After more than 20 years working in sales and customer service, Suzanne Bain wasn’t sure returning to study would be for her.
“It was certainly overwhelming,” she recalls. “After being away from formal education for so long, I wasn’t sure if I could do it.”
Today, she’s a confident Travel Sales Consultant with RAA Travel, having successfully completed a Certificate III in Travel through an iTFE traineeship, proving it’s never too late to change your professional trajectory.
Suzanne previously worked in a local surf and skate store in Christie’s Beach, South Australia. She spent 11 years building strong customer relationships but despite ‘absolutely loving’ her time there, she recognised there was limited opportunity for growth. Looking for a new challenge, she transitioned into travel, a field she had long been passionate about.
Joining RAA Travel in October 2023, Suzanne quickly made her mark. Within three months, she ranked among the top trainees nationally for sales achievement, and her team was later recognised as Travel Store of the Year.
An opportunity to undertake a Certificate III in Travel through iTFE (part of the IntoWork Group) soon followed – a step she embraced, despite initial nerves about returning to study after so long.
What made the difference was the structure and support of the traineeship model.
“The way the traineeship is programmed showed me that it’s definitely achievable,” Suzanne said. “It made me realise it’s not too late.”
Balancing part-time work with study required discipline, but Suzanne credits the built-in flexibility and guidance from trainers and her workplace for helping her stay on track. The practical nature of the training meant she could immediately apply her learning, building confidence in areas like managing complex itineraries, understanding travel risks and supporting clients through challenging situations.
Suzanne soon realised that travel isn’t always about holidays and her empathetic nature has proven an asset to her team.
“Sometimes people are travelling for really sensitive or difficult reasons,” she explains. “You need to be able to support them and make sure everything is taken care of. I do like to have that personal connection with people. To treat my customers as if they were one of my family and make sure they have everything they need.”
This perspective has shaped her approach, putting clear communication and strong customer care at the centre of her work. The traineeship has helped build her confidence and reinforced her belief in the value of continued learning.
“At first, I used to find it a little daunting how vastly different each day could be. But now that’s something I’ve come to really enjoy,” Suzanne said. “It’s so interesting. The world is a pretty big place, so it’s become one of my favourite things to keep learning about the many possibilities that travel can bring.”
