Apply now for your chance to win an ITC Scholarship!

Posted on 17/07/2023 by Mel Jenkins

ITC and Study From Home have just opened up applications for some amazing scholarship opportunities!

As the New Zealand tourism industry has got back into the swing of things, businesses are seeking new and qualified staff such as graduates from ITC and Study From Home.

“New Zealand continues to be one of the world’s top tourism destinations, and with the borders open, international visitors are returning. We need to support our sector to rebuild a more resilient future that leaves people, communities and the environment better off than before,” Peeni Henare said.

We are doing our bit to support our industry, ITC is helping people with a passion for joining the Travel & Tourism industry gain first-class skills and knowledge. We want to help even more by giving away multiple scholarships for full-time students, which are worth up to $5,600 per student. Not only that, it’s also on top of the Fees Free program, so you could have the first part of your study covered by Fees Free, and the second part partially paid for by a scholarship!

Here’s a little more about what an ITC Scholarship entails, who is eligible and how to apply.

What does the ITC Scholarship entail?

The ITC Scholarship will pay for up to $5,600 of your course fees if you win. It all depends on the courses you apply for, as the scholarship is for the value of 50% of one full course when you enrol in two or more courses at ITC.

The Scholarship is applicable for full-time study only, but it can be with either ITC or Study From Home. And importantly, it is awarded upon successful completion of the final course.

For ITC, the Scholarship is a way to support young learners into the industry we care about so much. Travel and tourism has rarely been in such dire need of new talent, and we know that right now, our graduates are walking straight into positions in the industry thanks to the qualifications they earn with us.

Who is eligible to apply?

We are looking for people passionate about joining the Travel, Tourism & Aviation industries who would love the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge to become future leaders.

If you enrol for full-time study with ITC or Study From Home right now, and are either a New Zealand citizen or have been a Permanent Resident for at least three years, you are probably eligible to apply for the Scholarship.

For further eligibility criteria, read our full terms and conditions.

However, if you were already enrolled prior to June 30 this year, you are unfortunately not eligible to apply at this time.

Please carefully read through our full terms and conditions to learn more about application eligibility, and other terms that come with being awarded this scholarship.

How do I apply for the ITC Scholarship?

To apply, simply fill out the ITC Scholarship application form here.

Be sure to fill out this form before August 26 2023, and if you are successful in getting to the second stage, we’ll let you know no later than Monday August 28. The second stage involves an information session and a chat with the team to discuss your study options.

If you have any questions at all about the scholarship or ITC courses, don’t hesitate to get in touch today.

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

 

Posted in News | Tagged avitaion, free study, ITC Scholarships, ITCNZ, online learning, Scholarship, study, study from home, tertiary, tourism, travel | 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

Regional tourism highlights: April

Posted on 26/04/2018 by Jess O'Connor

At the end of each month, we bring you regional tourism highlights so you can stay updated with airline, travel and tourism news from around New Zealand.

April was a busy month for tourism, especially in tourist towns in the South Island.

Waikato crowned as most hospitable place in New Zealand

The results of a study by accommodation provider Airbnb shows that the Waikato is New Zealand’s most hospitable centre. The winner was determined by the number of five-star reviews left on the accommodation website.

Hotel conference to focus on regional growth

This year’s New Zealand Hotel Industry Conference will include a focus on how the current tourism boom can benefit the regions

Warbirds Over Wanaka and Sheeran concerts bring $11m to Otago

Two major events created an $11 million boom for the Otago region. The annual Warbirds Over Wanaka event featured a dazzling display of air acrobatics, paired with a car show, trade stands, market stalls, rides and food on the ground. Meanwhile, international pop star Ed Sheeran performed two sold-out concerts in Dunedin, attracting fans from all over New Zealand.

Dunedin to host biggest TRENZ activity afternoon ever

Next month, Dunedin will host the largest ever TRENZ afternoon as more than 600 delegates will take breaks from business meetings to enjoy a range of activities in the area. This includes tours of the Speight’s Brewery, high tea at Larnach Castle, and an off-road wildlife tour of the Otago Peninsula.

Jucy opens ‘pod’ hotel in Queenstown

Car rental brand Jucy has opened a 276-bed pod hotel in Queenstown, which is set to help with the shortage of tourism accommodation in the area.

Wine fountain proposed for Marlborough

A business leader has suggested installing a wine fountain in Marlborough to highlight the region’s vineyards.

TIA backs Christchurch request for more funding

Tourism Industry Aotearoa has backed the Christchurch City Council’s request for an extra $1.4 million annually to bid to host major events.

Do you want to work in New Zealand’s thriving tourism industry? Contact Study From Home today to study airline, travel or tourism from anywhere in New Zealand.

Posted in News, Tourism Spotlight | Tagged tourism, Tourism news | Leave a reply

Is it time to give your resume a makeover?

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

As the busy summer tourism season gets underway, now might be a good time to make sure your resume is up-to-date. It can be all too easy to let your CV gather dust when you’re focused on studying, but reviewing it every few months will ensure you’re ready to put your best foot forward when the perfect job opportunity arises.

So why not do your future self a favour and make some time to polish your CV before Christmas? Below are a few things to keep in mind when you’re updating this important document.

(more…)

Posted in Study From Home Tips | Tagged CV tips, resume writing, summer jobs, tourism | Leave a reply

Tourism spotlight: Northland New Zealand

Posted on 30/09/2015 by Jess O'Connor

The New Zealand tourism industry is thriving. Almost every news article that is published about the sector is brimming with positivity – tourism businesses across the country are enjoying high visitor rates and steady growth.

One thing that is especially great about this growing industry is that it impacts the whole country – not just Auckland and the main cities. People travel to the far corners of New Zealand, from the tip of the North Island to the bottom of the South and everywhere in between.

The tourism industry offers a wonderful opportunity for those living in regional New Zealand to become part of something special – to show both domestic and international travellers the wonders of our beautiful country.

We thought we’d celebrate our amazing tourism industry by putting the spotlight on different regions each month. As ITC’s distance learning branch, we are passionate about ensuring qualified, experienced tourism professionals are able to work in small towns and cities. And what better way to encourage people to go to these areas than by shining a light on what makes them great?

It makes sense to start at the top. Let’s take a look at what makes Northland Tourism in New Zealand so special.

(more…)

Posted in Tourism Spotlight | Tagged Northland New Zealand, regional tourism, tourism, tourism education, understanding New Zealand | 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.

(more…)

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