Stories

From People Planner to Finance and forklift driving in between, Josh Pollok turned his COVID downtime into a learning experience..

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 02:00:00 +0000

Josh Pollok joined FCTG in 2019 as part of the People Planner team. Being one of the first members of the then brand new team, Josh’s previous role aimed to engage, educate and support Team Leader’s to effectively rostering for their store. As stores and brands closed, his workload began to shrink and Josh was stood down in May 2020 before later being made redundant .

Leaving his role in the Peopleworks team gave Josh the chance to try out some new things.

“I got myself a forklift licence and did a lot of manual work towards the end of 2020 - a very different work day to what I was used to at Flight centre HQ!” he recalls.

“At the time, so many people were being stood down across our industry and many others so jobs were limited and I knew I had to look at different ways to make money and upskill.”

As the new year approached, so too did the opportunity to apply for a completely different role as an accountant in United Finance. Although Josh had previously studied Accounting as part of his Business degree, what attracted Josh most to the new role was the opportunity to experience a different side of the business, while continuing to strengthen his relationships with stores.

“I really enjoyed the FCTG culture during my previous role, and I'd made a lot of good relationships. Rejoining the culture and reconnecting with all the friends I had made was definitely a big motive for me to apply.”

January 2021 saw Josh come back to the family in his new role as an accountant, 9 months after his redundancy.

While he has only been with FCTG for a relatively short time, Josh can still reflect on all the memories of his time as a firm reason to stay around a bit longer.

“My favourite memories of FCTG are from Christmas 2019, making the most of working over the holiday season by celebrating with my team. My first week back was the best first week I've had in a new job because it was great to see so many familiar faces,” Josh said.

Josh’s new role has opened the door to a potential career that he had never before envisioned for himself and has since enrolled in multiple finance courses at university to further develop his skills.

Having left and returned to the FCTG family twice, Kristy knows better than anyone what keeps people coming back

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 02:00:00 +0000

Kristy Fennell is a 17 year Flightie veteran with a career progression evolving from retail to corporate. Having left and returned to the FCTG family twice, Kristy knows better than anyone what keeps people coming back…

Kristy started her travel career as a retail novice in 2003 at Flight Centre Cannon Hill in Queensland, before quickly moving through the ranks from FTL to a TL role at FC King George Square. After three years in retail, she heard about a sales BDM role going in Flight Centre Business Travel (FCBT) and thought it sounded like her perfect role.

Having secured the BDM role with FCBT, Kristy was now entrenched in the corporate arm of the business and before long, with FCBT merging into FCM and Corporate Traveller, Kristy found herself playing with the big players of town and loving it.

Over the ensuing years, Kristy moved from TL to State Sales Leader, Regional Sales Leader and then National Sales Leader of Corporate Traveller.

In late 2020, she returned from a COVID redundancy as the Operations Manager at AVMIN, a brand she argues is “the most exciting brand at FCTG.”

Having built a successful career over the years, it was in 2015 that Kristy found herself in a high pressure environment with lots of travel, late nights and many missed milestones for her little girls growing up.

“I thought if I left FCTG and went to a different company, I would slow down; I could limit my travel, my workload and I wouldn’t be so stressed”.

“Instead, what I found out is that the grass is definitely not greener. I quickly worked out I was responsible for the work environment I created; I was reacting to my challenges. What I should have done was talk to my peers, my leaders, my family and proactively work on my work/life balance. ” Kristy reflects.

The short time away from FCTG helped Kristy work out what it really is that drives her and what she looks for in a company as an employer. She came back to a role at Campus Travel in 2016, which turned out to be one of her most rewarding career development opportunities.

“I learnt that the culture, the learning and development platforms, the fast pace working environment and the constant change is why FCTG is so successful and why I love it. I thrive in this environment and I lost my Flightie spark when I left”

So, after 17 years and with a couple of service breaks over the years, Kristy says it all comes down to culture.

“A happy team equals happy customers and that equals a happy P&L. Culture is key. I knew this in 2006 when I started and I absolutely remembered it when I left!

“I’m not sure there is another company out there that has the magnificent culture we have here at Flight Centre that allows you to make mistakes, learn from them, grow and push you out of your comfort zone.”

Hand in hand with our unique culture, Kristy finishes by saying it’s the feeling of validation and respect she has always experienced with her leaders that has helped her shape a successful career that continues to grow and flourish.

“I always have, and continue to feel listened to and respected by my leaders. My career pathway and success has always been from my leaders challenging me, constantly! I have been so very privileged to work alongside some of the best of the best in FCTG – JK, Cath Cole, Rachel O’Brien, Mel Elf, Billy McDonough, Danni Galloway, Astrid Richardson, Sara Williams and most recently Paul O’Brien. All of these people have made a huge impact on me both professionally and personally! I just hoped I have made the same impact on others.

“I have worked so very hard to share the culture I love so much with all the people I have worked with.” she reflects.

From Bush to Business Travel: How Andrew Malon stumbled upon his travel career

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 02:00:00 +0000

From fencing in the bush to delivering plumbing supplies in the city (with travel to 49 countries in between) Andrew Malon has led a varied and interesting life. However, he has realised no matter where you go, there are qualities that make Flight Centre feel like coming home to family.

Fresh off the plane after five years travelling abroad, Andrew spotted an ad for a Flight Centre travel consultant role while scrolling on Seek. After securing the job, Andrew began his FCTG journey in 2005 and spent 18 months working as a consultant before taking a step away from the travel industry altogether. Moving away from city life, Andrew moved to the bush where he started his own fencing supply company.

