Meet our first recipient of the Manaaki New Zealand Short Term Training Scholarship

Posted on 25/10/2023 by Hayley Clark

Alison Ramo Oiofa is the very first Study From Home student who graduated the Level 3 Tourism Certificate after receiving Manaaki New Zealand Short Term Training Scholarship.

Alison, who lives and works in the Solomon Islands, found out about ITC and Study From Home through the New Zealand High Commission Office. Not only did she go on to gain the scholarship, but now she has completed her qualification, and is using it to take her next big step in her career!

We asked Alison a few questions about her time with us, what she’s doing now, and if she has any suggestions for future students.  

How did your adventure begin with us at ITC? How did you first hear or experience our college?

I heard from the New Zealand High Commission Office in the Solomon Islands.

What do you think ITC does different from other education providers?

They are different from other providers because:

• The offered me free short courses
• They reached out when we needed help
• They make sure we are doing well with our study
• They are even concerned about our welfare

If I could rate this education provider, I would rate it to 100%.

What was the best part of your Study From Home journey?

My best part of my journey is when I am on Zoom with my tutor and when we do the teamwork session.

What is your next/current adventure after ITC?

To work as a travel coordinator in our office, and planning that one day I will go and visit all the sights in New Zealand that I learned about during my studies.

Following on from the previous question about your next or current adventure, what will a typical day look like for you on this adventure?

I am currently working as a front desk officer at the Solomon Football Federation, and the good news is that since I have a good knowledge of travel from my online studies, I have submitted a letter of expression and informed them about the tourism Level 3 course I completed. I’m advising them that as soon as I receive my certificate, I will submit for a National Team Travel Coordinator role in our office that was advertised last month.

The National Travel Coordinator job description is basically to deal with flight bookings, applying for visas, making accommodation bookings when the team travels both domestically and internationally. That’s why I am so proud and look forward for this position with the support of this qualification.

How did ITC prepare or support you for this?

ITC supported me with the knowledge of understanding different types of travels, types of visas, calculating days and times in and around the world. Knowing different types of people and their characters, their dislikes and likes, and how to deal with them in a rightful way, and much more.

What are you excited most about your journey from here?

I am so excited because with this certificate it promotes me from where I am today.

What advice do you have for others wanting to study tourism?

Tourism creates thousands of jobs. It boosts the economy and develops the infrastructures of a country.

Therefore, I kindly advise you to avoid overanalysing things, it’s common to experience some shyness or anxiety before entering a new school. Nobody is flawless the first time they do something. Pose a lot of questions if you are uncertain about something, and invest a lot of time in your CV.

Study From Home like Alison

Study From Home offers an excellent opportunity to earn a qualification in travel and tourism, and learn all about the industry, how it all works, and the kinds of jobs you could do.

While Alison received a scholarship, don’t forget that you might be eligible for the Fees Free programme, which could cover some (or all) of your course costs.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team and learn more about how you could get qualified from the comfort of your own home, whenever it suits you!

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

 

Posted in News | Tagged Distance Learning, Passion for travel, Skills Consulting Group | Leave a reply

Meet Apii Tavioni: The graduate who landed a great role with Go Holidays

Posted on 04/10/2023 by Hayley Clark

Like many of our students, Apii Tavioni first learned about ITC through our high school short courses. That led to an interest in travel and tourism, and now she’s working in an incredible job with Go Holidays!

We recently asked her a few questions about her journey, and Employment Consultant Sarndra Stephens also offered her excitement for Apii. (more…)

Posted in News, Student Success | Tagged Graduate interview, Passion for travel, Student success | Leave a reply

Get to know tutor, and brand new Employment Consultant, Kirsten Leith

Posted on 26/04/2023 by Hayley Clark

It’s been a whirlwind of new hires this year, and our latest addition to the team is every bit as exciting – but not exactly new.

Because Kirsten Leith is no stranger to ITC.

Kirsten has been a full-time tutor and Course Advisor for our Botany Campus, and now we are lucky to have her in the role as our Botany Employment Consultant. Her incredible expertise in the industry will prepare any graduate for an exciting career in our tourism or airline industry.

