An insider’s guide to working at Menzies Aviation

Posted on 29/11/2023 by Hayley Clark

What’s it like to work at one of New Zealand’s biggest travel and tourism workplaces? We’ve already spoken to Shelby Cooper from International Working Holidays, and this time we’re chatting to Katey Gemming at Menzies Aviation.

Menzies Aviation provides ground support, fuel services, and air cargo services across the country and around the world, making them one of the most well-known names in the business.

Katey Gemming is currently a Human Resources Advisor for Menzies Aviation, so she has all the inside knowledge on what it’s like to work for this major company.

Can you tell our readers about your career? What roles did you do before you became an HR Advisor for Menzies Aviation?

I was in a customer service/office administrative role for 4 years. Before joining Menzies as a Time & Attendance Officer in 2019. I was unfortunately made redundant through Covid.

During this time, I worked as a Team Leader and worked closely with our HR Department.

I was over the moon when approached in 2022 by Menzies and asked to return in the same position, not long after I was given the opportunity moved into the HR Advisor role where I have been. I knew I always wanted to work in the airport and thoroughly enjoyed my time with Menzies and the people there, that when made redundant I knew someday I would come back.

What does an average day in HR look like?

It’s very true when they say working in HR is never a dull moment. My average day is looking into the future so to speak, looking ahead a month, and seeing what our recruitment numbers are like, where I need to prioritize focus. There is a lot of pre-screening candidates to find out what they’re looking for career wise and how we can help. I also follow up with new employees once they’ve settled in.

I work closely with multiple organisations to encourage and help people find work out of their studies, new change in their career, have been assisted by work and income, or relocating overseas to New Zealand.

What makes for an amazing Menzies Aviation staff member?

The staff members that stand out all share similar traits: Passionate, eager to continue learning, and flexible to the shift work lifestyle.

The shift work lifestyle can be very different and challenging for some people but is a big part of aviation. It is not for everyone and that’s okay. Someone who can commit and accommodate their time around shift work can truly lead into more opportunities.

What would surprise us about working for Menzies Aviation? Or is there anything unique about working for Menzies?

Menzies is so much bigger than most people realise.

We are one of the largest aviation services companies in across more than 60 countries, and 6 continents. I have been surprised countless times, whether it’s learning about the history of the company, how it thrived through two world wars, how your career in Menzies could really take you anywhere, and how it continues to keep growing as time goes by.

Learning and realising we are all working together to truly be a part of something big.

What career opportunities does an Airport Ambassador have ahead of them?

Ambassador roles are really good for getting your foot in the door! Whether to gain more customer service experience, learn more about aviation, or simply help you decide where you may want to go from there.

Most of our ambassadors do move up into permanent Check-in Agents roles which you can gain more experience, work closely and build rapport with airlines, those who have succeeded have go on to be Lead Agents, Duty Managers, Trainer, as a Turn Coordinator, and even work with Airlines (Qantas, Qatar, etc).

Finally, do you have any advice for anyone wanting to work for Menzies Aviation?

Show your passion in your work. It’s a good place to network with people in the aviation industry if you want to grow your career in aviation or travel & tourism.

ITC’s Employment Consultant weighs in

Sarndra Stephens is one of two of ITC’s dedicated Employment Consultants. She works closely with students, graduates and industry contacts such as Katey to help place talented individuals into amazing industry roles.

Here’s what she had to say about working with Katey and Menzies Aviation as a whole.

“We love working alongside Katey at Menzies to place our ITC students into Passenger ambassador roles, Front of House Check in Agent roles and other roles. Katey, Gemma and one of our ITC graduates came along again this year to our Annual ITC Industry Expo held here on campus and many students were immediately keen on the Passenger Ambassador Roles for their summer season. Katey did a special group interview session with those that were keen and we organised them into two of the Menzies induction dates. One date was easy as we had a group graduating and they did their induction a week after they graduated. I have had lots of happy photos from those students loving their new jobs. Another keen group have just spent their work experience week completing their induction and they will now work at Menzies while completing their studies. A great position to be in!”

“We are able to send CVs of keen students and graduates directly to Katey with some information on what makes each person special. As a result of this we have a huge contingent of our ITC graduates working for Menzies.”

