A Tahitian Welcome

Lesley Brough, ITC’s International Marketing Manager, went to Papeete in September on a work trip with Christine Lynch from NZIE. She shares some of her memorable moments.

Tahiti knows how to welcome people like no place else! As we arrived from our Air Tahiti Nui flight, we were treated to Tahitian singing and dancing. There was an even better surprise outside, with one of our wonderful International Travel College (ITC) graduates Christelle Ho and Ariitea waiting for me with a lovely frangipani flower lei. Now that’s a nice welcome!   ITC has three graduates who currently live in Tahiti, and I was lucky enough to catch up with them all. Tiffany Harry, now working at Easy Tahiti travel agency in Papeete, was a superb tour guide on our day off. Together we caught the ferry, which in just 35 minutes took us to beautiful Moorea, where Tiffany’s sister Vaima met us.  Vaima, her husband Patrick, and nephew Rahiti had planned a wonderful day for us, which included taking the family boat out.   This was to become one of my most memorable days ever! The outer reef shelters a lot of the coast of Moorea, and the water is incredibly calm, clear and a gorgeous aqua colour. Patrick drove the boat along the coast past over-water bungalow resorts (the likes of which I had only seen in magazines before) until we arrived at a very special spot. Here we had the opportunity to swim with blacktip reef sharks and stingrays. The water was chest high and while the sharks got close, they were still about a metre away (and thankfully harmless!). The stingrays were also harmless but incredibly friendly. They swam right up to us and swept across our arms, legs and even our chest. Did you know that they eat not only through their mouth, but also through two holes at the top of their heads? That was pretty neat to watch and to feel their soft, spongy bodies.   From here we journeyed to an island for a picnic, where the picnic table and chairs were put straight into the metre-deep water on a sand bank. Now this was fun!  Vaima had packed a beautiful lunch for us all, which included lots of fresh fish in coconut milk and other Tahitian dishes. We were very spoilt. After lunch I snorkelled with the numerous tropical fish.   As we were heading back to the house on the boat, we came across two humpback whales (a mother and baby) in the harbour. Apparently no one had seen whales inside the reef for many years, so it was quite amazing. With the words “You only live once!” Tiffany jumped in to swim with them. Patrick and I agreed and jumped in too. The water was very deep here (between 50 to 100 feet deep). It was scary, but this was definitely something I didn’t want to miss out on. These whales were HUGE! We could only see a small part of their bodies from the boat, so looking at them in the water with goggles was amazing.

To finish of this amazing day Patrick took us for a 4WD experience up the back of their property to view their pineapple plantation.

On another day I was able to visit Christelle at her work at Deep Nature Spa located at the Intercontinental Hotel. The spa was stunning and the hotel has its very own seawater lagoon that guests can swim in with the tropical fish.

One evening Christelle and I met with another ITC graduate, Alexandra Lion. We had a special night that included dinner at Christelle’s family roulotte (food truck) and ate her mother’s famous mahi mahi grilled fish.   It was a lovely surprise to be invited out to dinner by the parents of Mani, one of our current students. Daniel, Mahinateata and I had a lovely meal at The Royal Tahitian Hotel and we spotted the Brazilian beach soccer team who were staying there for the FIFA world beach soccer tournament. The opening night of the tournament was a great spectacle that included shutting down the main road, four stages of live music and a huge firework show. Papeete was the place to be on that night!   On our last day in Tahiti we went to a half-day student fair and spent the afternoon being driven around Tahiti (which takes 2-3 hours) by the lovely Poe Bessert and her wonderful mother LANI.

We saw the only white sand beach in Tahiti (all the others have black sand), fern grottos, waterfalls, a blowhole and the beautiful east coast. On the way we also met up with Danilo and Cecile who gave us each a stunning handmade poster of French Polynesia, drawn by Danilo. The drive ended at sunset at the spot where James Cook landed at Tahiti.   When it was time to say leave it was wonderful to have Christelle, Ariitea and Alex all come to the airport to say goodbye and give me a shell necklace (a tradition in Tahiti when someone leaves).

I would love to say a big thank you to Christelle, Ariitea, Tiffany, Alex, Vaima, Patrick, Rahiti, Poe, LANI, Mary, Daniel, Mahinateata, Danilo and Cecile; and of course to Christine and Chris (my fellow travel buddies). Tahiti was a stunning place to visit and you all made my trip truly amazing.

Students and employers meet at ITC Botany

ITC’s Botany Campus held its industry expo on 3 September. As always the campus and students were looking immaculate.

Another excellent group of speakers , with guests from American Express Travel, AVSEC, Auckland Bridge Climb and Bungy, Explore NZ, Harvey World Travel and Intercity.