Not only that, but she also is our wonderful Business of Tourism Academy tutor for our South Auckland Academy. She will be delivering the 30 days over the year to our wonderful high school students from a variety of South Auckland schools.

We reached out to Kirsten to hear all about her story to date.

What does your travel career look like so far?

I was fortunate to travel a lot with my family when I was growing up, and when I left school I didn’t know what I wanted to do. A friend gave me a prospectus for a polytech and I remember reading through all the courses they offered and they all seemed so academic – until I saw the travel and tourism one.

I loved the description of the course and knew it would be great for me. During my studies I worked in a 5 Star hotel and did work experience as a domestic check-in agent at the airport which I loved!

When I graduated, I landed an awesome job working as a travel coordinator for a student exchange programme. I worked with high school students sending them on international exchanges, mostly to Japan. I got to travel there twice for my job which was such a great opportunity. I learnt a huge amount about Japanese culture.

My next role was working for a travel company who specialised in educational travel, the likes of group trips overseas for languages, geography, music and sports. In this role I got to escort a French class to New Caledonia! All this experience meant working with high school students, and teachers, something which set me up well for becoming a tutor at ITC. I loved sharing my industry knowledge with students and having fun in the classroom.

How are you looking forward to your new roles at ITC?

Over the years I’ve had lots of involvement in job placement, so it’s exciting to be back doing this again. I look forward to helping students find their dream job in our fabulous industry.

It’s also really exciting to be teaching the Business Academy students. This is such a great course for high school students who love to travel. It exposes them to all aspects of the industry which means all the different jobs they can do, and it’s fun to see them learn about them and keep changing their minds about which role they want to do. One week they want to be a flight attendant, next week a tour guide!

What is the most important skill for the tourism industry right now?

I think the most important skills to have in the tourism industry are great communication and people skills. Dealing with travellers is so much fun, and as industry workers we represent our amazing country and we can hugely influence a visitor’s experience by the interaction we have with them. If you love people and travelling, then this is definitely the industry for you.

What should students know about entering the industry right now?

Now is the absolute best time to get into the industry as it rebuilds after the pandemic. Employers are desperate for good, hard working staff. Pay rates are good and industry benefits mean you get to experience lots of activities yourself.

If this is your dream, get a qualification, and take any opportunity that comes your way (work experience, volunteer opportunities etc), get your driver’s license and be prepared to work hard when you get your first industry job to prove how awesome you can be!

Earn that qualification at ITC or Study From Home

Like so many in the industry, Kirsten suggests that students earn a qualification to help them get a foot in the door (and to be a step ahead of their peers!).

ITC and Study From Home offer industry-recognised qualifications, and are well known amongst New Zealand and international providers for our excellent reputation for skilled, knowledgeable graduates.

If you’re dreaming of a career in the travel and tourism industry, and want to find your way there with our wonderful team like Kirsten, get in touch to find out about our courses and how you can enrol today.

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

Posted in News | Tagged Employment Consultant, Passion for travel, Study From Home team, Tutor | Leave a reply

Meet Louise Swann: Tourism guru and ITC’s newest Course Advisor

Posted on 18/10/2022 by Hayley Clark

All of the team members at ITC and Study From Home have a genuine passion for travel and tourism, with countless years of experience in the industry. We believe that’s vital if we’re going to train the next generation in how to work in travel and tourism.

With our newest team member Louise Swann (or Lulu), we’re bringing in decades of experience. But not just that, we’re welcoming back a student who graduated 20 years ago, spent that entire time travelling the world, meeting people, and gaining experience in the industry.

Now, Lulu is back at ITC as a brand new Course Advisor, and is ready to share her wealth of experience and relentless energy and passion for tourism with students.

We asked her a little more about how it all began and what she’s been up to over the past two decades. Here’s what she had to say!

How did you begin your passion for the tourism industry?

