What does a career in tourism actually look like? For six students from Bundaberg State High School, a few days in Brisbane offered the chance to find out.

Through QTIC’s Gateway to Industry Schools Program, the tourism students swapped the classroom for hotels, kitchens and some of Brisbane’s best-known visitor precincts, meeting the people behind the experiences along the way.

At Crystalbrook Vincent, People & Culture Manager Sarah Miller took the group behind the scenes to see what goes into running a hotel. Students then rolled up their sleeves for pizza and mocktail making before sitting down with General Manager Shaun Allen to hear about the many different paths a career in hospitality can take.

The experience continued beyond the hotel, with a scavenger hunt through South Bank and Brisbane City, a catch-up with Young Tourism Leader Cameron Bealing and a visit to QTIC HQ to learn more about the wider tourism industry.

For Program Manager Molly Dobbins, experiences like these are about making tourism careers feel real and achievable.

“Students can hear about tourism careers in the classroom, but it’s completely different when they walk into a business, meet the people doing the jobs and see just how many opportunities are around them,” Molly said.

“That’s why having operators involved is so valuable. A conversation, a behind-the-scenes tour or the chance to try something new can be the moment that sparks a young person’s interest in our industry.”

QTIC works closely with schools and tourism businesses to create these opportunities, helping young Queenslanders see the breadth of careers available while building stronger connections between classrooms and industry.

And for operators, it’s a chance to help shape tourism’s future workforce by showing the next generation just how rewarding a career in our industry can be.

The Gateway to Industry Schools Program is proudly supported and funded by the Queensland Government.