The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) has teamed up with My First Job to launch The Travel Gap, a new program designed to help grow the sector’s future talent pipeline.
The initiative offers a structured, paid 29-week pathway for school leavers, providing them with hands-on placements across the travel industry.
Participants will complete four distinct six-week placements punctuated by ‘travel breaks’ to explore Australia, with support from partners like Virgin Australia.
“Travel is one of Australia’s most dynamic service industries – but we need to do a better job of showing the next generation what’s possible,” ATIA CEO Dean Long said.
“The Travel Gap helps make travel ‘real’ through structured, paid opportunities, practical learning and direct access to the people and businesses that power this sector.”
My First Job founder and former Accommodation Association COO Cass Champion said the program “gives young people a supported way to…discover the range of roles travel can offer, while helping employers welcome and develop emerging talent”.
The first cohort of participants – Kyah, Monty, Phi and Mya – have already completed an ‘immersion week’ in Melbourne, which included attending Entire Travel Group’s Travel Showcase & Soirée.
They have now begun rotating through diverse roles with host employers including Sonia Jones Travel, Connections Travel Group, Clean Cruising, RAA, CTM, Platinum Travel Group and Intrepid Travel.