My passion began for the industry when I first set foot on an Air New Zealand aircraft in 1973, we were off to Samoa to see family and friends. I loved every minute, the excitement of travel exceeded my expectations. From the moment we arrived, there were lovely welcoming friendly staff, so helpful, and nothing was a problem. The crew stayed at the family Hotel Aggie Greys, so we had an incredible time with them showing off the beautiful island waterfalls and swimming with the turtles and blow holes. I knew then I had to work in the industry, it was absolutely my first love.

What does your travel industry history look like?

My travel industry history began when I was a student here at ITC 20 years ago, when I graduated armed with Level 3 & 4 Diploma in Travel and Tourism.

My first job in Auckland tourism was amazing – it was the America’s Cup. The city was buzzing with tourism and I booked people on boat trips to see the race from private yachts to Fuller Cruises, and helped book their accommodation ranging from hotels, motels, backpackers. We got to experience it ourselves which was rewarding. I also booked transport on land and sea nationwide, adventures such as AJ Hackett Bungy, Auckland Bridge Climb, Canyoning down waterfalls (Coromandel), and Skydiving (Mercer/Taupo). Each day was an adventure.

I joined Air New Zealand and worked for 18 months in reservations before commencing my flying career as a domestic flight attendant showcasing our passion for Aotearoa. This included operating flights to Australia and the Pacific Rim. I later trained as a long-haul flight attendant, trained on 6 different Aircrafts exploring USA, North and South America. We also went to Asia Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Korea to name a few. The world was literally my office – the views at 30,000 ft are remarkable, my wildest dreams had suddenly became reality! I loved meeting new crew and people everywhere I went. I gained lifelong friendships.

The last aircraft I trained on was the B787 standard and B787-9 Aircraft. These wowed the public with a new and exciting experience, desired mood lighting and leather seats. It was an honour to be part of an everchanging industry that never sleeps but continues to strive to be the very best in everything, from service focus on operational surety, to health and safety and on-time performance.

I have to tell you that my highlight with Air New Zealand was joining the Legacy team of Management & staff on an expedition to climb Mt Everest! This is where I found my spiritual place on our beautiful planet!

How will your experience help support students?

I love sharing my experience with students as I can give them firsthand experience of what it is like to have ”The day and the life of a flight attendant.” You must be passionate, you must be proud and dedicated, love challenging yourself, as every second counts. It is a daily surprise, it is a demanding role, that will push you to your full potential!

I am your Course adviser for today, who knows what the future brings, I am ready for any challenge, if it dares to present itself.

Get taught by the best

At ITC and Study From Home, our tutors, advisors, and team members all share a love of travel and tourism. We’re so lucky to have Louise join the team, and when you give ITC a call to talk about course options and where they might take you, she will be the one answering the phone and chatting through it all.

She’s energetic, so friendly, and as a past student who has enjoyed an incredible career as a flight attendant, she’s perfectly qualified to help direct new students. So get in touch today to say hello, and learn about where ITC and Study From Home can take you.

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

Posted in News | Tagged Course Advisor, Meet the team, Passion for travel, Study From Home team | Leave a reply

Turn your summer adventures into an incredible career

Posted on 29/12/2021 by Hayley Clark

Merry Christmas and happy New Year to everyone! We hope you’re out enjoying the beautiful New Zealand summer and everything that has to offer, from fish’n’chips on the beach, to Great Walks, to awesome sightseeing and tourist attractions.

It’s the best time of year to get out and explore our backyard, and while you’re at it, why not consider turning this sense of fun and exploration into a lifelong career that’s as rewarding as it is enjoyable?

Study for a career in tourism and travel with ITC

From Hobbiton to the AJ Hackett Bungys, whale watching, and relaxing hot pools and spas dotted around the country, New Zealand is brimming with fantastic tourist attractions. And as a leading provider of tourism and travel qualifications, we’re proud to say that we have graduates working in many of these attractions across New Zealand (and the world!).

ITC offers industry-recognised travel and tourism courses at level 3, 4, and 5.