After two years in the country, Andrew realised how much he missed the fast pace of the travel industry and returned to Flight Centre Business Travel in 2008 as Team Leader. Andrew soon found his vocation in the product space, an area he has always been passionate about, before becoming National Product Leader for Student Flights. Soon after, Andrew moved into air contracting and sat on FCTG’s Global Youth Taskforce where he was given the important role of sourcing all student and youth fares. When Student Universe launched in Australia, Andrew was the point of contact and responsible for all product across the brand. The business was on fire with no signs of slowing down until of course, COVID-19 emerged and everyone had to hit the pause button.

After being stood down in March 2020, Andrew showed he was a jack of all trades and worked every day, delivering plumbing supplies to building sites across Brisbane. When he wasn’t out in the construction zone, Andrew spent all his time being a first time Dad to his baby boy, born in April. In September 2020 Andrew was able to return home to FCTG as Team Leader of Product Hub (ProHub) - where he remains today.

According to Andrew, it is Flight Centre’s core philosophies of culture and connection that make him genuinely enjoy coming to work each day and return home with a smile. More specifically, it is the drive that is instilled in Flight Centre’s culture and its people, to not only grow and improve on a personal level but also in the wider community. Andrew’s fondest Flight Centre memories are when he is able to mix his desire for doing anything active (mid-week touch footy is a bonus) with his passion to give back.

“The highlight of my FCTG career so far was kayaking 200km from Cape York to Papua New Guinea before running the Kokoda track to raise money for the Kokoda Track Foundation (KTF),” Andrew recalls.

Helping others and purpose beyond profit is a core belief, Andrew has helped establish three fundraising initiatives which contributed over 400k to various charities.

With Over 25 Years in the Travel Industry Under her Belt, one of Mary Gava's Most Exciting Opportunities Presented Itself At the Most Unsuspecting Time...

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 02:00:00 +0000

Having built a successful travel business from the ground up, Mary fondly recalled her time at FCTG and found herself comparing her career goals and wanting to shift gears. With a career in travel spanning 25 years, it was actually COVID that presented one of her most exciting opportunities.

After stepping out of the legal space, Mary dove headfirst into the travel industry in 1995 working as a Trip Planning Advisor within Mary Rossi Travel. Mary then joined SBT Business Travel Solutions which incorporated both Campus Travel and Stage & Screen in 1998. The year following, 1999 FCTG acquired these respective businesses and Mary was quickly appointed to Area Leader where she held this position until 2005. Soon after, Mary was appointed General Manager for Australia and New Zealand for the newly rebranded FCM Travel Solutions where she held this coveted position until 2006.

Towards the end of that same year, Mary was presented with the opportunity to pave her own way in the industry and stepped away from FCTG to help establish a new travel business, a decision she simply couldn’t turn down. As Executive General Manager, Mary built what is now known as Concierge Travel Group and helped the business transform from a small $15M TTV business into a colossal $70M TTV corporation in 2014.

While Mary was kicking monumental goals in her career, it was hard not to compare her external experiences with her fond memories of Flight Centre.

“External travel companies do not communicate with their employees as frequently and openly as FCTG. Also, these privately-owned companies are not as transparent with their employees.” Mary reveals.

“Not only this, the reward and recognition programs within FCTG, for example, the annual and global balls, is far advanced to those of other travel companies.”

Flight Centre was beyond excited to welcome Mary home in 2015 as she returned to her beloved FCM family, where she remains today. During her time at FCM, Mary has achieved many remarkable goals, including developing and rolling out the “Pinnacle ” value proposition, FCTG’s exclusive personal Concierge service offering for C-Suite Executives.

One of the things Mary loves most is the value FCTG places on its people, and the drive to grow and develop that is embedded in the unique culture.

“If you have the right attitude and work ethic, you cannot fail when aspiring to great heights within FCTG - the opportunities are endless,” Mary says.

Unlike many of her peers in the travel industry, one of Mary’s favourite Flight Centre memories surprisingly happened at the height of COVID-19. Throughout 2020 and 2021, the FCM Cosmos area, of which Mary is the Leader, partnered with the NSW Government on their COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine Program and have played a significant role in the success of the program and in keeping our people safe. Mary was also privileged to graduate from FCTG’s inaugural Club Mastery program for Senior Leaders in February 2020.

Travelling from Mumbai to Queensland... Alisha is sharpening her skills so she can return to FCTG with a bang

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 02:00:00 +0000

Mumbai-based Alisha Fernandes worked for FCM Travel Solutions India since 2018 and resigned in 2020 amid the COVID-19 uncertainty. She now plans to pursue a move to Australia to further her studies and be close to FCTG’s Global HQ.

After completing her PGDM in Travel & Tourism, Alisha interviewed for a role with Corporate Traveller, however didn't end up accepting the offer. A few months later there was another opportunity with FCM and the recruiting manager remembered her.

“I ended up accepting this role and came onboard the MICE department as a Products trainee. As a newbie in the industry, my reporting manager (who became and remains my mentor and life coach) made sure that I was trained in every single aspect, not only professional skills but also interpersonal skills which I religiously apply in my personal life as well.”

Within 5 months of her time in FCM, Alisha’s dedication and diligence was recognised by leaders and she was nominated for her first international famil. From there, many more opportunities came and Alisha found herself meeting and networking with other industry professionals within India and abroad, helping enrich her learnings along the way.

