To make it possible to find the job of one's dreams or take a first step on the career ladder the ITB CareerCenter is providing a wide-ranging platform in Hall 5.1 for students and career starters with experience in tourism. This is where universities from Germany and abroad, technical colleges, job academies, scientific institutes and other service providers will be exhibiting their products and services. Qualified personnel managers from leading tourism companies will be inviting job seekers and career planners to meet with them for advice. Professional support and expert advice will also be given to career seekers putting together their job applications. At the world’s leading travel trade show internet terminals and a job vacancy board with an overview of job vacancies around the globe will be available for the entire duration of the event. Those in search of a career at sea can obtain first-hand information at the stand of MeerArbeit. The employment agency in Suhl specialises in procuring qualified staff for cruise ships and shipping companies and has signed an exclusive agreement cooperating with nearly every cruise tour operator. Experts from the tour operators G&P Cruise Hotel Management GmbH, sea chefs Cruise Services GmbH, Columbia Ship Management, Connect worldwide Bremerhaven and Costa Crociere Genova will be taking part in a public debate.

Working where others go on holiday

For newcomers and those who already work in the hotel industry, restaurants, catering and the tourism sector the ITB Job Exchange powered by YOURCAREERGROUP will be the main meeting place at the show. In a relaxed and informal atmosphere personnel managers from leading tourism companies will be inviting job seekers to meet with them for advice and will have information on current job vacancies. Among the companies represented will be the tourism division of REWE Group, Arcadia Hotels, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Booking.com, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, the European Hotel Academy, Club Med, FTI Group, Maritim Hotels, Marriott International, Robinson Club, Schmetterling Reisen, solamento Reisen, Steigenberger Hotel Group, Unister (ab-in-den-urlaub.de) and vamos Eltern-Kind-Reisen. For the first time the trade publication Allgemeine Hotel- und Gastronomie-Zeitung (AHGZ) will be presenting its job portal called Jobsterne at its own stand in Hall 5.1.

Focus on the latest career topics
The presentation stage in Hall 5.1. will be the main place to meet, which is where speakers from technical colleges and universities will be holding specialist papers about courses and the tourism sector on all five days of the show. On Wednesday, 7 March 2012 the programme of stage events kicks off with the ITB Young Professional Day. High-ranking speakers from politics, the tourism industry and science will provide career starters and students with pointers and thought-provoking ideas on how to organise their future careers. Concluding the event will be the ITB Tourism Studies Award of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Tourismuswissenschaft (DGT), which will be presented to five young international scientists. On Thursday, 8 March 2012 the hotel industry event for career starters goes into its second round. At a panel discussion on Friday, 9 March 2012, the focus will be on papers from scientists. Topics will include embarking on a career, as well as job opportunities and career prospects in the hotel industry. Among those taking part will be Prof. Dr. Lothar Bildat, EBC Hochschule, Hamburg, who will talk about “making staff choices at hotel and tourism management level: why job experience and references are not enough“.