The winner of New Zealand’s "dream job’" says her studies gave her a distinct advantage over other candidates in the competition.
Nicquel Rhoden, a final-year student at UQ’s School of Tourism, said she was thrilled to win.
"It was definitely my uni studies in tourism that set me apart, because the organisers told me I was the best qualified of the final three candidates,’’ Ms Rhoden, 20, said.
"It was a huge advantage that I was a student in the industry.’’
Ms Rhoden beat more than 300 others to win the competition, run by a New Zealand travel company. She will spend three months in New Zealand from February 2010, blogging her experiences to promote the country.
"I’m really looking forward to it. One of the great things about studying with the School of Tourism at UQ has been that my courses have combined academic learning with hands-on industry experience,’’ Ms Rhoden said.
"At the end of September I will join a group of students working in the Scenic Rim as part of the School’s Tourism Regional Internship Program (TRIP) – and that’s the sort of experience that will help me when I head to New Zealand.’’
Ms Rhoden has visited the land of the long white cloud before, but is looking forward to exploring glaciers and the North Island.
"I’ve only been to the South Island, so I’m really interested to see the difference,’’ she said.
Note to eds: Nicquel Rhoden is available for interviews and photographs. For more information phone School of Tourism Media Officer Jodie Powell on 0409 946 796.
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