Passionate tourism student encourages fellow scholars to dream big
Colombian student Carlos Garcia is using his enthusiasm for tourism to lead a project in which students can start a business with Intrepid's day tour company Urban Adventures.
Having had such a positive experience to express himself via his work as Global Sales Assistant at Urban Adventures, Carlos is keen to encourage other students to step up and grab the opportunities that are waiting in the world of travel.
At William Angliss Institute, Carlos completed his Advanced Diploma in Travel and Tourism, and commenced his Bachelor's degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management.
"At William Angliss Institute, you get a combination of both theoretical training and practical experience. In doing my Advanced Diploma and then my Bachelor's degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management at William Angliss, I have been fortunate to have some incredible practical experiences that are backed up with my theoretical knowledge.
Carlos said he saw an interesting blog about Colombia by Intrepid Travel and replied to the blog post asking if he could interview the authors and was given the opportunity to start as an intern at the Melbourne-based global adventure travel company, where he met Tony Carne, the General Manager for Urban Adventures.
"Tony gave me the opportunity to start a business with Urban Adventures in Santiago, Chile, after only one year of study. The training was comprehensive and lot of (necessary) hoops to jump through but all worth it because Urban Adventures helps you to think about things that may not have crossed your mind, especially in terms operations, safety and responsible travel. I didn't go to Chile to operate the business myself, but instead I had a friend who was running the tours while I was still studying at the Institute and also managing the start-up. It was a great experience and it came at the right time, when I had to create a business plan for a company as part of my Advanced Diploma.
"I know some of my friends who are studying feel like there is a gap between them and the real world - for me, there was no gap; I was both learning how to prepare myself for the real world and applying it at the same time.
"Plus I also got to live in London over the summer and had my first business trip to Mallorca in Spain, to visit a client and forge a better relationship between both companies. I am only 22 years old but my age has never stopped me from looking for opportunities to grow — and studying at William Angliss Institute, gave me these opportunities for these experiences while I am studying.
"I chose to study at William Angliss Institute because of its international reputation as a specialist centre which delivers incredible practical experiences that are backed up with theoretical knowledge," Carlos said.
Urban Adventures is a division of Intrepid Travel, a global leader in sustainable travel which specialises in a new style of travel experience for those who want to get off the beaten path and really connect with a destination.
Apply before 7 February 2020 to join our upcoming intake. To learn more about our Travel and Tourism courses click here. You can also tour the campus with one of our Future Student Advisors, to book an appointment, click here.
