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| VISITORS | PROGRAMS | SERVICES | THE COLLEGE | EXPLORE |
Tourism and Travel - Adventure and Ecotourism |
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Graduates
IMPOSSIBLE! Unfortunately, it is impossible to describe all of careers our graduating students are living. Since we cannot describe them all, we feature only a few here.
Working for The Moose Travel Network is certainly an awesome job as well as a great experience. As a Tour Guide/Driver for the Mowhawk tour, I take up to 17 passengers across Ontario and Quebec and cover 2800 km over 11 days. Each day is long and exhausting, but it's definitely the most fun job I've had thus far. I get to hang out with a bunch of people for 11 days (have plenty of laughs of course) and as soon as I get back to Toronto, there's always a cheque waiting! However, one downside of this job is that I don't get to spend a whole lot of time with friends and family. I'm on the road for most of the month and get 3 days off every 2 weeks. On top of that, sleeping in hostels every night and getting up early can get a bit annoying. I'm also completely unsupervised which means I have no one to rely on but myself. Nevertheless, all things considered, it's definitely a great job and an even better co-op! Having completed my third tour, and having dealt with the many complications that occur, I now feel very comfortable in my position and can't wait to see what the rest of the summer has to offer.
When I first went to college and was unsure of what to do I applied for two different courses, Early Childhood Education and Tourism & Travel- Adventure & Ecotourism. These were two totally separate programs and I didn't think I could ever put the two together. I always knew I wanted to travel the world, and I also knew that if I didn't have the skills I wouldn't get a job. I knew I wanted a job and to travel, so now I am living my dream! I currently work for Norwegian Cruise Lines as a Seasonal Youth Consoler. When the cruise starts on embarkation day, we greet the guests and parents, while registering their children in the Kid's Program aboard the ship. On a day-to-day basis, we plan activities such as UN-Birthday Parties, play Wii, go on parades, dress as pirates, play survivor, have water fights, and have visits from Dora and Diego. Yes, I do get paid to do this. It is an amazing experience and an amazing job. I was hired July 2008 and joined the Norwegian Gem in October, which was then sailing the Mediterranean to such places as Spain, France, Italy, and Malta. I was also on the ship during the transitional crossing which was 6 sea days from Malaga, Spain straight to New York City. We then did a Florida and Bahamas run, and continued to such places as St, Maarten, Antigua, Barbados, US Virgin Islands, and the British Virgin Islands. After a bit of a break, I joined the Norwegian Jewel sailing out of Miami which cruised to Grand Cayman, Cozumel, St Lucia, and more. I am now looking forward to joining the Norwegian Pearl which sails out of Seattle, WA to ports like Juneau, Ketchikan, Victoria, and Skagway (Alaska).
I wouldn't have been able to do this without the amazing encouragement and help from Rod and Giannina! Thank you for an awesome two years, I have been blessed.
From the time I was young I had a thirst for exploring. I dreamt of seeing all the wonders this world had to offer. The question was: what was the best way to go about it. When I was almost finished high school I knew the time had come to make a decision. All I knew was that I wanted to travel the world and would never be satisfied until I'd done so. Then I heard about the Travel and Tourism program at Confederation College. Immediately I knew it was the right choice for me. I graduated in 2007 and immediately after began working towards getting a job that enabled me to travel the world and have a good time doing it! In September of 2007, I was invited to an interview with Celebrity Cruises in Toronto, ON. A few days later I was offered a position as Activities Staff. As activities staff, I plan and host activities, call bingo, teach dance classes, host sporting events, socialize with guests and dance the night away at various theme nights! I joined my first ship in February 2008. Since then, I have worked on two different ships; the Celebrity Summit and the Celebrity Infinity and have been to locations such as: St. Maarten, Dominica, Grenada, Bonaire, Aruba, Puerto Rico, Portugal, Spain, England, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Columbia and all around Mexico! All in just under 6 months! I was also was able to cruise through the Panama Canal, sail under the Golden Gate Bridge and finally finish off my contract in beautiful Alaska! Soon I will be joining my third ship, the Celebrity Century, which is currently in the Mediterranean and I couldn't be happier! Not only did this program teach me a lot about the tourism industry but also about myself. It gave me the confidence to put myself out there and try new things and the knowledge of the industry to get where I am today. It opened my eyes to so many new outdoors activities that I never thought I'd try, let alone enjoy! I can never thank Rod or Giannina enough for their support and encouragement! They helped me get where I am today and I'm definitely living my dream!