As the pandemic situation worsened, uncertainty around roles was worrying everyone. By October of 2020, with many of the teams effectively “on the bench”, Alisha resigned to take up another role in the Digital Marketing space.

“I have always loved the egalitarian concept of FCTG. There are so many leaders I have observed in my 2.4 years stint that have inspired me to carry their morals ahead in life.

“I know my heart lies with FCTG forever. I am going to sharpen my skills and hopefully return to make much stronger contributions for the future. I have set my goals higher and hopefully I get the opportunity to make an extravagant come-back to tell the world what FCTG means to me!” Fernandes says.

With her eye still firmly on the prize... Madison plans to return to FCTG with a seat at the leadership table

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 02:00:00 +0000

Redundancy hasn’t deterred Madison Buckley-Schaumberg from keeping her eye on the prize: a return to FCTG and a seat at the leadership table by 2040.

“I want to be the Global Head of People & Culture by 2040. I made this decision at 18 after working under Skroo and Jude for 4 years at Spicers Retreats; I was completely inspired by the Flight Centre culture and Skroo’s leadership,” Madison proudly says.

In 2019, Madison was promoted to Assistant Team Leader at Flight Centre Balwyn in Victoria, qualifying for Global Gathering - FCTG’s peak reward and recognition program - in 2020... before COVID came and disrupted her momentum.

“I had started to plan my education and career moves around this goal. I studied HR, completing the grad program in 2020 so when COVID hit it really threw a spanner in the works,” she recalls.

Working through COVID, Madison stayed on for the majority of 2020, before making the difficult decision to leave on her own accord in December 2020 to continue her career progression elsewhere.

“I became disengaged and knew I wouldn’t be able to continue my career development in this current climate. I figured I could still focus on my end goal despite not being employed at FCTG.

“I want to come back one day...when the world opens up again. In the meantime, I’m sharpening my skills and am so happy to be able to remain connected to the alumni while I bide my time.”

FCTG’s current Head of People & Culture, Allisa O’Connell, couldn’t be happier at the prospect of someone vying for her job.

“There is no greater reassurance than knowing people are gunning for your role - our future is in great hands when we know there are capable people willing to learn and grow to develop their career potential.

“The worst-case scenario for a leader is knowing there is no succession plan in place, so whenever I hear someone so passionately lay out their career plans for the future I get really excited.”

From giving away fruit baskets to brand new cars... Willem witnessed the rise of FCTG South Africa from the ground up.

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 02:00:00 +0000

From giving away fruit baskets to brand new cars… Willem witnessed the rise of Flight Centre South Africa from the ground up - an experience he will cherish forever. Despite leaving 16 years ago, Willem can still fondly recall his time at FCTG and the many memories he’s kept close since.

Willem started his Flight Centre journey with South Africa in 2001 working in an IT role for three years before moving into a Team Leader role as part of the Technology Operational team.

Willem now works as General Manager and Systems Development Manager for the largest Digital Signage Company in South Africa.

While reflecting on his time at FCTG, Willem calls attention to the amazing people he has met including Karen Janssen; who hired him, Shane Flynn; the country leader for South Africa at that time, as well as Ilse Rall who has since moved to Australia and has recently started back in the Australian recruitment team after being on stand down.

Willem also recalls being moved by Graham “Skroo” Turner, during one of Skroo’s routine visits to South Africa. Willem relives being shocked when the CEO and Founder of such a large global company remembered (in Willem’s own words) “the little IT guy from Johannesburg.”

“At the time I started working, Flight Centre had approximately 6000 staff members worldwide. Whenever he came to visit, [Skroo] always remembered my name. That in itself was mind-blowing and showed me that I was working at a truly amazing company,” Willem says.

What Willem loved most about working at Flight Centre was the value that was placed on its people and their ‘brightness of future’. Everyone belongs to a family, village and tribe and this supportive work community provides an exciting and challenging career path with personal and professional growth always a core focus.

Willem also considers himself extremely lucky to witness such passion and exponential growth in his home country of South Africa.

“[We] went from awarding the top consultant a fruit basket to giving away a car and a trip around the world!”

Even now, 16 years on from when Willem moved away from his Flight Centre family, he still stays in touch with old colleagues and always cherishes the moments they shared together.

“The biggest career mistake I ever made was leaving the Flight Centre. Hopefully, I will be able to be part of the FC team again in future,” Willem tells.

After joining FCTG as part of the graduate program, Nathan soon found his groove in the CSR space

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 05:54:11 +0000

Nathan began his whirlwind FCTG journey as part of the Leadership Graduate Program, where he worked as a Travel Consultant in Queensland’s Garden City Store.

“I couldn’t have been happier in landing the position. Joining the largest global travel company under the leadership of Skroo, I was over the moon to say the least” Nathan says.

Joining the company as part of the graduate program granted Nathan opportunities that were second to none. Leadership networking opportunities, project work, sales bursary targets, training days in head office, as well as words of wisdom imparted by CEO and Founder, Skroo Turner, were some of the moments that Nathan will never forget.

During his time at the graduate program, Nathan was introduced to Flight Centre’s Peopleworks team and all the company’s efforts in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) space. He soon joined the team, tasked with helping FCTG implement its corporate social responsibility commitments through four core pillars; Worldwise (delivering responsible travel), FCTG People (delivering positive diversity practices and egalitarianism), Flight Centre Foundation (workplace giving) and
Environmental Sustainability (protecting our environment).

“After joining the CSR team and being part of the team responsible for driving FCTG’s number one philosophy ‘Our People’, I knew I was in my element" Nathan reflects.