Enrol today to kick start your travel or aviation career

ITC and Study From Home provide exceptional qualifications for anyone looking to enter the travel, tourism, or aviation industries. The skills and knowledge you’ll learn with us can set you up with a strong foundation for any job with any airline, airport, tourism operator or hospitality provider.

If you’ve ever dreamed of working in one of the most exciting industries on the planet, we’d love to hear from you! Contact us today to learn more about what we offer and how you can enroll now.

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

Posted in News | Tagged aviation, Insider's guide, Menzies Aviation | Leave a reply

ITC’s free events a major hit with future students, students, and graduates!

Posted on 10/10/2023 by Hayley Clark

ITC recently hosted 4 incredible free events for anyone wanting to explore International Exchanges or the huge variety of airline roles available to our graduates. These were very popular and it’s been so incredible to meet so many excited visitors securing their places over the last two weeks.

Here’s more info about the events, and details about new events coming up!

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Posted in News | Tagged aviation, Enrollment Days, Free events, International Exchanges | Leave a reply

ITC connecting graduates to the exciting cruise ship industry

Posted on 08/03/2023 by Mel Jenkins

This summer season in New Zealand has been the most exciting for the travel and tourism industry in the country in years. For a group of ITC students and graduates, it has been an extra special time thanks to ITC and the cruise ship industry.

That’s because we recently set up a number of students with a fantastic opportunity to gain work experience in the industry.

Read on to learn more about how it happened (and how you could get valuable work experience when you study with ITC, too).

 How is ITC helping graduates work in the cruise industry?

Our Employment Consultant Sarndra worked with Akorn Destination Management in Australia to offer our fabulous new ITC students an opportunity to be part of their Auckland cruise turnaround team for the 2022 /2023 summer season.

Akorn enjoyed an amazing 2019 /2020 summer season of cruising, and the ITC students and graduates who worked on those turnarounds loved the first-hand industry experiences. Our students and graduates also found it to be a huge bonus to have on their CVs when they finished their studies and started applying for jobs.

As soon as Sarndra heard Akorn was doing another cruise season she was eager to give current ITC students those same opportunities.

What is a cruise ship turnaround?

A cruise ship turnaround is the interval between cruises. The ship docks, all passengers disembark, the ship is readied for the next cruise, new passengers board and the ship sails.

This is what our students got up to:

• Meet and greet passengers in a wide variety of roles.
• Provide excellent customer service.
• Process passengers during check in.
• Validate passports and documents.
• Use multi cruise brand check-in systems.
• Support, guide and assist passengers and special needs guests.
• Luggage assistance.
• Ensure compliance with safety and security requirements.
• Adhere to Akorn Staff Policies and procedures.
• Adhere to various Cruise Lines Policy & Procedures.

The cruise ships were the Norwegian Spirit, Seven Seas Explorer, Celebrity Eclipse, and the Oceania Regatta.

How were graduates chosen for the job?

 Akorn was looking for graduates who were motivated, resilient and respectful. They also wanted students to be quite focused on providing great customer service, and have a real ‘can-do’ attitude. Of course, they had to also hold an ITC travel and tourism qualification, and be reliable and on time.

Here are the full criteria for the job.

• Ability to work flexible hours – weekend, public holidays, and on occasion, evenings during the cruise season
• Be a team player
• Have initiative and excellent communication skills
• Be highly customer focused, helpful and with excellent personal manners
• Prior experience in tourism and/or customer service is highly valued
• Good level of English
• Basic computer skills recommended (training on cruise-line systems provided)

We sent them eight outstanding ITC students who took part in this incredible opportunity; Vironique, Ben, Vianca, Eseta, Ghazal, Serafina, Mele, and Tamzin.

We recently reached out to the students to find out about their experience.

What did everyone have to say about the experience?

“Cruise turnarounds are such a fun day! Early starts! We have to be at the wharf for when the ship arrives, which is usually 7am. Disembarkation is usually about 3 hours as guests come off the ship in staggered groups. Because they were usually arriving into NZ they pass through customs, collect their luggage and then go through MAF – just like the airport but on a wharf!! There would be a team of us in the luggage hall helping passengers to locate their luggage. That’s where I started and by my last shift I was managing the hall.”