Each presenter was assigned two students to help them set up and to keep a steady stream of tea and coffee flowing. As many excited students had arrived early, a number of presenters had to walk through the crowd by the entrance to the college, with one commenting that it was like being a film star on the red carpet!

The students were very impressed with each of the presentations, but the array of prohibited items confiscated by AVSEC at the airport caused the most interest – it is amazing to see what people think they can legitimately bring through security at our airports!  The goodies from American Express were also a big hit, especially the flasks.

Employers certainly view the ITC expo as a recruitment tool and are always on the lookout for their next super star. The presenters discussed the students, particularly those who asked questions throughout the presentations – those students did their employment chances no harm at all. Every year there are a number of students at each campus who gain part-time or full-time employment due to first the impression they make in the presenters during the expo.

The day finished with staff and presenters sharing a well-earned lunch, which allows ITC staff to interact with the industry representatives in an informal setting with a lot of information gathering and sharing on both sides.

The students got a great deal out of the day and their feedback was overwhelming positive:

“Helped by explaining different options that I hadn’t thought about before.”

“The day helped me to broaden my career thoughts and expand my knowledge on companies that I never would have though of as a career choice.”

“Gave me options to think about. Positive thoughts gained.”

“Made me realise there is more to life than flight attending.”

“Described the things we needed to have to be able to apply for their jobs.”

“Presenter spoke clearly and had valuable info about the company.”

“Very organised, was a good speaker and the content was interesting.”

“Explained more about what we should know about the job and also the qualification and requirements that they needed.”

“They made me want to apply for their job, presented it well.”

ITC Students meet the Industry!

ITC’s City Campus held its industry expo on 27 August.

Presenters from seven companies came to speak to the students and we are very grateful to AVSEC, American Express Travel, Auckland Bridge Climb and Bungy, Eco Zip, Intercity, Renaissance Tours, and Stray for their presentations.

The expo had a professional feel, as ITC wanted the students to experience a real industry event. The presenters had banners and posters promoting their businesses and the students all arrived looking very professional.

The students were organised into seven groups and each presenter gave a 20-minute presentation to each of the groups throughout the morning.

The main purpose of each presentation was to enlighten our students about the company, the sector of travel and tourism in which the company specialises, the speaker’s story of how they got to where they are today and some useful recruitment information. The presenters do amazingly well to fit all this into 20 minutes!

Most of the presenters brought an ITC graduate who is now working with them. This gave the current students are real sense that the careers they were discussing were achievable, as the students could identify with the graduate as someone like themselves.

The day went without a hitch, with students moving quickly between sessions and quiet reigning over the whole college during the presentations.

The expo was also open to our Distance Learning students and it was great to see a number of them there on the day, with one even organising her own work experience with one of the presenters.

The day went extremely well with extremely positive feedback from students:

“They were very informative and I enjoyed the vibe in the room while they were presenting.”

“He was passionate, had great knowledge and sold it as a fun way to work or experience.”

“He was very outgoing and easy to understand, he was funny and had good body language, which gave us a good impression.”

“She was really passionate about her job and shared her experiences with us.”

“They were lively, and made the audience participate in their presentation to help remember their information.”

”Made me think that anything is possible and there is so much you can put into travel and tourism.”

“Opened my eyes to many career paths.”

“Eco-tourism is a new product that has just come into the tourism industry and it really sparked my interest to start a career.”

Guest blog – Blogger at Large – Cruise questions?

In this blog, we again, would like to introduce you to Megan Singleton who has been travel writing for 1 years and blogging for 7. It’s been a fantastic ride (as you can probably guess). She has over 400 posts here where you’ll find reviews, tips, itinerary ideas, recommendations for places to stay and things to do and all sorts of tidbits from her travels.

She has been chuffed to receive the US Travel Association Travel Writers Award in 2009 and 2011 and she is on the list of NZs Top 50 Tweeters.

Thinking about taking your first cruise but have an armful of questions?

Here are some of the most common cruising questions and her answers as best she can.

Check out this blog from ‘Blogger at Large’
http://www.bloggeratlarge.com/cruising/7-common-cruise-questions/

ITC Ten Pin Bowling Day

Over 150 students from ITC descended on the Metrolanes bowling centre in Queen Street for a day of bowling, pool competitions and delicious food on 31 July.

Many of the students attended in fancy dress for the 90s-themed event, and the music and videos at the venue ranged from Spice Girls to MC Hammer. The tutors also dressed up, and Ginger Spice (Amy) and Sporty Spice (Tessa) did a great job of organising the day.