“I was able to be part of a number of projects that enabled me to network with other Flighties and departments - gaining valuable industry knowledge.”

During the COVID hiatus, Nathan was able to focus and expand his knowledge through the Torrens University online courses, complete small renovations and get married!

“Although being made redundant was a hard pill to swallow, I look forward to the day Flight Centre Travel Group starts rebuilding its many teams, and I can hopefully return to what I think is the best job ever. I have daily job notifications on waiting for that day!

“In the meantime I wish the absolute best to everyone in the travel industry doing it tough.
Miss all you amazing flighties, hope to see you around soon,” says Nathan.

Lorraine gives new meaning to the term 'jack of all trades'...

Tue, 11 May 2021 02:00:00 +0000

Lorraine gives new meaning to the term 'jack of all trades' with her travel credentials including the admirable achievement of creating a range of environmental and ethical holiday packages, and her COVID temp work including everything from mould cleaning to manning a COVID-19 hotline.

Lorraine's career in the travel industry kicked off in 1989, in her home country, the U.K. Working her way up from travel consultant to a Leader role, Lorraine then made the move to Australia.

Having settled down in Australia – in Brisbane - in 2005, Lorraine secured a role as a consultant with Student Flights in Fortitude Valley. After a year, Lorraine wanted to grow and gain a better understanding of the Australian travel market and made the decision to leave Student Flights to manage an adventure travel brand. However, it wasn't too long before the Flight Centre bug sent her back to the family in 2014, raking in the role of National Product Manager.

"One of my proudest achievements to date was creating a range of environmental and ethical holiday packages in Asia where you could make a difference and have an amazing holiday at the same time," Lorraine reflects.

Lorraine feeding the elephants at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand in 2017.

Despite building a successful and rewarding career at FCTG, Lorraine was one of 6,500 stood down across the business in March 2020 due to COVID travel restrictions and border closures.

While on stand down, Lorraine's passion for challenging herself and learning new skills did not go unnoticed. Proving she is truly the jack of all trades, Lorraine took on various temporary work including mould cleaning for 5 months before spending 6 months working for the Queensland Government in a COVID-19 support and information hotline. Fortunately, Lorraine was soon able to focus on what she did best and re-joined Flight Centre as a Product Delivery coordinator in March 2021, supporting the marketing team with the product they take to the market.

"My one year spent away from Flight Centre, made me realise how much my training had prepared me for anything the world had to throw at me," Lorraine reflects.

" I was extremely adaptable. Working for Flight Centre gave me the confidence to believe in my own ability and that I can do anything I put my mind to, even if it was outside my comfort zone."

During her time away from FCTG, Christina learnt the importance of a great company culture

Fri, 14 May 2021 02:00:00 +0000

Christina won't ever take a great company culture for granted again, a lesson she learnt during her time away from FCTG.

Christina's first FCTG role was as a travel consultant at Flight Centre Highpoint back in December 2018. From her two years she was under the retail brand, she completed her Cert III in Travel and Tourism, leadership and management training and was well on her way to becoming an Assistant Team Leader in her store... just before COVID hit in March of 2020.

In response to the overflowing number of cancellations and refunds from customers, Christina transferred into another store to lend a set of much-needed hands to process refunds and cancellations. Despite retaining her job during COVID, Christina didn't feel like she had a strong enough foundation under her to support her career progression and eventually made the decision to leave the brand in July 2020.

"During my time away from FCTG, I learnt not to take such a great company culture for granted," Christina reflects.

"Most companies and industries don't hold a light to the positive, encouraging and most importantly fun atmosphere FCTG provides to their staff. This was something I really missed when I left the company."

When FCTG's Alumni site, Flighties Forever, launched in March, Christina jumped at the opportunity to apply for a new opportunity as travel manager in the Corporate Traveller brand. Christina felt this was the right next step for her career journey and secured the role in late March 2021.

"Corporate Traveller was an exciting new challenge from my previous role. I wasn't really sure what to expect but it was a breath of fresh air and just what I needed coming back into the travel industry," Christina admits.

"For anyone that is considering applying for a position in another brand, I say just go for it! It is completely refreshing to take on a different role and perspective of what FCTG has to offer our customers. I have had nothing but a positive experience coming back (even though I am back in my training wheels)."

"The culture and support that FCTG provides is like no other workplace I have been a part of. While the work we do here can be challenging and stressful at times, you never go unrecognised or under appreciated. Most of all I love booking travel and being a part of our clients' journeys and I couldn't pick a better company to do that for."

After moving into a different industry... Peta's eyes were opened to the reason she was drawn to travel in the first place.

Fri, 21 May 2021 02:00:00 +0000

Peta happily accepts the "I told you so!" she hears from her colleagues because while she didn't think her career would take her back to Flight Centre, others around her knew she'd be back and now there's nowhere she'd rather be.

After first starting her career as a travel consultant in 1990, Peta then moved into systems and training after about 5 years. Peta landed the chance to move to the U.S. and witnessed first-hand the boom of the World Wide Web, which allowed her to expand her skill set and work on many different projects overseas.

When Peta returned to Australia in 2004, a call to an old travel contact at Flight Centre connected her with her first role at FCTG, loading data into the wholesale system. From there, Peta moved on to business analysis with the ticketing team before working across a range of FCTG projects within the Project Management Office.

