ITB Career Center: The ideal marketplace for tomorrow’s tourism professionals

ITB Career Center features wide-ranging information on university courses, starting a career and advanced training – The German Federal Employment Agency is the exclusive partner again – The ITB Berlin Convention features the Young Professionals Day and a new event: the Company Slam

Berlin, 25 January 2018 – In search of tomorrow’s talents: this year, the ITB Career Center is again offering students, graduates and those in search of a new career all kinds of opportunities to find out about their job chances in the tourism industry. The place to head is hall 11.1, where more than 50 national and international exhibitors will be represented, including universities, colleges and professional academies presenting tourism and advanced training courses, as well as employers in search of industry newcomers. This year, international participation in the hall will be even higher than in past years. Universities from Hong Kong and Latvia will be represented for the first time. On Thursday, 8 March 2018 and on Saturday, 10 March 2018 at an elevator pitch presenting bachelor’s and master’s degree courses, visitors can get a first impression of the universities and their academic studies.

On Friday, 9 March 2018 from 5 to 5.45 p.m. ITB Berlin will be celebrating a debut with the Company Slam, a new and innovative format at the show which gives company representatives 90 seconds to introduce themselves in an original and creative manner. At the networking event afterwards visitors will be able to meet and talk to speakers and find out more about their companies.

The German Federal Employment Agency is the exclusive partner of the ITB Career Center

As in 2017 the German Federal Employment Agency is the exclusive partner of the ITB Career Center. Occupying an area of 300 square metres it will provide a platform for jobseekers looking for a career in the industry. Among the services on offer will be free career advice on the agency’s stand. During the fair visitors can obtain make-up and styling for the perfect job application photo. At neighbouring counters numerous potential employers will be on hand to answer jobseekers’ questions. Visitors can also find out about their chances of an industry career from the ITB Job Wall which will have over 100 job vacancies.

The strong involvement of the the German Federal Employment Agency at the ITB Career Center is a reflection of how important the tourism industry is for the German economy. A study by the Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry (BTW) showed that a total of three million people work in the tourism industry, while its turnover is 290 billion euros, approximately four per cent of GVA. One in 15 jobs in Germany is in the tourism industry. The German Federal Employment Agency regards the ITB Career Center as an ideal platform where those seeking a career or a change in their lives can make direct personal contact with employers. This lets companies and potential applicants get a first-hand impression of each other, something a written or online application cannot provide.

While alpetour, DER Touristik and the Sixt car hire company will be exhibiting on their own stands over the five days of the show, at the German Federal Employment Agency companies will be moving back and forth. Employers available to visitors for information on individual days will include AccorHotels, Adina Apartments, Flyline, Hamburg Cruise Net and Viking Cruises. Visitors can find out which exhibitors will be present on which days at www.itb-berlin.com/career.

Useful information at the Young Professionals Day at the ITB Berlin Convention

The programme of stage events at the ITB Berlin Convention will round off the wide range of information on offer at the ITB Career Center. This is where leading speakers will be giving tourism industry newcomers valuable suggestions for their future careers. On 7 March 2018 the focus will be on the Young Professionals Day. Bruce Poon Tip, founder of G Adventure, will hold a keynote speech on ‘Purpose, Happiness and Connection: Guarantees for professional Success in the Tourism Industry?’. Under the heading of ’Young, clever and successful’ Konstantin Sixt, chairman of Sixt, will highlight career opportunities in the tourism industry, and in the context of key qualifications for future tourism professionals Michael Buller, chairman of VIR, will ask ‘Is Coding the new English?’. Full details and additional information can be found on the website of the ITB Berlin Convention: itb-convention.com/program.