The students split into teams of six and took turns filling the bowling lanes for some friendly competition. When not bowling the students kept themselves entertained with free games of pool, 90s dancing and plenty of pizza, hot chips and drinks.

Four teams went head to head for the final rounds, with movie and bowling tickets up for grabs as the top prizes. The winning team was CAV03. Spot prizes also went to the students with the three highest bowling scores of the day, and to the most enthusiastic dancer.

The event was a great opportunity for the students to interact and get to know each other, strengthening existing friendships and meeting new people. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to all students who took part. Thanks also to Metrolanes for providing a fun venue that provided plenty of entertainment throughout the day.

Are you ready to fly high?

Since 1996 the International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) has been focused on providing training that gets students jobs in the airline, airport, travel and tourism industries.

With two Airport Training Centres at its City and Botany Campuses, ITC students get experience with the technology, the practical processes and the customer service skills they will need in their future careers.

The huge Airport Training Centres simulate real-world airports, including check in, customs, gate lounges, and planes where students are trained in all aspects of in-flight service. Training also incorporates the Ready to Check in online check in system, currently used by many airlines worldwide.

ITC is also committed to getting on-site experience for its students. This entails students helping out behind the scenes at industry events, and an increasing number of agreements with local industry employers, who are keen to give ITC students part-time work opportunities while they study.

“We’ve got great relationships with the industries we work with, and the practical nature of our courses means that our graduates are ready to work in their chosen fields,” says ITC’s Marketing Director Claire Huxley. “That translates into great job placement rates and a willingness from our industry partners to provide our students with work experience.”

“This whole experience has really shown me that what the tutors say to us at ITC is true – they push and encourage students to go for their dreams and never give up. My training at ITC has definitely helped me with my confidence and knowledge of the travel and tourism industry and thanks to them and my hard work it has all paid off, now I am in going to Dubai to embark on an exciting career as flight attendant for Emirates!” said graduate Lisi Kaihau.

Both ITC’s Botany and City Campuses have a few spaces on their last 2 courses in 2013, so it’s not too late to enrol now! Find out how you can launch your career in the airline, airport, and travel and tourism industries by phoning the ITC Team now 0800 868747 or (09) 373 5510 for more information, or check our website www.itc.co.nz

The Top 8 Qualities of an Awesome ITC Student

We have so many great students; we thought we’d ask our tutors what makes a truly awesome one. (Read carefully – remember they’re the ones who mark your assignments!)

1. PUNCTUAL We know it’s early, we know you haven’t had your coffee yet, we know you just had that one last thing you had to tell your friend before you came in… But an awesome ITC student arrives on time, and even 5 minutes early if possible! It shows respect for your classmates, your tutors and your own studies and future career.

2. POLITE We pride ourselves on being like a family at ITC, but that doesn’t mean you should treat the other students or tutors like you treat your little brother or sister! Be polite, smile, say “hi”. A good mood is like a cold in that it’s incredibly infectious (but in a good way). Try spreading the joy today!

3. PREPARED You wouldn’t go to stay at a friend’s place without bringing your toothbrush, would you? Part of coming to ITC each day is thinking ahead and making sure you have what you need. Bring your own stationery, bring your own lunch or lunch money; heck, bring your own toothbrush if you want!

4. WELL-PRESENTED We’re not saying you have to look like a super model – that’s what the tutors are here for – but you should look like you take yourself and your studies seriously. If you don’t, no one else will either.

5. HARDWORKING (AND PLAYING) This is truly and honestly one of those times in your life where you get out what you put in. We know, we know, it’s a cliché and your parents are always saying it… but this time it’s true! The more you throw yourself into your studies and take advantage of the opportunities ITC offers you, the better you will understand how you work best, what kind of job you want and how you can get there.

And don’t forget to play hard too – ITC’s calendar is jam-packed with activities for students to take part in, like sports days, beach picnics, Mid-winter Carnival, Global Wednesday, Valentine’s week, St Patricks Day, the Easter Bonnet parade, and student Trivial Pursuit challenges! They’re a great way to meet some new folk, have a huge amount of fun and explore your creativity. (CLAIRE YOU MIGHT WANT TO PUT A LINK HERE TO THE EVENTS SCHEDULES?)

6. CONSISTENT You don’t have to be a robot (although it would be cool if you were!), but consistently turning up to class and turning in your assignments on time and to a high standard recommend you as a student and a potential employee. Also, if you always turn in high quality assignments on time, your tutors are much more likely to be sympathetic if you genuinely need us to cut you some slack at some stage.

