Rosina Rieter misses her family and Napier’s small town vibe but is also savouring Sydney’s big city lifestyle.

Rosina is one of many returning to Hawke’s Bay to take part in EIT’s Graduation ceremony on Friday, 23 March.  The 22-year-old is eagerly anticipating the formal event, where she will be conferred with a Diploma in Tourism and Travel – a qualification that appealed when she arrived back in New Zealand after her “big OE”.   

“I had the travel bug,” she explains, “and wanted to study something I loved and that would help me start an exciting career.”

And that’s exactly how it’s playing out.  Sharing an apartment with her sister near trendy Bondi Beach, Rosina works for a travel agency in the “very ritzy” Double Bay – a vibrant harbour-side suburb packed with stunning cafes, restaurants and high-end shops. 

Her job is both challenging and varied.

 “I do different tasks every day, ranging from booking travel, helping in the leisure department, entering data for new accounts, viewing hotels in the city centre to attending functions with clients.”  

Already she has found some aspects of the job can be decidedly glamorous.

“Recently I went to a cocktail party held by our company in the revolving 360 tower in the city.”

While embracing the bustle, she unwinds with weekends at the beach and enjoys exploring different areas on foot, particularly the Eastern suburbs.   Easing into her job, she is drawing on information taught on her diploma programme – which she feels equips her well for her role in the travel industry.  

“My tutors always supported me and were very knowledgeable, so I felt like I came out of the course with a good understanding.   I’m working in a team of corporate agents who have many years in the industry and am learning so much still which is an aspect I love about this industry.”

Rosina also loved her two years of tertiary study, choosing EIT on its reputation and because its smaller classes offer a personalised approach and tutors provide the one-on-one attention that helped her to achieve great marks.

“It’s located in a small town with all the perks of a big university,” she enthuses of EIT.

An added attraction of attending graduation is the opportunity it provides for Rosina to catch up with life-long friends made while studying.   And when the celebrations are finally over, she will be heading back across the Tasman to further her career amid the bright lights and the many attractions of Sydney.