In 2008, Peta was instrumental in the implementation of Salesforce into FCTG's Corporate division and later moved into the Salesforce team before becoming Operations Leader in 2011. With the team flourishing and feeling as if she had reached the end of her journey, Peta parted ways with FCTG in late 2017. With the timing finally aligning, Peta decided to pursue her high school dream and took a chance to move to Tasmania to study Building Design.

During her time exploring the Construction and Property Development industry in Hobart, Peta found it was a bit old school and not as innovative as she would have liked. Her eyes were then opened to the reason why she was drawn to travel and IT in the first place. Combining travel's sense of adventure along with IT's value placed on innovation, Peta knew where she thrived the most and began to re-think her career journey.

Eventually, it was the devil she knew vs the devil unknown that eventually reunited Peta with her FCTG family in 2021 as Product Delivery Manager for the B2B team.

"Every other job in Brisbane I looked at just sounded a bit.... bland. At FCTG I knew it was going to be hectic but I kind of like that" Peta says.

"The mentality of working at FCTG is that you are free to question and take a new approach when things aren't working; we just don't ever give up and I realised I like that a lot more than I thought I did."

Not only did Peta miss the work but also all the amazing Flighties she had met along the way. Her favourite FCTG memories originate from her team events and conferences, and the Global Gathering in Singapore - there was never a dull moment.

FCTG couldn't be happier to welcome Peta back into the family.

Peta admits "To all those who told me I'd be back and I said "Yeah... Maybe (Not)" I happily hold up my hands and say you told me so".

From PT to Philanthropy, how Tyler was able to land her dream job at FCTG.

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 02:00:00 +0000

After moving to Australia from the U.S. in 2017, Tyler utilised her background training in yoga and started her own personal training and yoga therapy business. Teaching at studios, gyms and corporations around Brisbane, Tyler connected people to meditation, yoga (and even beer yoga) to strengthen bonds across different team dynamics. After being introduced to Flight Centre Travel Group by a friend, Tyler joined the family in FCTG’s internal brand Healthwise in 2018.

“After three years at Healthwise, I well and truly learnt what it meant to be a part of the Flight Centre Family,” Tyler says.

“What I loved most about my time at Healthwise was our amazing people. I love that FCTG’s number one philosophy is our people and that I had the opportunity each and every day to support, inspire and engage our people,” Tyler notes.

“Due to the flexibility and support given at work, I was also able to work for not-for-profits alongside my role at Healthwise where I supported vulnerable young people transitioning out of foster and residential care.”

Unfortunately, like many others in the travel industry, Tyler’s job fell victim to COVID-19. Tyler was able to shine a light for others and went to work for multiple not-for-profit organisations, in addition to volunteering and running several fundraising events across Brisbane.

Through our alumni platform, Tyler saw a role that sparked her interest, a newly created Culture & Engagement Coordinator contract.

“I knew then and there that this was the right time, right place and the perfect role for me to be in,” Tyler reflects.

“After leaving FCTG, I relearned the importance of giving back to vulnerable communities. I did a lot of research and conversation investigation around corporate social responsibility and was excited for the opportunity to bring my passion, knowledge and experience back to FCTG.”

As Culture & Engagement Coordinator, Tyler implements a range of engagement opportunities for our people through the Flight Centre Foundation, volunteering, reconciliation efforts, and mental well-being initiatives.

“The thing I enjoy most about my current role is the number of different people I get to work with. Being able to see what we can achieve for vulnerable communities collectively as a company is something truly special,” Tyler says.

“I am also extremely proud of the relaunch of the Flight Centre Foundation. Working for a company that values giving back to the communities we work, live and travel is extremely important to me, and it's nice to know that I am working with people who share values that align with mine.”

If you ever wanted to reach out to Tyler you can email her at tyler_miscannon@flightcentre.com or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Ben proves you can take travel away but never the travel bug out of the man

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 02:00:00 +0000

His FCTG career has taken him from London to Brisbane, and across corporate, leisure and support roles. Ben used 2020 as his year to try something new and different, before returning to his beloved team in Learning & Development.

During his two-year backpacking stint across Europe in his early twenties, like many other young backpackers, Ben caught the travel bug hard and after returning home, decided to study Travel and Tourism before landing his first role in the industry as a wholesale consultant for Sunlover Holidays. Ben then made his next move into a role in corporate travel, where he remained for over ten years and included a move to London before eventually moving into a training and content writing role which enabled him to travel and work all over Europe.

When it was finally time to come back home to Australia, Ben began his FCTG journey as a consultant for Corporate Traveller, where he enjoyed being back on the front line. In 2016, Ben decided to take on his next challenge, joining the CT Implementations team configuring back-end systems and onboarding new customers to products before being presented an opportunity arose to join the Flight Centre Brand Learning and Development team as an Instructional Designer. Ben jumped at this chance as he would be returning to writing and training content, where his true passion lies.

In late 2020, feeling it was time to take a risk and branch out at something different, Ben made the decision to leave FCTG to explore the world outside of the travel industry. As it turns out, you can take the man out of travel but never the travel out of the man and after a year away, returned to FCTG in late 2021.

“My FCTG journey was not over. After experiencing different companies and cultures it was a no brainer to come back home” Ben says.

“The FCTG culture is like nothing I have ever experienced. The pure feeling of family, pride, hard work and a lot of fun. The grass is not always greener.”

Ben returned to his previous role in the Learning and Development team which he couldn’t be prouder to be part of.

"Our work is constantly changing, not one day is the same. There is always something to do and new initiatives coming out that we need to deliver to the business in an engaging and meaningful way,” he professes.

