SERVICE OFFERED TO STUDENTS
CAREER ADVICE:
The institute provides career advice and guidance to students in collaboration with experts from the tourism industry. The institute has links in the industry and once on a while recommend students to work for placement and filling vacancies in different establishments within the tourism industry. Courses are linked with the industry to ensure all students are provided with relevant and practical programmes to enable them progress into employment. One-to-one career guidance is also offered to each student throughout their courses.
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME:
In 2004 a scholarship programme was developed between South Nottingham College and ITTOG. This was to allow Gambian students the opportunity to study Travel and Tourism at South Nottingham College. The students study the BTEC Level 3 Travel and Tourism course enabling them to gain an understanding of the key aspects and developments. ITTOG was also a partner to a LBU and Commonwealth scholarship for 23 West Africans. ITTOG continues to pursue scholarship possibilities through the Commonwealth with LBU.
Today, ITTOG provides scholarships to needy students with priority given to girl students through a philanthropic programme by some lecturers at Leeds Beckett University and some Gambian companies like TAF and TRUST BANK LTD.
LIBRARY SERVICES:
The institute’s Library and learning resources service plays a key role in helping to support students. The library is well stocked with books, journals, travel magazines, specialist materials by our staff, reference materials etc. relevant to higher education programmes.
VISITING LECTURERS:
ITTOG believes in not limiting students to the guidance of its lecturers, but deems it crucial to blend the learning environment with the ideas, experience and vast knowledge of professional tourism gurus who have,worked locally and internationally within the tourism and hospitality industry for many years. Over the years, this initiative has given ITTOG students the opportunity to meet some of their role models and have met people who have inspired them to see the tourism industry as one with great potentials and enormous career opportunities.
CAMP AFRICA -RESIDENTIAL STUDY VISITS:
Camp Africa was established in 2010. Students are taken on residential study visits within and outside the Gambia which provides a good opportunity for cross cultural exchanges and to experience tourism development in other places. The visits are also used to assess students’ skills in Event Planning, Tour Guiding and Tour Reps, Marketing, Customer Service, Community Based Tourism, among others.
STUDENT TRACKING
The student database allows us to follow up with students’ progress after graduating from ITTOG. Over the years, ITTOG has used its connections to enable students to be offered placements in various businesses within and outside the tourism industry such as; hotels, travel agencies, supermarkets, restaurants, GSM operating companies, leisure centres, banks and so on. This however, has made it possible for employees to see great potentials in some of the students and offer them to remain working in their organisations. Also, ITTOG has been able to retain some of its students to become members of staff at the institute.
COOPERATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY INVOLVEMENT
As part of meeting it’s cooperate social responsibility, ITTOG annually visits the Tanka Tanka Psychiatric hospital to donate some items to the patients residing at the hospital. Students are given the opportunity to be part of the delegation and get involved in some activities such as; dancing, singing, drawing and colouring with the mentally challenged patients to boost their morale with the aim of assisting towards reintegrating them into society. Through its link with Central College Nottingham, ITTOG offers assistance to villages such as Tumani Tenda in the form of donating sports materials for football teams, cloths, and other materials.
STUDENT FEEDBACK
Students play a key role in the College’s processes for assuring the quality of its provision. At ITTOG we gather information on the quality of the learning experience though three surveys we conduct every year (Beginning of Course, On-course and End of Course surveys). Students are invited to provide feedback on each course that they take at the College via a Course Evaluation Questionnaire. We make sure that they are aware of the value of the exercise and give them guidance about how to complete the questionnaire correctly and be reassured that the process is anonymous.The areas covered in this survey include course organisation (administrative frame work), Course presentation (Teaching) and any other comments.
VOLUNTEERING
ITTOG IS THE LOCAL PARTNER OF PEOPLE AND PLACES IN THE GAMBIA.
https://travel-peopleandplaces.co.uk
In addition to providing these volunteers to ASSERT Mary’s Little Lambs, TTOG also receives volunteers from our Volunteering Partner- People and Places based in UK. These volunteers spend an average of 4 weeks offering their services in forms of training and guidance in areas ITTOG deems necessary.
ICRT-WEST AFRICA:
INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR RESPONSIBLE TOURISM- WEST AFRICA IS A BODY WITH ITTOG
https://www.icrtwestafrica.org
West Africa comprises 15 countries. Senegal, Gambia, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Benin, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Burkina-Faso make up the region.
Within each of these countries it is possible to find up to 10 ethnic groups, all speaking different languages, and with slightly different ways of interpreting their environment through belief systems and cultural heritage.
ITTOG wants to capture this diversity to work with other West African tourism organisations to help build the capacity of professionals within the region.