These courses run from just 20 weeks to two years, allowing you to pick up a qualification quickly and get straight to work, or take the time to earn a higher-level qualification and take a step up in your career goals.

All courses are NZQA accredited, are approved for student loans and allowances, and some students are eligible for the NZ Fees Free program.

Working in travel and tourism

To work in travel and tourism is to have an exciting career that’s always changing, always rewarding, and always fun.

All of our tutors at ITC have some kind of industry experience, so they’ll be the first to tell you the benefits of this career, and will help you work towards your goals in the industry.

Additionally, ITC employs two Employment Consultants, who work with current students, recent graduates, and even graduates who have left ITC years before to find roles in the industry. They can help find new opportunities and work with you to improve your CV and fine tune your interview skills.

Right now, tourism is gearing up and getting ready to boom once borders reopen and things start returning to normal. We’re already seeing an increase in available roles for qualified employees, and we know that’s only going to grow once things truly get up and running again.

That means, if you make a resolution to earn a qualification now, you’ll be graduating right as tourism takes off – setting you up to step straight into an amazing role in our favourite industry.

So if you’re keen to enrol while putting your feet up over summer, you can by heading to: https://www.studyfromhome.co.nz/enrol/

Or to find out more about our qualifications, how we help graduates find roles, or which course would be best to help you reach your goal, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

We’ll be back in the office in the New Year and can’t wait to hear from you.

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

Posted in News | Tagged Distance Learning, New Zealand tourism, Online courses, Passion for travel, Study travel and tourism | Leave a reply

Meet your Study From Home team

Posted on 24/08/2021 by Mel Jenkins

When you earn your travel and tourism qualifications with Study From Home, you’ll spend your time in front of your laptop at home.

However, you’ll still enjoy the support and guidance of our Study From Home tutors, just like you would if you were studying in person. This close-knit team works hard to support our students as they move through their coursework, and will be there for advice, help, and motivation every step of the way.

Interested in learning more about your Study From Home tutors and team? Here’s a brief introduction!

Toni Young

Toni Young is the newest member of the Study From Home team, joining the crew in early 2021. Before that, she lived in Australia and the UK, and worked as a travel agent, a teacher, and for an airline and event management company.

No two days are the same for Toni. She might be working in Teams Assessment with a group of students, on a Zoom meeting with a student overseas, marking students’ work, or working on developing new course content. She sees her role as encouraging, motivating, facilitating, and counselling students.

“Their success is our success and we have lots of processes in place to help make this happen,” she explains.

Her favourite part of the job is seeing students achieve their qualifications and start their dream jobs in the industry, and her advice to students considering studying for a career in tourism and travel is to simply do it.

“There is no better time to be studying towards your travel and tourism qualifications. The industry needs qualified and motivated students and with this qualification you will be ideally placed to enter the exciting world of travel and tourism.”

When Toni isn’t helping and motivating students for Study From Home, she can often be found on the ski fields near her home town in Christchurch.

Joy Carter

Before becoming a Study From Home tutor, Joy spent almost 10 years teaching at the ITC Botany campus, so she has extensive experience with travel, tourism, and aviation courses. Prior to her work with ITC, she spent more than 10 years selling travel holidays.

Her days are always busy; doing roleplays with students, marking student coursework, responding to queries, and checking in on student progress. She helps to update and improve resources as well, but no matter how busy she is, “we are never too busy to have a chat with our students,” she says.

She knows that some students may need a hand with technical issues, and loves to help explain tricky terminology or clarify certain questions whenever students get stuck. But her favourite part of the job is getting to know the students, sharing their journeys, and celebrating their successes.

She says that for students considering studying online with SFH, the trick is to have plenty of support.

“Let family members and friends know that you are studying and the hours you have committed to. They probably don’t realise, and you may need them to help out if you encounter challenges along the way, such as a change of routine or sickness,” she said.

Joy’s no stranger to travel herself. She has been to many places over the years, but on one particularly memorable trip to Papua New Guinea, she and her husband and young daughter experienced a real culture shock. They were advised to lock themselves in at night, and on New Year’s Eve, the police came through their backyard chasing a “rascally”!