“My team are inspirational, they get in, get it done all while having a laugh.”

With so many fond memories from his years at FCTG to choose from, Ben finds it hard to single out his favourite but recalls one highlight while on a famil; making snow angels on the middle of the sidewalk with random New Yorkers he had met at a dive bar.

“If there is one thing, I could share with our alumni audience it is to never say never” Ben says.

Luke discovered that when you have a passion for travel it is hard to love something else

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 02:00:00 +0000

While COVID may have put a tear in their relationship, Luke quickly discovered that there is nothing quite like your first love (being the travel industry of course).

Luke kicked off his rich incredible FCTG career working as a Consultant at Flight Centre Stud Park in Victoria back in 2012. After quickly finding his groove in the role, Luke moved up into the Assistant Team Leader position within the year before deciding to take the leap and move overseas to London.

While in the UK, Luke’s passion for the travel industry remained strong as he worked for a wholesale travel company selling the Balkan region of Europe.

After his return down under in 2015, Luke entered a similar role in retail before quickly moving to another branch of the FCTG family tree at Infinity Holidays. Working as a consultant for three years with Infinity before eventually stepping up as Assistant Team Leader where he remained for three years, Luke reflects fondly on his time with the brand attending two Global Gathering balls in Hawaii and Las Vegas.

“My favourite FCTG memory was attending the 2019 Global Ball in Vegas with my team as ATL. We made a promise as a team that we would make it and after striving for our goal all year we were so happy when we found out our hard work had paid off. Although we only found out we were going less than two weeks out from the event!” remembers Luke.

Unfortunately, like many of our friends and family in travel, Luke was stood down in March 2020 due to the detrimental effects COVID-19 had on the industry.

“After I left FCTG, I learnt that there are many different industries out there, however, when you have a passion for travel it is hard to love something else,” says Luke.

After not being able to find his spark or passion in other areas, it was a tip from a friend that ultimately led to Luke reuniting with his love for working in travel. FCTG was lucky to welcome back Luke into the business in January 2022 into the Corporate Traveller business.

“The team I am a part of now is what I missed about this company. I was welcomed in like family from the get-go,” says Luke.

“Corporate Traveller is such an amazing brand to be a part of and cannot can’t wait to see what lies ahead.”

How Shannon's lucky hand landed her in Vegas

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 01:53:43 +0000

How many people can say that after two weeks of interning at a job they would be on their first international trip to Las Vegas (and all at the age of 19)? That is the story of Shannon Nichols, one of FCM Meeting and Event’s rockstar Project Coordinators.

Shannon was first introduced to FCM Meetings and Events (FCM M&E) during her time at university and interned for the brand for 6 months before being offered a permanent part-time position in late 2019.

Shannon was drawn to apply for the role with FCM M&E as she admired the infectious and inclusive culture that she witnessed first-hand during her internship.

“I think the people you work with day-to-day attribute a lot of your job satisfaction. Beyond the wonderful community atmosphere, FCM M&E prioritises their people and individual growth,” she says.

Shannon hit the ground running in her new role and the team knew straight off the bat that Shannon shared the same unique DNA as all Flighties and sent her on a plane halfway across the world to gain valuable hands-on experience working on their largest incentive event in Las Vegas.

“Crazy right? This trip was not only so fundamental to my learning and development, but it was genuinely so fun and exciting,” Shannon recalls.

“Travelling to my first international destination, seeing Cirque Du Soleil, exploring the streets of Vegas and calling it all ‘work’ was truly an amazing experience. Not to mention it highlighted to me early on how much the team treats each other like family.”

A few months into her new role the COVID-19 tidal wave hit and due to the pandemic’s impact on the industry, FCM M&E, unfortunately, had to say goodbye to many of their staff, including Shannon.

Luckily for the team, it wasn’t a goodbye but rather a see you soon and as FCM M&E and the events industry slowly moved away from their hibernation periods, Shannon was able to rejoin her team in December 2021 and has since been in her full-time Project Coordinator role for over three months.

Shannon is most excited about the buzz that the return of international travel has left across the industry. As the world continues to open up, more and more brands are keen to explore what this means for their business.

"It’s exciting to see how much [the return of travel] has increased business and instilled confidence across the industry,” says Shannon.

For those who are considering either joining or returning to the travel and events industries Shannon’s advice is to run not walk.

“Do it! The demand is high and there is a renewed sense of energy in the industry, now that we can hold events again. If you love challenging work that is ever-changing – then this industry is for you,” says Shannon.

Behind the scenes of Shannon working at FCTG's Global Gathering in Las Vegas.

Are you ready to show your hand? FCM M&E is on the hunt for more hard-working go-getters to join their team. If you are looking to kickstart your dream career in the industry or are a seasoned professional looking to rejoin the work you love, apply now! Now hiring across Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

View our open roles here

Sliding doors: when one door closes, another always opens when you're open to exploring possibilities

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 06:16:52 +0000

Sarsha began her Flight Centre Travel Group journey in 2011 working as a Travel Sales Consultant at Flight Centre Karingal Hub. Working as both Consultant and Assistant Team Leader over her 6 years in her store, Sarsha and the team were a well-oiled machine qualifying for Global Gathering, the company’s pinnacle celebration for high achievers, four times!

In 2016, Sarsha made the change to International Wholesale Consultant at Infinity Holidays. Sarsha only continued to flourish in her new role and in her first year was number one novice consultant in Australia and qualified for Global Gathering both individually and in her team once again.

