Travel Planning Eases A Restless Spirit

Sun Herald

Sunday January 22, 2006

By PETA FITZGERALD

DO you dream of safaris and the wide, open plains? Going bush and taking the road less paved? Do you want to break free and have the world at your feet?

If this sounds like a job description that sets your heart racing, a career in the travel and tourism industry could be for you.

While it might not be all wine tours in the Yarra Valley and jungle surfing in Cape Tribulation, travel and tourism student Kacey Graham is realising her dream of working in this diverse and exciting profession.

"I realised the travel industry was for me after a year living in Japan learning the language," she said.

"It was my first taste of travel and the first step towards moving into the industry."

Graham, 25, is undertaking a diploma of tourism at the Manly-based International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS).

Halfway through the two-year course, Graham now works at corporate travel management company Carlson Wagonlit as part of the course's nine-month paid industry training.

She said opportunity for practical experience had already opened up many doors.

"From the industry training I've learnt how challenging and exciting a job in travel and tourism is," Graham said. "Like every job, it has its irks and perks. I envisaged that I'd be dealing with people face-to-face but I realise now that most of my dealings are over the phone. You still get to build a good rapport with people, which is good, and you get to be creative with people's holidays."

ICMS general manager Andrew Leary said the international students at the college helped create a sense of global community.

"Our students come from 60 countries across the world so we have a very international learning environment, which is what tourism is about," he said.

Students study the two-year diploma of tourism or the three-year bachelor of business - international tourism. Finishing year 12 and attaining good marks in maths and English are the only prerequisites. Leary said there was a huge skills shortage in the industry - "two and a half jobs for every student who completes the course" - so students had a good chance of landing their dream career.

Tourism and Transport Forum managing director Chris Brown, said regional areas particularly were struggling to fill staff positions.

"Over the next five to 10 years we will need to fill an extra 325,000 jobs in the tourism industry, so we are very keen for people," he said.

Formal training is still the biggest asset to people wanting a job in the industry, he said. He recommended UNSW, UTS and the ICMS as the most respected training organisations in the state.

Tourism Training Australia chief executive Bill Galvin said the increasing need for employees was the result of emerging markets such as indigenous tourism and spa tourism, and the new trend for return visits to Australia.

While success in the course is not dependent on outstanding year 12 results, Graham admitted that strong foreign language skills certainly gave prospective students the edge when applying at ICMS.

WHERE THE JOBS ARE

The travel industry is short of 325,00 workers in all states - and especially on the east coast. Emerging markets for future employment include:

? Indigenous tourism

? Food tourism

? Wine tourism

? Spa tourism

? Boutique accommodation

Source: Tourism Training Australia chief executive Bill Galvin

© 2006 Sun Herald

Back to News Index | Back to Home