Lynelle Panton

Lynelle’s background is all about travel. She has worked in leisure travel, in hotels, for rental car companies, and even as a corporate travel consultant at American Express. That’s when she joined the ITC team as a campus tutor, before moving across to the Study From Home team where she is also a tutor.

As a part-timer, Lynelle juggles her work with SFH with her home life, where she’s full-on with three kids. She loves that she can spend time with her children after school and help with their activities, while still working in an industry she loves so much and knows so well.

When asked what she does to go the extra mile for her students, Lynelle explained that going the extra mile simply goes hand in hand with the travel and tourism industry, so it’s important to do that from the start. This can mean doing roleplays outside of normal hours, meeting students to help with assessments, and working with students one-on-one. She loves the work, and especially so when she sees the results and added confidence in the students.

“You can see them blossom after they have had that little bit of extra help,” she says.

For anyone considering signing up with Study From Home, she says that if it’s something you really want to do, then don’t let anything stop you. She recommends using the tutors who are there specifically to help – and they want to help.

Her favourite part of the job? Seeing students grow.

“A lot of students don’t realise how much they change from the start of the course to the end. It’s not just a knowledge thing – when you have learned something you gain confidence… and obviously I love to see them get their qualification and start working in the industry!”

And if you ever have a moment, be sure to ask Lynelle about her time working at a winery. She did the usual tasks such as wine tastings, but she would also occasionally jump in the ute with the dog in the back, then drive up and down the rows of vines banging the car door and getting the dog to bark like mad to scare away the birds.

Andrew Houston

Andrew began as a tutor for the Botany Campus five years ago, but he has since worked as the Tutorial Team Leader, and is now the Botany Campus Manager and Study From Home Manager. His work with Study From Home is backed by a long career in tourism and travel, where he worked in aviation security, and for Air New Zealand and Flight Centre.

His role is incredibly diverse. He supports the tutorial, recruitment, and student services teams for the Botany Campus, and the entire Study From Home Team. He even still teaches some diploma subjects and plays an important role in developing new course materials and resources.

Recently, he has been heavily involved with creating new interactive activities, video lessons, and enhanced subject guides for Study From Home students. Andrew, and the entire team, consistently work to make improvements for a better learning experience for everyone.

“I also empower the team to look for creative solutions to assist students who are facing personal challenges whilst studying,” he adds.

His favourite part of the job is seeing students start working in the world’s most exciting industry, and his advice for anyone considering study is to check out the Study From Home Free Trial, which gives you an idea of the style of learning you can expect as a student.

When he’s not busy with ITC and Study From Home work, Andrew is working on his fitness as he gets ready to run the Queenstown Marathon in November.

Ready to meet the team for real? Get in touch with us to hear more about our distance learning options, to enrol, and to meet your new Study From Home tutors!

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

 

 

Posted in News | Tagged Airline training, Aviation Training, Distance Learning, Flexible study, home office, ITC Award winning training, Meet the team, online learning, online support, Passion for travel, study from home, tourism education, travel | Leave a reply

Updates: The world is beginning to open up again!

Posted on 06/07/2021 by Hayley Clark

In March last year, countries around the world slammed their borders shut. It was a shocking move, and one that largely stopped international tourism in its tracks.

Yet in an incredible collective effort, it has taken little over a year to create and roll out a vaccine, and that has meant many countries are once again looking to open their borders and welcome international tourists back in.

Here’s a little more about what’s happening around the world!

The G20 Rome Guidelines for the Future of Tourism

In early May, the G20 Tourism Ministers set out a series of guidelines for the future of tourism, which has been widely praised by industry bodies, such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

These guidelines essentially outline the changes that have occurred over the past 18 months, then discuss how this global ‘pause’ can be used for future improvements in the industry. From safety and security as a major focus, to ensuring consumer confidence, and prioritising a ‘sustainable development agenda’, these governments have essentially agreed to work to improve the industry as a whole.

