Ever since volunteering in Africa during his post-Wanganui Collegiate gap year in 2005, New Zealander George Gaddum has felt "a strong connection" with the country.
Starting by teaching English at a school for impoverished children in Tanzania, he then went travelling in Kenya for a month before being invited to Ethiopia to work at the Mother Theresa-founded Missionary of Charity Hospice for sick and dying destitute people.
With no medical background, he stayed there for five months, but decided he needed a qualification to give him the management, people and life skills to make a difference and eventually chose QRC's hospitality management diploma.
In London after a year of travelling in southeast Asia, Mr Gaddum is close to settling a contract with overland tour and safari company Absolute Africa.
The job would see him working on the Overland trucks as tour leader alongside a local driver as they guide travellers from East Africa down to the tip of South Africa.
For him, the company's involvement with community and environmental projects throughout Africa was "a huge drawcard" in deciding to make it the next step in his career.
"I think sustainable tourism is so important and being in a position to give a little something back to the people and environment which attract the tourism to Africa is fundamental."
During the trips, which could take up to three months each, he also hoped to meet fellow QRC graduate Graeme Sharp, now manager of a luxury tented camp on the banks of Zimbabwe's Zambezi River.
"Hopefully, my work will be taking me through parts of Zimbabwe, so with any luck our wires may cross."
The consummate traveller, Mr Gaddum took his internship at the Six Senses Spa and Resort in Vietnam and, after graduating from QRC in 2008, completed his bachelor in business administration at the college's associate university, the International College of Management in Sydney.
"The degree suited my personality well as I managed to complete it between three different countries."
