A Disney Program recruiter shares what’s new, and what he’s most looking forward to post-covid

Working overseas at Walt Disney World has long been a favourite programme for ITC students.

Every year, the Disney exchange program is a popular option for ITC students.

It offers young students the change to work abroad in Walt Disney World, earning valuable experience, practicing transferrable skills, and meeting people from all over the globe in one of the most magical settings on the planet.

While the program sadly came to a halt due to the pandemic, that doesn’t mean it won’t be back one day in the not-too-distant future.

In the meantime, we chatted with Disney program recruiter Joe Iglecia-Scholl about what’s happening with the program right now, what he’s looking forward to seeing as the world recovers, and what students and parents need to know if they’re considering the program in the future. (more…)

The level 4 New Zealand Certificate in Travel starts soon – now’s your chance to enrol!

Our level 4 course is starting soon – now’s the time to enrol!

The ITC New Zealand Certificate in Travel is starting soon on July 12 at the South Auckland campus, so now is the time to enrol.

This course is perfect for anyone looking to enter the industry, offering a step up from our level 3 qualifications and additional skills and knowledge.

Here’s a little more about the course, and what you need to be able to enrol! (more…)

Enrol now for our NZ Certificate in Tourism with a strand in Tourism and Travel (Level 3)

Enrol for a NZ Certificate in Tourism with a strand in Tourism and Travel now.

Considering studying for a travel and tourism qualification to kick start your career in this exciting industry?

Now is your chance!

ITC has added a new course start date for our New Zealand Certificate in Tourism with a strand in Tourism and Travel. This level 3 course begins at the Auckland City Campus on July 12, and takes 20 weeks to complete, so you’ll be graduating at the end of the year!

Here’s more about this fantastic course. (more…)

Tourism update: How is New Zealand going with our travel bubbles?

It’s been over a month since the Australian bubble, so how is it going?

Thanks to our successful management of the virus, and that of our neighbours across the Tasman, we’ve been able to create one of the first quarantine-free travel bubbles in the world.

It has now been a little over a month since New Zealand’s travel bubble with Australia opened, and a week since the beginning of the bubble with the Cook Islands.

So how is it going? And what does it all mean for the tourism industry? (more…)

Graduate interview: Meet the ITC graduate who discovered her dream job after studying at ITC!

Meet the ITC graduate who discovered her dream job after studying at ITC!

After graduating from ITC, Paige Halpin set out to take on the world of tourism and travel – although she didn’t quite know exactly where she wanted to be just yet.

She began with a stint at Walt Disney World, and only discovered her dream job once she returned home to New Zealand.

We asked her all about it in our latest graduate interview, as well as how Covid-19 affected her career, what she thinks is next for the industry, and her advice for current and upcoming ITC students! (more…)

It’s no joke! You can still enrol for our 2021 Business in Tourism Diploma

It’s not too late to enrol in ITC’s two-year Business in Tourism Diploma!

It might be April 1 tomorrow, but we’re not kidding around – we’re still accepting enrolments for our two-year Business in Tourism Diploma.

Courses start for this diploma at our Auckland City and South Auckland campuses on April 19, so you still have time to enrol and earn yourself a fantastic qualification that will be recognised by tourism and travel operators here in New Zealand and around the world.

Here’s a little more about what diploma involves and how you can enrol to kick-start your career in tourism. (more…)

Meet Acacia Barnes: A graduate who enrolled at ITC after more than a decade in another industry

Student Acacia Barnes is studying with ITC after first spending a decade in an entirely different industry!

In March 2020, Acacia Barnes was like many students around New Zealand. She was finishing up her studies at ITC and looking forward to an exciting career ahead – but the pandemic threw a spanner in those works.  

Thanks to ITC’s flexibility, all ITC students were able to quickly switch to our online platform, which is how Acacia completed her level 4 studies with us shortly after in June.

From going back to school after more than a decade in another industry, to studying during lockdowns, to now continuing her studies at level 5, Acacia has quite the inspiring story to tell. We caught up with her recently to chat about her time at ITC, goals and hopes for the future, and advice for anyone thinking of studying at ITC. (more…)

ITC continues to support and stay in touch with graduates

Graduation marks the end of a student’s studies with us, but it’s definitely not the end of the relationship, as we continue to support our graduates for many years to come.