This set of guidelines doesn’t just look ahead to an exciting future of tourism and travel, but also seeks ways to improve the experience for everyone involved.

Borders opening to vaccinated travellers

Vaccine passports are still in the works, but that’s not stopping some countries opening up to certain fully vaccinated travellers.

France opened its doors to vaccinated travellers who can provide a negative PCR test on arrival (unvaccinated travellers must quarantine on arrival), as of early June. Greece, Israel, Ireland, The Seychelles, Poland, Spain, Germany, and numerous other countries have also announced that travellers with two doses of the vaccine (and often a recent negative test) can enter without quarantine.

It is expected that more countries will announce similar rules soon. There are some restrictions, such as for countries like India and Brazil where the virus is still out of hand, but it is overall very exciting news for the tourism industry.

What about New Zealand?

New Zealand is in a unique position in the world where we have remained largely virus-free throughout the pandemic, which means our approach to opening up will likely look a little different to the rest of the world.

For now, the focus is on vaccinating as much of the population as possible. This will help to give Kiwis protection once the borders do open up – which is why it is likely that government will wait until the majority are vaccinated before considering opening.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said that right now, “where vaccine rollout in New Zealand is incomplete, the number of countries we can safely open up to is limited.”

She would not yet comment on whether it will be a case of opening once the vaccine rollout is complete, or working with some kind of vaccine passport. The government has indicated that modelling around these scenarios is in the works, so we may be able to expect potential plans in the coming months.

For now, we in New Zealand’s tourism industry are excitedly watching as the world reopens, and as New Zealand determines its own path for a safe reopening, knowing that it all leads to travel and tourism once again booming.

If you’d like to be part of this exciting industry as it booms once again, now’s the time to earn a qualification that will open doors here in New Zealand and around the world. Get in touch with Study From Home to see what our courses in travel, tourism, and aviation can offer you.

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

Posted in News | Tagged Distance Learning, Online courses, Pandemic recovery, Passion for travel, Study travel and tourism | Leave a reply

ITC Launches Online

Posted on 14/01/2015 by Jess O'Connor

On Thursday 7 August the International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) officially launched its new online learning programmes.

ITC staff and industry members gathered at ITC’s city campus for the event. Distance Learning Programme Manager Carla Sutton introduced the online courses, thanking the staff involved in creating the courses, and the industry contacts who had provided valuable feedback during their development. Carla gave special mention to Karen Houston of Training & People Development Specialists, who had written the course material.

The courses – which cover cabin crew, ground crew, tour guide, and cruise staff training, customer service, sales skills, and careers in travel and tourism – are wide-ranging in their application.

As well as providing a cost- and time-effective way for those in the industry wanting to upskill and employers wanting to provide professional development for their staff, Carla also spoke about the positive impact they will provide for secondary school students.

“Many students don’t know what they want to do when they leave school; and our school contacts have expressed concern about how to keep students at school in their final high school years. These programmes will give them a taste of the exciting travel and tourism industry and we aim to engage their interest in undertaking further study.”

The accessibility of the courses, which are available on any PC, Mac, tablet or smart phone, is one of their key benefits. Carla spoke about students being able to do lessons on the bus on the way home from school or work, undertaking stop-and-think exercises in their lunch time or connecting with their peers on the forums in the evenings.

Each course has a Bronze, Silver and Gold level, with Bronze providing basic course lessons and the Silver and Gold levels offering more personalised study and assessment. Gold students will have access to tutors and other students through online forums. Students who complete the Silver and Gold levels will also receive a Certificate of Completion.

A fourth Platinum option is available for customers who want to tailor the online training to their own business. This option provides flexibility in terms of branding, reporting, additional workshops and one-on-one sessions and will allow travel and tourism operators to provide highly relevant professional development to their staff.

It was clear from the evening’s presentation that a great deal of time, care and consideration has gone into developing these new programmes to meet the needs of the wide range of people interested in travel and tourism. And there is plenty more to come. Guests were asked for ideas on what other courses would be valuable for the industry and course writer Karen Houston promised she had plenty of new ideas as well.