Sarsha at Global Gathering in Singapore 2016

“My favourite memory would have to be the Vegas Global Gathering in 2019. We had a great representation of the Melbourne Infinity team there and we partied all night and dragged ourselves to the Vegas sign for a sunrise photo.”

Sarsha and her Infinity team at Global Gathering 2019

Following a restructuring of the business, as a response to the pandemic in 2020, Sarsha and her Infinity colleagues were made redundant.

After taking a brief break from the industry, Sarsha soon realised, like many others in her position, that life outside the travel bubble wasn’t the same as being in it. Shortly after, Sarsha started looking for roles within FCTG and heard about a role open as a Group Travel Manager for FCM Meetings and Events.

“I was ready for a new challenge and to start in the corporate world. I really liked the variety of bookings in the Group Travel space. From conferences to incentive trips, big groups and small groups, the role saw it all,” Sarsha reflects.

“The flexibility of a hybrid role being able to work between the home and the office was also a great drawcard!”

Sarsha immediately applied for the role and found it was exactly the new challenge she was searching for. Sarsha started with FCM Meetings and Events in the Groups Travel Department in late July and after riding the wave of lockdowns, business is now booming!

“I have recently been working on a project bringing back international students into the country. This was a big project and required the collaboration of not only Group Managers but others within the FCM M&E group. This was a nice change-up from my other projects where I work solo directly with the client and was an awesome opportunity to work closely with people from other departments and learn different parts of the business,” says Sarsha.

Looking to explore new possibilities? Find your next open door and apply today.

What a luxury – how Lisa found her dream role in Travel Associates

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 01:15:15 +0000

Lisa credits her time at FCTG to many memorable milestones, which include meeting her partner and creating a family together. Hear how stand down helped Lisa become the happiest she has been in a long time.

Lisa started her Flight Centre Travel Group journey in 2003 after returning from a stint of travelling and living overseas. While Lisa knew she wanted to work in the travel industry she never could’ve guessed she would become a Travel Sales Consultant at Sunnybank, one of the busiest stores in Brisbane at the time. While she reflects on her time in store as a crazy one, Lisa dedicates her longevity in the role to her amazing Team Leader and Assistant Team Leader at the time.

“They took the time, saw my potential and were just fun people to be around,” Lisa remembers.

Lisa’s drive and ambition saw her grow to become a Team Leader role and then a role looking after Flight Centre’s regional Queensland businesses, growing the brand awareness and store footprint for the area.

After a few years on the road – staying in small-town motels and travelling via very small regional planes – Lisa became Area Leader of Flight Centre’s North Brisbane businesses until she fell pregnant in 2011 with her daughter, Mia.

Following a short stint as Learning Centre Leader before Mia’s unexpectedly early arrival, Lisa was keen to come back to work in a role that gave her the flexibility she craved as a new mum. Lisa’s leaders at the time valued her expertise and strong work ethic and recognised her potential for a new role which is how she became Product Leader for Travel Associates (TA) in early 2013.

“We were a very lean team then, so I was a bit of recruitment, a bit of training and a bit of operations as well but this was perfect for me – I loved the variety that this kind of role brought me,” Lisa says.

It didn’t take long before Lisa fell in love with the purple powerhouse brand and her fellow TA colleagues. Since 2019, Lisa has been the Brand Manager looking after Brand Events and Partnerships.

“Working in TA, I have been so fortunate to travel to some amazing places – Peru, Tahiti, Hawaii, Fiji. I’ve had so many amazing moments that I am so grateful for. Like everyone at FCTG I love travelling and doing it with like-minded people is even better,” says Lisa.

As a result of the government-mandated halting of the travel industry, Lisa was one of many to be stood down in 2020.

“I thought if it means taking a few months off and stepping down to give the business every chance to survive, I’ll do it,” remembers Lisa.

“I just didn’t realise those few months would turn into over a year! Unfortunately for my family, it was a double whammy as my partner who also worked at FCTG was made redundant in 2020 as well.”

Excluding maternity leave, this was Lisa’s first break from FCTG since 2003 and she learnt a lot from her time away from the business.

“It was quite daunting to try and explain all the work I had done over the 17 years at FCTG and fit it into a resume… actually, just doing a resume was daunting!” Lisa reflects.

Lisa ended up securing a temporary role in a Call Centre and then a permanent role in administration. In total, she was away from FCTG for just over a year, returning to the business, and her role as Brand Manager for Travel Associates, in April 2021.

“I had always dreamed of those clock-in clock-out jobs – as I’m sure we all have – the jobs where you don’t think about work once you leave and are relatively low stress,” Lisa admits.

“These are all good in theory and I got a taste of this in my roles away from the business but it didn’t take long before I was ridiculously bored and desperately missed the excitement of the travel industry.”

As she reflects, Lisa has a lot to be grateful for and embraces her role today with a grounded sense of contentment that only comes from the freedom she was given to explore external opportunities when she was forced to step away from the business temporarily.

“I really missed the creativity we were able to bring into the business to challenge systems and processes, or, to find a new way to bring in revenue. I don’t take that for granted now.

“I also met my awesome partner Brando at FCTG, and we have 2 gorgeous kids together so I can thank FCTG for that intro too!”

If you’re interested in returning to the business in a Travel Associates role, check out our current opportunities here. Interested in a store that isn’t listed? Our specialist recruitment team is keen to hear from you, please reach out to fctgcareers@flightcentre.com.