One of the many things that makes ITC stand out from other colleges and universities is our level of involvement with our students and graduates.

We don’t just wave them goodbye as they graduate and never see them again – instead, we stay in touch, offering support and any assistance they need in the industry.

Recently, our wonderful Employment Consultants Sarndra and Nicky, and Short Course Tutors Daniel and Sarah have been reaching out to each class of graduates. Here’s how it’s been going!

Checking in with graduates

Even though New Zealand has done remarkably well compared with many places, we know that it has still been a tough year for everyone. That’s why we decided to reach out and check in with our graduates.

Class by class, Sarndra, Nicky, Daniel, and Sarah have been reaching out to see how they have been doing, and see what they’re up to in their careers now. We’ve also been making sure they know they have options for further study with us if they’d like to take this time to upskill, and as always, we’ve been supporting them with career advice and helping to connect them to job opportunities whenever possible.

Every single graduate has been happy to hear from us, and we’ve loved hearing back from each of them. We’re so happy to hear that they appreciate us reaching out, and that has helped them to feel a little more supported in their careers.

How it’s been going

We’ve been hearing a lot of fantastic feedback from our efforts so far. Here are just a few examples from Employment Consultants Nicky and Sarndra.

“I spoke to one of our lovely level 4 students last week who was very excited to share their new job success with me, and she let me know that the CV and interview tips helped her with the job process. Although she is in a non-tourism job at the moment, she absolutely loves it and has said that a lot of what she learnt on her level 3 and 4 course is extremely useful and that she is super happy that she studied at ITC.” – Sarndra

“I’ve had two really good chats with Quentina, who would love you to help her with her CV, and Shannice who I’ve finally convinced to complete Diploma.” – Sarah

“The uncertainty around at the moment in Auckland with the lockdowns is a little unsettling so our students really appreciate hearing a friendly voice with some suggestions and help around the next phase. It’s nice to know they haven’t walked out of our doors and been forgotten or left to their own devices, so many are a bit lost at the moment.” – Nicky

“One student thought her dream of going overseas to work was dashed but I put her in touch with the lovely team at International Working Holidays, and although she may not end up by going away, she now knows that she can actually travel still as there are places that are relatively safe and are looking for students still.” – Sarndra

“Many of our Botany students were just trying to make it through their course towards the end of last year so were not thinking about what would happen next, so to get a call and talk through some ideas has been a relief and they have all been grateful to receive a call.” – Nicky

“Many students were still in their part time jobs they were in already, as they just needed to chill over summer with what they already knew and felt comfortable with, but they have been inspired now to start looking at other options, and again, grateful for the support.” – Sarndra

“We had one student who never thought to contact us as she had relocated to Wellington and didn’t realise we could still help her outside of Auckland, and was so grateful that we called her to see how she was. She is considering a move back and we are working together to find a great position for her.” – Nicky

Nicky, Sarndra, Daniel, and Sarah have really enjoyed reconnecting with graduates and offering their support, and are continuing to reach out to graduates all over the country for a friendly chat and advice as needed.

If you’d like to learn more about studying with ITC and kick starting a career in travel, tourism, and aviation, get in touch to chat with our team and find out what we can offer you.

Campus Study – college@itc.co.nz 0800 TOURISM (0800 868747) or https://www.itc.co.nz/contact-us/

Soft skills: What are they and why do you need them?

Soft skills are all about how you interact with other people, so you’ll need them no matter which career you choose.

Whether you’re looking to get into a career in travel, tourism, and aviation, or whether you’re seeking work in marketing, teaching, business, or practically anything else, you’ll hear about soft skills – and you’ll need them.

Here’s a little more about what soft skills are, why you need them, and how you’ll learn all about them at ITC. (more…)

ITC’s new quick and easy online enrolment process

Enrolling at ITC has just got even easier.

The ITC enrolment process has always been easy, but it has just got even easier.

We know that finding the time and getting around to making that call to enrol isn’t as easy or convenient as it could be, which is why we have just made it even easier. (more…)