The four of us are a great example of the success that can be achieved as a graduate of the Tourism & Travel-Adventure & Ecotourism program at Confederation College. The range of positions we work in demonstrates the versatility of a Tourism and Travel diploma. Whether on its own or in combination with another diploma/degree, the Tourism and Travel diploma is considered an asset by Wasaya Airways LP and is an important factor in hiring decisions. As Flight Followers (Dispatchers), some of Scott and Tyler's duties include: maintaining a pro-active computerized flight watch of all company aircraft; communicating daily aircraft movements; compiling and distributing relevant operational details; completion of various performance reports, statistics and flight time logs; maintaining an effective watch of regional weather patterns; and activating emergency response procedures as required. Shannon has been working at Wasaya Airways, as a travel specialist since August 2005 and has been getting the experience she needs to be successful in the travel industry. In the ADU (Air Delivery Unit) department at Wasaya, Shannon has corporate clients that book travel with her. She arranges everything from flights to hotels to car rentals for Wasaya's corporate clients.
Erin used her Tourism & Travel diploma in combination with a Graduate Certificate in Human Resources Management to help secure a Human Resources placement at Wasaya Airways in May 2008, which has become a permanent job. As the Human Resources Coordinator, a few of Erin's responsibilities include: recruitment; new employee sign-on; benefits administration; job postings; employee relations; and providing advice/support to employees at all levels within the company to address their HR related concerns. We would like to thank Rod and Giannina for all of their help along the way!
Wow, what can I say! Under the fantastic tutelage of Iva Wright and Rod Coates, I graduated with my Travel and Tourism diploma and received the Governor General Award in 1993. I was able to get a job immediately after graduation as a travel agent from my co-op placement in Thunder Bay. I worked there until we moved to Timmins in 1996. I worked for an additional 4 years as a travel agent in Timmins until we moved to Iroquois Falls in 2000. In Iroquois Falls, I switched fields a bit and began working as a Tourism Coordinator with the Economic Development office. This was an exciting challenge. I was able to go to large shows to promote our town and Northern Ontario to prospective tourists. In 2006, I began as the Passenger Sales Coordinator and recently have been promoted to Passenger Services Supervisor with Ontario Northland and the Polar Bear Express and Dream Catcher Express! This has been a fantastic job! This job is tourism based and allows me to continue to go to shows and promote our products and our region. I firmly believe that Confederation College has given me the tools for a successful career in tourism!
I was very focused on out-bound tourism when I entered the Travel and Tourism Program. I thought "everywhere else" was a much more exotic destination, and was much more excited about a job helping people escape our cold winters.
North of Superior Tourism is an organization that promotes tourism and economic development in North Western Ontario. Not only do I get to help promote tourism to our area, but also my internship is giving me invaluable contacts with tourism organizations at the municipal and federal levels, as well as countless tourism entrepreneurs! Having been born and raised in Thunder Bay, I never would have thought that my life long ambition of traveling the world would actually become a reality for me. Now, thanks to a few years' education, great mentors and motivators, a few bumps in the road, a number of stepping stones and a few lucky strikes I now find myself as a flight attendant for Air Canada. I get to work 30 000 feet above the earth and I love it! This opportunity did not fall in my lap. No, not at all! In fact, all the steps I took in life seemed to lead me to where I am now. Life doesn't just present you with your dreams and goals. We in fact have to work for them. It's just making the right decisions on how to reach your goal that's often the tricky part
In high school I decided to study German. I had been in French immersion for most of my life and wanted to try a brand new language. Having a second or third language is key to getting a job as a flight attendant with a major airline. If you don't have another language, don't fret, it's not as hard as you think to learn a new language if you're dedicated enough. There are plenty of language courses out there to help you bone up on your Francais, or Espanol! I continued my French and German studies in University and participated in a number of student exchanges. Getting to travel on your own is a great opportunity to gain experience in the travel industry. See it to know it! Knowing how to travel is good experience to have before you start doing it as a living! After University I enrolled in the Tourism and Travel Eco-Tourism and Adventure program at Confederation College. It is there that I made great friends, great teachers and motivators. Most importantly I learned to better understand the travel industry. Learning about your industry and how to make the right career decisions is key. Learning is a means to better understand your goals and how to reach them. Success through learning as they say!
