didn’t leave until closing time, about 10 hours later. Particular highlights were Space Mountain, Indiana Jones, The Mattahorn, It’s A Small World, Carsland Racing, the Hollywood Tower of Terror and California Screamin’. Having photos with Mickey, Pluto, Donald and Buzz Light Year (to name a few) has resulted in some fantastic family pictures.

After the excitement of Disney we headed to Santa Monica. We were within walking distance of some amazing shopping and the beach. An open topped double decker bus tour was a fantastic way to see more of L.A. and we took in the sights of Rodeo Drive (no shopping there though!) plus the La Brea Tar Pits, The Farmers Market for a yummy lunch, Beverly Hills and Hollywood for the stars on the footpath plus various weird and wonderful characters trying to make it big in show biz.

It was a fabulous place for relaxing as well as exploring. We hired bikes and rode to Venice Beach, and Muscle Beach where you can work out under the Californian sunshine while homeless people sleep under trees in the parks. We caught a bus to Malibu and wandered along the beach and pier, watched people surfing and paddle boarding and also saw some amazing looking homes right on the beach front.

All in all an absolutely magic family holiday that still makes me smile and one that makes us want to go back and explore some more.

Three More ITC Students Experience the Disney World Dream!

Three International Travel College (ITC) graduates will join three former ITC students at Walt Disney World Resort, Florida, USA on the work experience programme of a lifetime.

Last year, ITC students Michelle Phillips, Celeste Reid and Soteria Alia were accepted to the Disney College Program.

“Once news got out that it was possible to dream big and actually achieve what was thought to be impossible, we had an influx of interest from students,” says Natasha Allen, ITC’s Campus Manager Botany.

Claudia McCarthy, who graduated from her Level 4 course in March this year, was quick to jump at this opportunity.

“She is such a bubbly smiley person and, with her long blonde locks, I can see her being Cinderella for a year!” laughs Natasha. “Claudia is an incredibly sweet person who gets along with everyone and always has a positive view on life – this obviously shone through her interview, as she has been accepted to join the wonderful world of Disney.”

Cara Adams graduated in June this year from her Certificate in Travel Level 4. Cara has exceptional academic grades her commitment to her assessments is reflected in her A grade module passes.

Cara’s classmate Celeste was one of the previous successful applicants for Disney World, and Cara decided it would be an amazing chance to experience the “living, earning and learning” programme with her friend. Cara was accepted to the programme within just a few short days of her interview.

“Cara is not one to sit and wait until she jets off to sunny Florida in January,” says Natasha. “She is already working to save up money for her trip, which just goes to show that if you want something, you have to take the risk and go for it.”

Lola Tokelau is currently studying her Level 4 Certificate in Travel, but her journey with ITC began in 2012 when she enrolled in the Level 3 Certificate in Aviation.

“It takes a very special student to apply herself to three courses while working part time in a customer service role,” says Natasha. “ Lola has reached 100% academic achievement in her Level 3 courses and is well on her way to achieving her final qualification with us.”

Natasha says Lola was hesitant about checking her emails for a reply from Disney.

“After urging her to do so she returned with the biggest smile on her beautiful face, her eyes were alight with happiness and disbelief– she had been accepted!”
The Disney College Program is not an easy one to get in to and there are a huge number of applicants each year. Natasha says she is incredibly proud of the six students who have achieved a place on the programme so far.

“They have put themselves out there, taking a risk, striving to be the best and achieving so much in such a short time. Their careers in this amazing industry are just starting, and to have their first taste of it with one of the most recognised tourism brands in the world means that their future is going to be bright.”

A Dream Come True for Three ITC Students

International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) graduate Michelle Phillips is one of three ITC students to land a fantastic job at Disneyworld.

Michelle graduated from ITC’s City Campus with distinction in March this year. During her studies she was selected for a work experience programme with Renaissance Tours (Cruise Ships). She took on a role as a customer services consultant, which saw her checking in guests for cruises.

“From the beginning she was made of the right stuff,” says Michelle Chatfield (City Campus Manager). “She got involved in all aspects of college life and was always an active and willing participant in class.”

After graduating Michelle saw an advertisement to work at Disneyworld.

“The opportunity to work in the place ‘where dreams come true’ is amazing,” says Michelle.

The application process was not simple, but Michelle got stuck in with her usual can-do attitude, says Michelle Chatfield. And it paid off. Michelle was selected to work for Disneyworld on their cultural exchange programme.

“This is such an amazing opportunity for her and I am so very proud of her!  It shows that hard work, the right attitude and never giving up pays off”, says Michelle Chatfield.

Michelle can’t wait to start her new adventure: “I have the chance to grow, live away from home, make new friends and learn in the workplace. But getting on the plane and saying goodbye to family and friends will be hard.”

She credits ITC with teaching her the skills and practical processes to be able to work in teams, work with customers “and, most importantly, to believe that I can go and do something new and exciting. Disney gives me all these chances. What more could you want?”

Celeste Reid and Soteria Alia from Botany Campus will also be taking on roles at Disneyworld in January 2014.

Celeste will be completing her Level 4 qualification with ITC in June and is over the moon that she was selected for the cultural programme, which will get her career off to an amazing start. Celeste also took part in the work experience programme with Renaissance Tours, welcoming and directing guests from around the world as they docked in Waitamata Harbour on the luxurious Celebrity Cruise Liners.

Celeste is still pinching herself about this amazing opportunity: “It hasn’t really sunk in and I don’t think it will for a while, but I am really looking forward to this new adventure.” Celeste will be celebrating her 21^st birthday in Disneyworld and her parents plan to fly up to ensure they celebrate this milestone with her.

“Celeste is someone who has that cheeky, infectious personality – this obviously shone through during her presentation, as she was asked to complete the interview on the same day!” commented Natasha Allen (Botany Campus Manager).

Soteria Alia graduated from our Level 3 Certificate in Travel in March after completing the Certificate in Aviation last year. Soteria is known to be on the quiet side; however, Natasha encouraged her to apply.

“We have a good relationship with the Disney recruiter for Australia and New Zealand, and I knew that they would see past this. They also told me: ‘We don’t mind if they are shy – it all changes after some time with us!’”

Soteria’s home tutor Rachel says that she is lots of fun and eagerly participates in all activities. On a recent famil trip with her class, “she was up for everything and was not afraid to experience new things” says Rachel. “This attitude will definitely help her to jump into this awesome opportunity and will ensure she gets the most out of the Disney experience.”

“I am so excited and proud that we have three students from ITC who were successful in this placement,” says Natasha. “This opportunity will change their lives.  Disneyworld has an amazing cultural work experience programme that is described as “Live, Learn and Earn”. The students will live and work in the happiest place on earth and their learning will be further supported by classes and seminars, so they will get the most out of this experience”.

ITC wishes Michelle Celeste, and Soteria all the very best in their exciting journey.