From leading Tasmania to success to now sharing her wealth of knowledge and inspiring new leaders to reach new heights

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 23:39:59 +0000

From leading Tasmania to success to now sharing her wealth of knowledge and inspiring new leaders to reach new heights (and managing a pub in between) hear how Tash has been welcomed home in an exciting new role.

After starting her Flight Centre Travel Group career as a Travel Sales Consultant in the Crows Nest store in early 2008, Tash followed the well-travelled path of many fellow Flighties and worked her way up to Assistant Team Leader before becoming Team Leader of her store in 2010.

Inspiring and mentoring leaders has certainly always been one of Tash’s strengths as she moved to Melbourne in 2015 in a Consultant position to mentor a newly appointed Team Leader. Absolutely loving her time in Melbourne, it was at this point she decided she wanted more and set her sights on becoming an Area Leader. In 2017, Tash’s hard work paid off and moved to Tasmania to lead the business for a further three years. During this time, Tash and her team achieved incredible feats for the business - a testament to her strong leadership skills she was able to share and inspire of her team.

“In 2019 Tasmania was awarded the most improved in the VICMANIA business and finished in the top 5 in Australia (2nd or 3rd). This was an incredible feeling for a team that was always fighting for their right to be remembered as being just as valued as everyone else...... we showed them!” Tash remembers.

Right before COVID-19 struck, Tash bought a pub in Hobart which eventually turned into her full-time role as the pandemic continued to cause havoc for the travel industry.

“I could see our roles were being downsized quickly. So, I decided to leave on my own terms to help open my own business and have a change, this was important for my health,” Tash reflects.

Now, after two years away from the business Tash is back home and stepping into a new role as National Leadership Specialist alongside friend and colleague Carolyn Giblett.

“I missed working with likeminded people who ‘get it!’ I also missed the reward and recognition culture. Plus Flighties just get it done!” says Tash.

"When I finally came back, I was surprised at how much everything had changed. Carolyn (Gibbo) and I liken it to having your favourite old house renovated. It’s all very familiar and lovely – but everything has changed and is new again! The systems, the volume of customers and the globalisation of the business.”

Speaking about what she is loving about her role now Tash observes that it is definitely working with leaders again.

“I am very grateful for this. The chance to be welcomed back into the fold again has been lovely,” she says.

“Home is where the heart is and my heart has always been here. Although things are different (including us) we need to accept and thrive! It is an exciting time to be a part of FCTG.”

With FCTG’s host of brands, Sarah was able to find her BOF while pursuing her passion

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 18:49:43 +0000

Sarah launched her Flight Centre Travel Group career in 2008 as a Travel Sales Consultant at Flight Centre West End in Brisbane. While she worked full time in her role, Sarah was also completing her Personal Training qualifications on the side. During this time she uncovered her passion for the health and fitness industry and ultimately made the decision to leave her job to pursue a career in the field. However, it was an intervention from her Area Leader at the time that led Sarah down a different path in which she was able to work in the industry she desired while remaining in the FCTG family.

Sarah was then connected to Kate Laird, the Team Leader at Healthwise - a brand that is integral to the health and wellbeing at FCTG. Healthwise provides services to empower employees to create a healthy work/life balance and turn up every day full of energy and motivation. Not long after Sarah started with the Healthwise team, a Future Team Leader position became available within the brand and she immediately jumped at it. After landing the role, Sarah and Kate worked side by side across a wide range of initiatives including corporate events like the Adelaide Half Marathon, Touch Football Tournaments and Flight Centre’s first ever boxing tournament.

“Some of my favourite memories were at these events. I really loved the excitement and hype that was created around the boxing tournament. It was such an amazing atmosphere underpinned by the months of effort, planning, and training that was done by Healthwise trainers and their opponents – most of whom were FCTG employees,” Sarah remembers.

“It was an amazing role and I loved being with the team at Healthwise creating events and helping drive a team with Kate.”

In 2011 Sarah was presented with the opportunity for a Maternity Leave cover as Property Manager for FCTG’s Global HQ. Ready to take on a new challenge, Sarah gratefully accepted the role which proved to be a great learning experience and an excellent pathway to Sarah’s newly evolving career.

After one year in the role, Sarah made the decision to leave FCTG and move overseas to Canada for her next career move doing Fitout Project Management for global companies.

“During my time apart from FCTG, I learnt a lot about how different companies operate and dived deeper into the intricacies of both my careers in Project Management and Fitness,” says Sarah.

Three and a half years later Sarah returned home to Australia. After enjoying some time off work following the birth of her first daughter, Sarah made the decision to re-join FCTG, returning to the Property Team as Project Manager. This was a very rewarding position with Sarah being instrumental in the Travel Associates rebrands, working hard to ensure collaboration across multiple teams both internally and externally.

During her time away from the business after the birth of her second daughter, Sarah reignited her passion for Fitness and Personal Training at a local gym and advanced her studies in postnatal fitness and nutrition. However, it wasn’t long before Healthwise reconnected with Sarah and offered her a position as a Personal Trainer.

“I was delighted to be a part of the team once again. I love sharing my knowledge and experience in fitness and nutrition with others as a means of positively affecting change in people’s lives. It is the most rewarding and fulfilling job and it never feels like work,” Sarah reveals.

“Whenever I return to FCTG, I am more grateful than ever for the amazing community that supports and uplifts people to become better versions of themselves through both self-development and new opportunities.”

We’re incredibly lucky to have qualified and passionate people like Sarah working at Healthwise. We look forward to watching her continue to guide our people on their path to living happy and healthier lives.