Before I even graduated I received a job offer as a Marketing Manager for an outdoor adventure outfitter in Pickle Lake. Most people thought I was out of my mind for wanting to move to Pickle Lake. However, I saw it as an opportunity for experience and real life exposure to the travel industry. Working in Pickle Lake really opened my eyes. I met great friends, paddled in canoes and kayaks, fished and got to fly all over the north in single engine airplanes! I even got to spend a week on the coast of the Hudson Bay in search of polar bears. How grand! Unfortunately I was laid off in November; however my experience there and new found knowledge of airplanes and air charter services is what led me to Air Canada.
We all have our dreams and goals and we are all capable of achieving them. There is never time for discouragement. Life is full of little lessons and opportunities to step up in the world. Let yourself achieve through learning and life experience. I hope that the Tourism and Travel program at Confederation College helps you bring you closer to your goals and it has brought me to mine. See you in the skies! Alana Petzschler
After graduating high school, I enrolled in the two year Travel and Tourism Program at Confederation College. I knew in my mind that a travel background would offer many choices in the travel industry, including becoming a Flight Attendant. That was true. Throughout the years, I have worked as a Travel Agent, Travel Instructor, Flight Attendant, Customer Service Director, In-Flight Product Coordinator, Airline Reservations Agent, Flight Attendant Supervisor, and Flight Attendant Instructor. I have worked on at least eleven types of aircraft and taken passengers throughout the world. Over 54 countries to date and five expired passports later... I have been fortunate to work on numerous assignments for airlines such as Canadian Airlines International, World Airways, Aer Lingus of Ireland, and Garuda of Indonesia and British Airways. My work has taken me to jobs in locations such as Ireland, Indonesia, Switzerland, North Africa, West Africa and the Middle East. During the winter season of 2006/2007, I was the Flight Attendant Base Manager in Winnipeg for Skyservice Airlines. Currently, my latest employment is with Trans Capital Air. I'm on a new adventure working as a contract Flight Attendant for the United Nations in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. We have various contracts in the world where U.N military troops are based to maintain peace in specific regions of the world. The Ivory Coast was a former French colony. Unfortunately, in recent years civil war has hurt this beautiful country. The countryside, beaches and people are wonderful. I look forward to spending my winter in a warmer climate than Canada. Outside of my flying, I also enjoy pleasure travel and simply relaxing with friends. For those of you who want to supplement your education, I have developed an introductory flight attendant course hosted by Confederation College. It would be an excellent supplement to the Tourism and Travel-Adventure and Ecotourism Program. This is what I have to say about my education at Confederation College: "I truly believe that anyone interested in a travel career will benefit from taking the Tourism & Travel - Adventure & Ecotourism Program at Confederation College. The program provides an understanding about the many options in the travel industry. This enables the students to make their own career choice once they graduate.
As well, the information provided by your instructors will give you a competitive advantage if you decide write the CITC exam. The CTC designation is an industry-recognized certification.
Remember that in order to achieve your goals you have to be willing to work for them and believe in yourself. This could mean working for a smaller company at a lower rate of pay to gain more knowledge and experience. Persistence is the key. If you believe in yourself, you will show more confidence during your interview. Never quit trying. Explore the world!" Dreams can come true through hard work and dedication. If only those fish out of Pickle Lake could see me now!! Good luck, Jim Kozik Celia Spruyt - Banff Lodging Co. /Rocky Mountaineer Vacations
I graduated from the Travel & Tourism program in 2003. I found the course gave me a thorough understanding of the industry which is a great advantage when seeking employment. After our class fammiliarization trip to Cuba I immediately moved to Banff, Alberta and worked for both Fairmont and Marriott hotels before settling into The Banff Caribou Lodge & Spa which is part of The Banff Lodging Co.
The Tourism & Travel program and Confederation College were excellent at providing the necessary skills and knowledge to provide the best travel experience to guests and clients. In having an understanding of the hospitality and tourism industry I am able to be far more efficient in my position as Front Desk Agent/Bell Captain at the Banff Caribou Lodge & Spa and in my Guest Services/Handler position with Rocky Mountaineer Vacations at the Banff Station. Rocky Mountaineer has been awarded as one of the best train companies in the world, which requires all staff to be aware of the environment, demographic and geographic conditions. The college course helped prepare me to fulfill the expectations of my employer. Somewhere in between playing hockey and rugby, skiing at 3 of Canada's biggest and best resorts (Mt. Norquay, Sunshine Village, & Lake Louise), hiking, camping, and innumerable road trips to Jasper or British Columbia and across Alberta, I find time to work as well. Vanessa Stirrett - Brewster/Columbia IcefieldI enrolled in the Tourism & Travel - Adventure & Ecotourism program because I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. A huge part of enrolling was because there was an international field trip involved upon the completion of the program. I packed up my bags to head east to Thunder Bay, ON. I'm originally from T-Bay but moved to Alberta when I was very young and had lived there most of my life. As soon as classes started I was very impressed by all the teachers' knowledge and experience they had in the industry. The time came for us to choose a "co-op" Many of us were frustrated with the whole idea, but after searching and searching I found a position in my parent's home town that was perfect for me. I was a travel counselor for 4 months and enjoyed it. The new year started and decided that being a travel counselor wasn't something that I wanted to do all my life. 