Watch this space: http://itconlinetraining.com

Posted in News | Tagged Distance Learning, ITC, ITC Award winning training, ITC Online training, ITC Staff, New Zealand Tourism Training, Online courses, Passion for travel, professional development, Tourism training | Leave a reply

Getting career confidence back with ITC

Posted on 20/02/2014 by Jess O'Connor

Every year many students complete one of ITC’s distance online learning (DOL) courses for the travel, tourism and aviation industries. Gaining the confidence to get out and apply for jobs can be tough, so we make career preparation an important focus of the course.

More than half of our DOL students study from home because they are looking after young children. After a few years staying at home, many lose confidence in their employment prospects.

DOL graduate Lynda says, “I felt like I had had so much time off that I had become a recluse and didn’t know how to be in the public eye anymore or approach customers with confidence. I even thought I would forget everything I had learnt in previous employment.”

Another graduate Margaret adds: “I didn’t apply for a job for months after completing my course, as I thought they would decline my application as I had not been in the work force for so long.”

Many parents want to take care of their child at home. But DOL graduate Hazel found that getting out there had a positive impact on both her and her child. “Getting a job meant I could earn much more money to support myself and my child, while also gaining a social life outside of our house. I think many single mothers don’t want to send their child to childcare so soon. It seems hard at first but you and your child will adapt,” she says.

Lynda says that the ITC course helped her a great deal. “Training with ITC contributed a lot to gaining my confidence back. Having the phone assessments and orientation, and even graduation, and being amongst other people was a boost. With anticipation I wanted to get back into the work force and show off some recapped skills,” she says.

Lynda is also an advocate of gaining work experience while you study and says that having a part-time, casual job gave her a big confidence boost.

Margaret found that getting out there and applying for jobs was a useful learning experience in itself. “I wasn’t successful in my first application. I didn’t let that get me down: I used it as a learning curve. I took out my ITC notes on career preparation to make sure I was ready. For my next application, I knew exactly what I was going to say to any question asked, and was able to reply back in full confidence.”

Margaret now works for the call centre at Qantas Airways, Lynda is working for Flight Centre in Perth (WA) and Hazel works at Auckland Airport for Menzies Aviation.

As Margaret says: “Don’t let fear get in the way of your dreams. If you prepare for your interview, all will fall into place and your dreams will come true!”

Posted in Study From Home Tips | Tagged Airline jobs, Airline training, Aviation Training, Distance Learning, Employment, ITC, ITC Award winning training, Passion for travel | Leave a reply

Are you ready to fly high?

Posted on 19/11/2013 by Jess O'Connor

The International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) offers travel, tourism, and airline courses, and we work hard to get our graduates jobs in those industries. We want them all to fly high with their career, life and goals!

ITC offers its courses on campus and by distance online learning. If you are at home with young children, live too far from a campus, or you work and cannot attend daily classes, then distance online learning would be an ideal option for you.

These courses include all the learning resources, tutorial support, online communication and assessments you will need. You will be part of a class with fellow distance learning students from all around the country.

There are only two workshops to attend: Orientation Day, where you will get to meet your classmates, and the Customer Service workshop later in the course. Both workshops are at our Auckland campuses. This is what one of our graduates has to say about studying with ITC: “I want to say thank you to ITC for helping me get to my dream job.  Doing the ITC course has really paid off and now I wake up every morning excited about going to work. Words cannot express my gratitude.”

ITC has been a premium supplier in the airline, airport and travel and tourism industries for over 16 years. The college has strong connections in those industries and focuses on making its training relevant to employers. We also offer a job placement service to assist you in finding a job in travel, tourism or aviation!

Find out how you can launch your career by phoning the ITC team now on 0800 868 747, or check our website www.itc.co.nz and enquiry online.

Posted in Student Success | Tagged Airline training, Aviation Training, Distance Learning, ITC, New Zealand Tourism Training, Passion for travel, Tourism training, Workshops | Leave a reply