“Guests then depart the wharf and go in all different directions, which is where we were mostly involved; guiding the passengers on to taxis, coaches to the airport or hotels, or off on tours. There is an incredible amount of organisation that goes on over the period of just one day. Once all the passengers have left the ship, it’s time to ‘turn around’ and check in the passengers who start their cruise journey from Auckland. This is probably the most exciting part of the day because you meet so many lovely people who are so excited about their cruise. I met a mother and daughter who were close to having been on 100 cruises!! They had cruised every continent except Antarctica, which they had booked to be number 100!”

“The coolest thing was if you were checking a passenger in and a little note came up saying ‘see message’ and when you tapped in to that, it said the passenger had been upgraded! Giving that news was like making all their dreams come true!”

“The downside of these great fun days (which go so fast!) is that the ship departs at 6pm, and we aren’t on it. You spend all day wishing you were going with the passengers (I guess that’s the same as working at the airport!) but it was quite sad when the passengers said, ‘see you onboard!’ and instead we were heading home…”

What did Akorn have to say about working with ITC students and graduates?

Head of Cruise for Akorn Australian and NZ, Anthony Brent had this to say about our ITC students:

“The students/staff I must say have been amazing – I have personally received a lot of great comments from our cruise ship staff and head office executives. Once this season is finished I will be heading back over to Auckland and I would love to set up a meeting to discuss next season and to assist in any way with presentations and talks for your students”

This is one of many ways ITC builds industry relationships and student opportunities. ITC students are sought after when our industry is looking to employ more staff. We continue to strive in offering the best experience so our students stand out from the other candidates, which has significantly contributed to the continuous success of our graduates.

If you’re interested in studying with a provider that ensures you get hands-on learning opportunities so that you’re ready to work in the industry, contact us to find out about our industry-recognised qualifications today.

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

Posted in News, Student Success | Tagged aviation, cruise ship, cruise ship industry, Employment, study from home, tourism, travel, work experience | Leave a reply

Ready to Check In unit ready for take off with Study From Home

Posted on 03/11/2021 by Hayley Clark

Recently, the team at Study From Home have been busy creating a unit called Ready to Check In, a course that is all about aviation.

This level 3 unit is finally ready to take off, so students will be able to complete this course and earn 5 credits as part of their New Zealand Certificate in Tourism with a strand in Aviation. The whole unit has been revamped to better suit the needs of the New Zealand aviation industry (it used to be more focused on Europe).

While there are many roles available across the aviation industry, Ready to Check In focuses specifically on the role of a Passenger Service Agent.

Students completing the unit will learn all the basics of the role, including the skills they’ll need, tasks they’ll complete, and overall purpose of their job.

What to expect from the Ready to Check In unit

This unit is ideal for anyone looking to work in aviation, but will be especially relevant to those hoping to become a Passenger Service Agent.

To work in this role, you’ll need:

• Communication skills
• Customer service skills
• IT skills (using check-in and reservation systems)
• Problem solving skills
• Good teamwork skills

The unit will cover all of these areas, including industry terms and abbreviations, checking in passengers, and more.

There are two assessments during the course, one of which is a roleplay where you will check in a passenger via live video, and the other of which is an open-book written assessment.

But one of the most important thing to know about this unit is that it’s not just words on a page – it’s actually fun.

Lynelle Panton, one of the Study From Home team who helped to create Ready to Check In, had this to say:

“For me the main thing I wanted to see is that the tool was fun and interactive. I hate not having fun while learning. There is nothing worse than just having plain boring info on a screen and nothing to really capture the learner’s attention. I think with this product we have managed to do this and I think that the students will have fun along the way. We have worked really hard to ensure we have produced a product that will work for all learning styles and have lots of different types of activities and resources.”

Andrew Houston, one of the key drivers behind the creation of the new unit, adds that the variety of resources in Ready to Check In have been designed to suit all learning styles. There are written resources, videos, quizzes, visual activities and more.

This all means that the course is engaging and interactive, and it allows learners to move at their own pace in their own time.

Ultimately, it’s a fun, practical, and informative unit that ensures students will finish their qualification and enter the aviation industry ready to get to work.