The second year of college only got better, because I got really involved in what I was learning and became much closer to my classmates. We had many classes to broaden our minds such as geography and aboriginal studies. As well,we got to go to West Jet to be a "West Jitter" for the day. I even got a goldfish!! "...a life altering experience for me" Soon time came for our class trip to Costa Rica. This was a life altering experience for me, because I hadn't travelled anywhere, so this was an amazing experience. The most significant part of the trip was learning what direction my career was headed into. I'm still not sure of what I want to do, but it is definitely in the Tourism and Travel industry. I worked at the Columbia Ice fields in Jasper/Banff, Alberta for 5 months right after I graduated. I started out as a ticket agent but ended up as an Ice Explorer Driver. This gave me a lot of opportunity and more money. I am now headed to Australia with Russell Lee for 5 months, who I met in the T and T program. There are many more travels to come! If it were not for the Tourism & Travel - Adventure & Ecotourism program and its' teachers, I would not be where I am today! Thanks!!!! Russell Lee - Brewster/Columbia IcefieldI had no idea what I wanted to do after high school, however I did know that I wanted to travel so when thinking about college the Tourism & Travel - Adventure & Ecotourism program came to mind. I enrolled and I am glad I did. The class size was pretty small so we received much more personal attention in our classes.Also having small classes you become close with everyone in the program. 
There are lots of cool field trips as well which made the experience that much more. (The international field trip was amazing it was an experience like no other). So after graduating, I got a job at the Columbia ice field in Alberta. At first I was in guest services (like a bellboy, with the hotel) but I soon moved up to driving a shuttle bus. By the end of the summer I was driving snow coaches onto a glacier while giving tours to hundreds of people a day. "It was great experience." Now my plans 1 year after graduating are to go to Australia for 4-5 months and travel around. Then the plan after that is to come back to Alberta and work at the ice field to work for 6 months and then spend the rest of my time traveling around the world. I feel that the Tourism & Travel - Adventure & Ecotourism program helped me to get where I am today. It was great experience. It wasn't the in-class assignments that had a big impact on me; it was the out of class assignments where most of the learning was done. They taught me a lot and really helped me obtain skills for the world that I plan to see! Raeghan Howard - Sun Wing Airlines
In my fourth semester in the program we were informed that Maintair I was still completeing my last year in the program that winter, but because the flights fell on Sundays and early on Monday mornings, I was still able to work for Maintair, go to school, and continue my part-time job serving. Working for Maintair as a Customer Service Agent was great experience for me as it gave me an inside view to the airline industry we were learning about in school, and it gave me new connections for finding a job in the industry with another airline later that year when I would be graduating. Lindsay Fisher - Sun Wing AirlinesI am a 2005 graduate from the Travel & Tourism - Adventure & Eco Tourism program. Before beginning this program, I knew I wanted to work in the travel industry, only I couldn't decide which area it was I wanted to work. Through classroom instruction as well as hands on experience, this program helped me explore many opportunities in the travel and tourism field. In the summer of 2005 I applied for a job with Maintair Aviation, a company contracted with Sunwing Airlines and Skyservice Airlines to provide direct flights from Thunder Bay to Varadero, Cuba and Cancun, Mexico. I was hired as a seasonal Customer Service Agent, checking in passengers and baggage, as well as assisting them with boarding their flight. Along with giving me the knowledge and confidence to pursue a career in the travel/tourism industry, this program has opened my eyes to many outdoor adventures I never thought I would have the opportunity to try. More importantly, the teachers, with their combined experience and devotion, have given me the support and encouragement to succeed. Thank you Giannina & Rod! Joe Fresco - Air Canada Jazz
I enrolled in the two year Tourism and Travel program in Sept. 1991 and graduated in May 1993. I have been very fortunate to be employed in the industry for the past 10 years. Upon entering the program I came from The Air Carrier /Airport Management program at Confederation College. And still wanting to continue my understanding of the aviation industry. The program faculty were instrumental in my becoming the person I am today. This industry is very small. It may look big with lots of people all over the world. But, in fact it is a very small industry. So, always help your fellow students and workers as she or he might be your future boss. Sabrina Canning - Contiki Holidays
