Professional roles in the tourism industry.

Siulua Tokilupe Latu

The thought of going overseas to study in New Zealand excited Siulua Tokilupe Latu and gave her the chance to gain a bachelor’s degree much faster than if she’d stayed in Tonga.

The 31 year-old had previously enrolled with a South Pacific tertiary provider but with only two semesters on offer, and the number of papers she needed to complete to pass high school certificate before even starting undergraduate studies, it was going to take many years before she could graduate and find a meaningful job.

“I was desperate for education so hearing about AIS and that they offer three semesters was great news for me. I was so happy and relieved knowing that I could finish my studies in New Zealand and get a bachelor's degree from AIS quicker than if I studied at home.”

Siulua completed a one year tourism diploma at Tonga Institute of Higher Education (TIHE) before arriving in New Zealand. Receiving full transfer of credits, it then took 18 months to complete her Bachelor of Tourism Management. She says AIS was the “best experience” and the institute's Māori and Pacific Islands (MPI) Association gave her the chance to travel and attend conferences, competitions and leadership programmes around New Zealand.

“The experience I gained from these activities are memorable life lessons. To be part of welcoming different cultures to AIS and catering for them was the best experience I’ve had and taught me key skills about the tourism and hospitality industry.”

She particularly enjoyed studying at the AIS Asquith campus, saying her lecturers, heads of department and even security guards treated her like family. “The support they gave us was friendly and encouraging, especially during after hours study in the lab, exercising at the gym, relaxing at the cafeteria or in the atrium. Everyone was very supportive and caring.”

Siulua’s AIS degree helped her secure a sought-after government job when she returned home to Tonga. She is now a Planning Officer for the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (known as MEIDECC for short). “The experience and skills that AIS taught me through presentation assignments, leadership roles and other opportunities helped. I managed to express myself during the interview and I think that’s why they chose me for a planner.”

Kalolaine Sikuvea

Kalolaine completed her Bachelor of Tourism Management at AIS in December 2012 and currently works at Pasifika Consulting, an Auckland-based employment support agency, as an employment placement officer.

Originally from Nuku’alofa, Tonga, Kalolaine first got a taste of New Zealand education at a young age, while studying at Auckland Girls Grammar School. She later returned to Tonga and worked full-time as a check-in agent at Fua’amotu International Airport; this was her first ever job and her first exposure to customer service. While working at the airport, Kalolaine studied evenings at the University of South Pacific to complete her Diploma in Management Studies. To add to the busy schedule, it was around this time that she also started a family.

Having worked in customer service for four years, and having gained her management qualification, Kalolaine moved on to work as an office administrator for Nautilus Minerals Tonga, an underwater mineral exploration company headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Two years later, on work leave, she took her family to New Zealand for a vacation.

“That’s when we started thinking. We decided to continue on with my studies to have a better future not only for myself, but for my children and my family.”

Kalolaine enrolled at AIS in May 2011 by cross-crediting her previous qualification from the University of South Pacific. Her husband came along and worked in New Zealand to support her studies paying by instalments; the kids stayed back in Tonga and were looked after by her family. It wasn’t easy.

“I didn’t know I was going to make it. It was hard financially and emotionally.

“The supportive environment at AIS helped me strive and succeed in my studies; and thinking of my kids and my background is what encouraged me to do well.”

She studied BTM for one and a half years instead of the regular three thanks to cross credits.

“It was a good experience for me. I had previous customer service experience, but studying the BTM helped me develop my skills further. It enabled me to work better with customers and unlock my full potential.”

Upon graduating, Kalolaine began her search for work. This didn’t last long. Her cousin recommended that she apply for a position at Pasifika Consulting.

“I said, well, I’ll just give it a try.

“They called me the next day and told me to come in for an interview.”

She passed the interview stage. The next step was to give a presentation. Luckily, Kalolaine already had a lot of experience at AIS.

“I didn’t expect to have to give a presentation, but it was easy for me because of what I’d learned at AIS. 

“It was the highlight of my interview. They hadn’t seen anyone with the skills and confidence that I had when I presented, and I got the job.

“When I talked with the interviewers later, they said most people who come for an interview don’t do well at the presentation stage. But AIS equipped me well with what I needed to know.”

Six months into her employment, Kalolaine asked the company to help her with a job offer.

“The answer I got was yes. I could do it straight away. I got my residency before my job search visa expired."

Her husband also has a stable job and now their two children have joined them in New Zealand.

“Now that I’m here, all the hard work has been worth it.”

Anandita Danaatmadja

Being able to apply skills acquired from a degree towards a fulfilling job is something that many people aim to achieve. For Anandita Danaatmadja - also known as Nandy - that’s exactly what he accomplished. Nandy is the current North Island Regional Operations Manager, for the New Zealand branch of Magic Memories, a tourism photography business. In this industry, Nandy has flourished from starting as an intern to now being an experienced regional manager.

After some thorough research into studies for tourism, Nandy found AIS to be the best bet. He chose it as it’s one of the largest private institutions in New Zealand, and it’s also NZQA-approved. Another bonus was that the graduate diploma spanned only a year - the perfect stepping stone towards a career in the industry.

Looking back on his studies, Nandy holds the supportive environment at AIS in great regard.

“I had a really good lecturer who helped students by drawing on experience and providing tips and tricks on how to work in New Zealand in a real-life situation.”

Nandy especially appreciates the familiarisation visits that the lecturer took them on as part of the degree - glow worm caves and Waiheke Island were two examples, providing a first-hand insight into how tourism in New Zealand operated on a daily basis.

To further emphasise the supportive environment, Nandy considers the short-term industry practice that comprised part of his year-long studies an important module of his diploma. For Nandy, this was completed at Magic Memories, a place where he was working part-time, thus combining work and study in his programme. This industry practice, along with a research module, set up the fundamental knowledge that Nandy needed to understand exactly how a real work environment in New Zealand would be like.

Having achieved his graduate diploma at AIS, Nandy was now able to work full-time. Due to both his work experience at Magic Memories, and the newly-acquired qualification, he was quickly promoted to a managerial position at the Wellington branch.

From there, promotion followed promotion, until his role expanded into the regional manager job he has today. However, Nandy remains completely humble as he talks about his real world success. 

“AIS is some kind of key, to unlock opportunities and doors, to have a career and live in New Zealand. It’s not an easy path, but it’s one of the stepping stones to get there.”