ITT Future You ‘On The Road’ returned to Belfast yesterday (Monday 27th November) providing NI Travel and Tourism students with an immersive insight into the industry.
The event took place at the world-class ICC Belfast, with 400 Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality students from across the region in attendance.
Claire Steiner, Co-Founder, and Chairperson of ITT spoke the the significance of the event returning to Belfast, “This is our second event now in Northern Ireland, the team are so happy as it looks like it’s going to become a regular thing.”
Steiner continued, “I think giving young people the opportunity to be in ICC Belfast, a business setting, for this career expo is really important. This gives students the sense of the industry we are discussing which is events, tourism and hospitality. It’s so important that the students are living it rather than just listening to it.”
The ITT Future You Career Expo was organised by Belfast Metropolitan College and organised by Belfast Met’s Events Management Students alongside with their lecturer, Cate Murdock.
Speaking on the success of the event, Cate Murdock expressed, “ITT Future You 2023 was such a success with 400 students attended the event doubled in size from last year!”
At ITT Future You, students and apprentices got the opportunity to hear from a range of guest speakers, who provided valuable insight into career opportunities within the Travel and Tourism Industry. Guest Speakers provided students with details of their own career progression, and tips based on their own experience within the Travel and Tourism Industry.
Guest Speakers included:
- Eimear Callaghan, Head of Programmes at Tourism Northern Ireland
- Lee Ainsworth, Head of Operations at The Advantage Travel Partnership
- Dave Young, Head of Production at ICC Belfast
- Rory King, Irish Independent’s Top Travel Influencer 2023.
Following the guest speakers, a panel session took place where students got to hear from recent graduates who are pathing their career in the Northern Irish Travel and Tourism Sector.
Panelists included:
- Andreea Suciu, NI Travel and Tourism Student of the Year 2023.
- Juliana Roche, Events Management Graduate kickstarting a career in ICC Belfast.
- Daniel Wake, Degree Apprentice of the Year Finalist.
Alongside the speakers and panelists, students had the opportunity to meet and chat with notable companies in the Travel and Tourism Industry. Exhibitors included, NI Travel News, Stenaline, Hastings Hotels, Titanic Belfast, Translink, Tourism Northern Ireland, Swissport, Game of Thrones Studio Tours, and Galgorm Collection.