|
I am an educator at a CITC endorsed travel program.
If my students simply have to pass the new Travel Counsellor
Exam, does this render my Travel program irrelevant? |
| A |
No. The TICO Education Standards test knowledge of The
Travel Industry Act, 2002 and Ontario Regulation 26/05.
They do not test basic travel knowledge. Employers looking
for well-educated entry-level staff will still choose graduates
of endorsed travel programs, where a full, rounded knowledge
of the travel industry is provided.
|
|
Can I include training
for TICO's Education Standard requirements in my curriculum?
|
| A |
Yes – and this is highly recommended.
|
|
Can my students write the Travel
Counsellor Exam prior to graduation
so they can apply for positions in the
industry with their "pass"
letter? |
| A |
Yes. CITC will work with Ontario Travel Programs so the students
can be tested prior to graduation.
|
|
After
July 1, 2009, if my students are involved in a work placement
and are asked to answer questions from consumers, are they allowed
to do this without having first passed the Travel Counsellor
Exam? |
| A |
No. The Students would be required to have already passed
the Travel Counsellor Exam prior to any work placements where
they will be dealing with the public and selling travel services
to consumers.
|
|
We
have a "simulated" travel agency in our travel program,
which is open to consumers. While students give travel advice
under the supervision of an educator, the consumers must go
to a travel agency to actually purchase any travel services.
In this case, must the students have passed the Travel Counsellor
Exam before they can 'deal with the public'? |
| A |
As long as no travel services are being sold and no remuneration
is being received, the students would not be required to have
passed the Travel Counsellor Exam. The simulated travel agency
is a mock environment where the students can practice advising
consumers about travel services. If the consumer decides to
go to a travel agency to actually book a trip, the travel agent
will be responsible for ensuring that the individual is provided
with all the required information and disclosures as they would
with any other booking.
|
|
As
an Educator, I am teaching students about the Travel Counsellor
Exam. Am I required to pass the Travel Counsellor Exam? |
| A |
If you are only teaching students and are not involved in
the actual selling of travel services, you would not be required
to pass the Travel Counsellor Exam. However in the spirit of
'leadership by example' and to appreciate the Travel Counsellor
Exam process, educators and instructors are encouraged to write
the exam.
|
|
I represent (or would like to offer) a Proctored Venue as a convenience for candidates to write the TICO exam(s). What procedures do I need to follow?
|
| A |
1) Listing your Proctored Venue
Contact CITC (ticotest@citc.ca) to let us know that you would like to have your school listed. We will ask you to provide up to three PDF's.
- The first PDF should cover any procedures you would like candidates to follow, including the dates and times on which you are offering your venue, whether parking is available, whether there are specific rules that you wish the candidates to know in advance (eg no food or drink), as well as any fee that you may be charging to cover administration costs;
- a second PDF to include a registration form that you may wish candidates to use when applying to write at your venue; and
- a third PDF showing either a Map of how to travel to your venue or, if in a campus situation, how to go directly to the building in which the exam is taking place.
2) Procedures for Proctored Venues to Follow:
- Venue publishes their exam dates, times, fees – which are then posted on the TICo and CITC websites
- Venue asks the proctor(s) that the venue wishes to use, to fill out the proctor application form, found in the Proctor Guide. The application may be faxed or emailed to CITC for approval
- CITC formally approves the proctor (s). CITC will keep this information on file in case the same proctors wish to proctor other exams.
- An exam candidate chooses to use the services of your venue (as opposed to making their own exam-writing arrangements).
- The candidate registers for the exam with CITC and adds your venue as the exam location, and the name of your venue proctor, as the exam proctor. The exam fee is paid to CITC
- The candidate then fills out the venue application and pays any administration fees that the venue is charging, directly to the venue.
- CITC process the candidate's registration and secures an exam password
- CITC sends an email to the candidate confirming the date and location of the exam
- CITC dialogues with the approved proctor--sends the proctor the exam candidate passwords and reviews any other details that the proctor may need to know for the exam writing
- The candidate shows up on exam day, at the appointed time, at the venue and writes the exam
- That same day, or the next business day, the proctor faxes the Candidate log to CITC
- CITC deals directly with the candidate from then on.
PLEASE NOTE:
The Venue should read the Proctor Guide – as well as the FAQ on the TICO exam pages--in order to fully understand the process
Also, please note that exam candidates do not have to write at a proctored venue. They are free to write the TICO exam(s) any place they choose and any time they choose, as long as they have followed the proper registration procedure. Proctored Venues are only a convenience for candidates who prefer not to make their own exam arrangements.
|