I graduated from the Travel & Tourism program in May 2000. I have been very fortunate to be employed in the industry since before I graduated, thanks to my work placement. Bronwyn Anderson - WestJet
I started my career as a Customer Service Agent at Bearskin Airlines following my graduation in 2000. I was able to gain a great deal of experience and knowledge about the airline business at Bearskin.In June 2002, I was accepted as a Customer Service Agent at Westjet, and took an intensive training course in Calgary. Westjet is a great company to work for. They really care about their employees. I truly love my job there. As well, I am very fortunate to be starting to work part-time, at Superior Travel, to learn more about being a travel agent. Thank you Confederation College and my wonderful, inspiring teachers for helping me achieve my goal of having a career in the travel industry. Agnes Filipek - WestJetI am called Agnes. I graduated from Confederation College with a Tourism & Travel diploma in the year 2000. It was an exciting course that taught me a variety of studies within the travel industry. Right after graduation, I started working at the Thunder Bay International Airport as a Commissionaire. My job position was as an AIF COLLECTOR (Airport Improvement Fee). Within the year and after a great experience with working with the public, I was lucky to join the WestJet family .Working for an airline has always been my dream and I strongly believe that by taking the Tourism & Travel Program, it made my dream come true. Jocelyn Jewett - WestJetIgraduated from the Travel and Tourism Program at Confederation College, I was employed as a Junior Travel Counselor for the Ministry of Tourism and as a part time Passenger Service Agent at Bearskin Airlines. I was then offered a full time Travel Counselor position with the Northern Tourism Marketing Company, before being offered the career of a lifetime with Westjet. I have now been employed as a Customer Service Agent with Westjet (one of Canada's Top 100 employers) for 10 months, and have loved every minute of it. The Tourism and Travel Program helped with my career path by offering me the knowledge and experience needed to excel in the Tourism field. Fares and Ticketing, Computer Reservation Systems and Travel Geography are only some of the programs that have assisted me along the way. Thank You Confederation College, particularly Giannina Veltri and Rod Coates for helping me become the person I am today!!! Aki Ewacha - Air CanadaI came from Japan to Confederation College in 1992 so that I could learn English. I stayed for one-and-a-half years. During my stay I took E.S.L. (English as a Second Language) |
The tour is designed to be full of fun things to do including city walks, whale watching in Tadoussac, a 1000 islands boat tour in Rockport, hiking in Algonquin and white water rafting on the Ottawa River. (All of which I get to partake in!)
During the summer of 2006, I took a job with the City of Thunder Bay (also my co-op) at the Terry Fox Visitor Information Center as a Junior Travel Counselor. I was surprised to find that I developed a passion for in-bound tourism during my time there. As I learned more about our Region and experienced all that Thunder Bay had to offer during my training, I discovered a hidden secret about myself: I was excited about counselling visitors to our area about all the things we have here!
Aviation at the Thunder Bay Airport was looking for people from the Tourism & Travel - Adventure & Ecotourism program to hire to be Customer Service Agents. Maintair was contracted with Sunwing Airlines, and Skyservice to provide the flights to Cuba and Cancun for the winter of 2006. The ground handling manager was looking to give students from the Tourism and Aviation programs a "foot-in-the-door" into the airline industry in Thunder Bay. I interviewed and was hired in November of 2005 and started working in January of 2006, completing the seasonal employment when the direct flights stopped in April of 2006.
I got my first job was as a security screener at Thunder Bay Airport in 1995. Subesquently I went to work for Mesaba Airline/Northwest Airlink in Sept. 1996 as a Customer Service Agent in Thunder Bay. Then a position opened up at Canadian Regional Airlines in Thunder Bay and I was hired as s Customer Service Agent in March 1998. This job gave me the opportunity to travel and visit Detroit, MI in October 2000. There I assisted the customer service agents in providing 4 daily flights to Toronto. It was a good experience in meeting new people and working on the front lines of customer service.
and some courses in Tourism and Travel. I completed ESL in 1994 along with some more Tourism and Travel courses. After completing ESL, I went home to Japan until I returned in 1997. Before I came to Canada in 1992 I was already working in an airline company and also a travel agency. My main goal was to learn English because it is important to speak English while working in the travel industry.