Earn your aviation qualification with Study From Home

At Study From Home and ITC, we have industry sources already talking about how major airlines are desperately seeking more crew as the world opens up and people start travelling more once again.

The industry is once again employing staff across all levels of the aviation sector, and if you’re interested in becoming one of them, now’s the time to complete a qualification. You can explore our courses online and sign up today.

The sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll graduate with an industry recognised qualification and the skills you need to land a job. Get in touch with our friendly team to find our more or check yourself in (enrol!) for a career in aviation!

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

Posted in News | Tagged aviation, Aviation Training, Distance Learning, Study aviation, study online | Leave a reply

You’ve studied from home – now how about working from home, too?

Posted on 17/08/2021 by Mel Jenkins

Distance learning is a wonderful way to earn a valuable qualification, and we’re proud to offer level 3, 4, and 5 courses in the travel and tourism industry that anyone in New Zealand can complete online.

For those who have earned their certificates through Study From Home, they already know the multitude of benefits of working from the comfort of your own house (only one of which is being able to work in your pajamas if you want to).

So if you’ve studied from home and realised how much you love (or simply need) the freedom of working from home as well, here’s a little more on what’s available, and what it’s like to work from home.

Remote work positions in the travel and tourism industry

Remote work is highly sought after and there are not always a lot of positions available, but they do exist, and those with qualifications are better placed to apply than those without.

For example, you may be able to find one of these work from home positions:

• Travel agent
• Customer support for a travel, tourism, or aviation business
• Guest experience manager
• Customer service agent
• Reservations agent
• Travel writer/editor

Finding remote work is often a case of keeping an eye on available positions, and making the most of resources available to you such as ITC’s dedicated employment consultants, who work to help ITC and Study From Home graduates find roles in the industry.

In some cases, you may need to gain experience in an in-person job before moving into a remote position.

What is it actually like to work from home?

Studying from home is a good introduction to working from home, but not necessarily the same.

Working from home has countless upsides. Not only do you not have to get dressed up for work, you don’t even have to spend money on work outfits.

There is no commute, meaning that you both get a little bit more time in the morning and evening, and you don’t have to deal with the stress of traffic, or the cost of transport and parking.

There are no distracting coworkers, typically less office politics, and it’s much easier to whip up lunch when you have an entire kitchen at your disposal. You can also keep an eye on kids home from school while continuing your work day, without having to take time off.

That said, there are a few things you will need to be prepared for if you’re planning on working from home:

• Distractions such as kids, pets, housework, and even hobbies
• Separating work-life from home-life
• Working without colleagues around you (although this can be a bonus for introverts!)

Working from home is extremely popular for a reason, so once you’ve adjusted to these common challenges, you’ll be ready for a career that’s as comfortable and convenient as your studies were!

Do you love the idea of distance learning, and perhaps of working from home for your job as well? Get in touch with us at Study From Home to learn more about our courses and the careers they can lead to.

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

 

Posted in Inspiration and motivation, News, Study From Home Tips | Tagged adventure, airline, aviation, Employment, Flexible study, home, home office, kids, online learning, study from home, study online, study space, travel, travel work, Work From Home | Leave a reply

Study From Home appears on Good Morning

Posted on 12/02/2015 by Jess O'Connor

ITC Short Course Tutor Melissa Fey recently appeared on Good Morning to talk about the college’s exciting Study From Home programme.

Melissa appeared on camera alongside her six-year-old daughter Aria and answered questions about studying in the airline, travel and tourism industries.

In case you missed the show, here are some highlights.

So Melissa, tell us about the International Travel College. What qualifications do you provide?

ITC is an award-winning college that provides qualifications for people wanting to enter the airline, travel or tourism industries. We have a strong relationship with these industries and this helps us find great jobs for students after they finish studying.

So you actually help your students find work? What kind of jobs can they get after studying with the International Travel College?

Our graduates work as tour guides, travel agents, flight attendants, airport check-in agents, customs agents, bungy jump operators… the list goes on! Tourism is one of New Zealand’s largest industries and employs one in 10 people. We actually have employers asking us for applications for existing roles.

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Posted in News | Tagged airline, aviation, education, Good Morning, New Zealand, television, tourism, travel | Leave a reply