7. PATIENT We do enjoy reading your assignments (no, really!), but we are only human, so please do be patient with us if we haven’t got them back to you yet. We know that our students put a lot of work into their assignments and we believe they deserve our full considered attention when it comes to marking them – and that takes time.

8. PROFESSIONAL This might seem like a funny word to use to describe a student, but at ITC we are pretty serious about preparing you for a real job in the real world. We spend a great deal of time and energy working out how we can best help you achieve your dreams – but in the end it’s up to you. Treat your studies as a real opportunity to start your professional career in the airline, travel and tourism industries and you will be amazed at how far you can go!

Giving it a shot – ITC’s Short Course Competition

The International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) has recently had such an abundance of talented and passionate students attending its short courses that the college decided to give them an opportunity to get creative and show what they are made of, says ITC’s Short Course Tutor Mel Verwijmeren.

Named “Be in to win”, the competition was open to past and present short course students. Entrants were asked to create a video blog to showcase their experience at ITC, with a focus on what the course did for them personally and how it influenced them in making decisions about their future.

“We had 13 amazing entries from a variety of secondary schools,” says Mel. “It was a tough decision to make, but the top three students were chosen for their creativity, attitude, and determination along with the excellent content they submitted.”

The three major prizewinners took away a bungy and full bridge Climb with Auckland Bridge Climb and a bungy and jet boat experience with Auckland Adventure Jet Boat.

The other 10 students who entered did not walk away empty handed, either, says Mel. “It took a lot of courage and determination to enter this competition, so we awarded these students a small gift pack to congratulate them on showing they can achieve anything if they just put their mind to it.”

“Sometimes it’s as easy as putting yourself out there and giving things a shot, regardless of the outcome or whether you take away the ‘big’ prize,” says Mel. “For the entrants, the satisfaction of completing something and taking charge of their future was a prize in itself, and as all our students know, this attitude is highly sought after in the travel and tourism industry.”

ITC accepted as one of the best by Quality Education

The International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) has been accepted as a Quality Education College.

“We are really proud to be associated with Quality Education,” says ITC’s Managing Director Claire Huxley. “They have a reputation in the industry for only working with the best.”

Quality Education is part of Quality English Ltd (QE), a company registered in England and Wales that carefully selects the best of English language schools around the world.

Building on the success of Quality English, Quality Education is described on its website as being “the new global brand for quality independent course providers teaching in English”

Eligible schools are invited to apply and undergo a series of quality checks, including a visit. The schools are then able to use the QE logo and have a presence on its website, where students can search for schools by country and subject.

“QE regularly checks the standards of the schools it associates with to monitor their quality,” says Claire. “They are essentially putting their reputation on the line each time they accept a new school or college to be part of their brand.”

ITC has welcomed and supported the advent of the new brand and its global reach by being second in the world to become a Quality Education College.

“We were only pipped at the post by Sterling College in Perth,” laughs Claire. “Quality English has such a strong reputation in English language teaching that we jumped at the chance to be associated with the launch of this new brand supporting programmes taught in English.”

ITC, which has been a premium supplier of full-time and part-time training programmes for the airline, travel and tourism industries since 1996, is well placed to understand the importance of being associated with a well-known global brand.

“Travel and tourism is by its very nature an international affair,” says Claire. “We are thrilled to be part Quality Education and value the opportunity it will bring to engage with new students from around the world.”

ITC training opens industry doors

Recent ITC graduate Mohammed Alzergawi has a role as an airport ambassador at the domestic terminal at Auckland International Airport.

“This is a great opportunity to work and meet new people from all around the world,” says Mohammed. “I am constantly developing the skills I learnt at ITC by interacting with people and providing exceptional customer service to passengers arriving and departing Auckland.”

Natasha Allen, ITC’s Campus Manager Botany, says that the opportunity for ITC’s students to work at the airport is second to none and has already resulted in new roles for students.

Students who wish to apply to work at the airport have an initial interview with Natasha; they then attend a presentation at the airport about the role and requirements, which leads to a formal interview. A full security check is then completed on each individual, as safety is paramount at the airport.

“Successful students are then given the very smart and stylish new black and red uniform – they all feel so proud to wear it and to represent the airport and New Zealand to arriving and departing passengers.”

And the work itself is thoroughly enjoyable, reports Mohammed.

“The days are varied and occasionally you even get to meet celebrities and athletes, which is very exciting. Every day I learn something new, which means I am always challenged and ensures that I enjoy each shift I work.”

“I appreciate the opportunity that has come my way and am excited that it will potentially open doors for me in this industry.”

“Mohammed’s attitude is fantastic,” says Natasha, “and goes to prove, yet again, that putting in hard work, showing commitment and dedication will definitely pay off.”