An industry training placement at the Hamilton Islands Sydney reservations team is a stepping stone for International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS) student Holly Kerr as she aims to work one day within the gorgeous Whitsundays Islands tourism industry.
Currently in her second year of an ICMS Bachelor of Business (Marketing) degree, Holly is working fulltime in the Hamilton Island’s Sydney office in their reservations team.
“As a Direct Reservations Consultant I am working full time in the Sydney office communicating with guests via the phone and email, booking accommodation and answering guest inquiries. Working for Hamilton Island will give me lifelong connections to the Whitsundays and hospitality industry, as my goal is to live and work on the island in 2023,” Holly said.
Hamilton Island is the most well-known of 74 Whitsunday Islands, located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. Exclusive resorts amid lush tropical foliage, azure waters, carless streets and a commercial airport make Hamilton Island a destination favoured by both celebrities and tourists alike.
“As I am studying marketing I would love to transition into a sales and marketing role in Hamilton Island in the future to broaden my knowledge about the island and pursue a career in line with my studies. This job has helped me learn a different angle of customer service and has allowed me to gain valuable experience that will be beneficial to my future career and opportunities.”
Holly chose to specialise in marketing but the broad focus of a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) allows her to choose tourism subjects as elective subjects. This brings her even closer to working in tourism while pursuing her passion for marketing and feeding her fascination with all things business.
“I thoroughly loved learning business in high school, so I knew I wanted to study business and as ICMS has a business focus this drew me to wanting to study there, specifically their marketing course,” Holly said.
“Another contributing factor to wanting to study at ICMS was the course structure of the various degrees that are offered. My course length of 2.75 years, inclusive of industry placement, was a factor and something that appealed to me a lot. Being able to have my course completed in under three years with two trimesters of industry placement was ideal. I believed it would broaden my career opportunities and work experience in the future.”
Internships are built into every ICMS degree as part of the ICMS Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program. This opportunity for students to gain real-life work experience and expand their corporate connections and network was a factor in attracting Holly towards studying at ICMS, located in Northern Beaches, Sydney, NSW. The award-winning higher education institution also has a Sydney City campus, and offers a range of postgraduate and undergraduate degrees and diplomas.
Along with meaningful work experience that is getting Holly career-ready and closer to achieving her professional goals, the internship is also placing her in prime position to achieving her short term goals in this exciting industry.
“I believe working in this industry is really valuable to my future as throughout my years in this industry I will create lifelong connections with individuals which could lead me to have a wider range of career opportunities and experiences in the future.”
The nurturing ethos of ICMS, with a focus on empowering and supporting students along their academic and career journey as a professional mentor, has impressed Holly and confirmed to her that choosing ICMS as the launchpad of her dream career was the correct decision.
“I have received great guidance from all my lecturers across my time at ICMS. Each lecturer has impacted my way of learning, shifted my mindset of studying and have overall listened to the person I am and guiding me to act in the way they believe would be beneficial to me,” Holly said.
“All my lecturers have been really supportive of me as I am an individual who hasn’t enjoyed learning in the past, but they have really opened my mindset to the greatness of learning and helping me to achieve the best results I could.”
Holly is excited about her future in the ever-growing tourism industry and looks forward to years of traveling Australia and beyond as she follows her dreams.
“I love working in the hospitality and travel industries as it is a growing and thriving industry that is constantly evolving. I really enjoy working with customers and using my tools to create great outcomes for consumers, creating a beneficial positive customer experience for all my customers,” Holly said.
Looking ahead, Holly aims to establish her own business in the tourism and marketing industries, focusing on positivity and creating the best customer experience possible.
“I would love to have lived on Hamilton Island for a couple of years and continue to grow my relationship with the island. Travelling is a big priority in my life so I would also love to one day live overseas, be working, and building a successful business.”
For more information on Hamilton Islands, click here.
For more information on the ICMS Bachelor of Business (Marketing), click here.
For more information on the ICMS Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Program, click here.
Sources:
https://www.hamiltonisland.com.au/
News