Embrace the Work World: Summer Internship Programmes

31 Aug 2016

The Career Team of Student Services Centre (SSC) has devoted enormous efforts to providing summer internship opportunities for students.  In this summer a total of 325 students have been placed to various companies or organisations for internships with sponsorship by SSC and donors.

 
Out of the total, 126 students participated in overseas internship programmes in the US, Australia, Europe and Asia.  They worked in various career fields including accounting, media, marketing, hospitality services, community development, arts and cultural education and environmental protection.
 
On the other hand, about 100 students joined Mainland internships in prominent commercial and cultural organisations in major cities in the Mainland such as Shanghai and Beijing for 6 to 8 weeks.  Participating companies included the renowned BBDO China Co Limited, a worldwide advertising network, and Creative Technology Audio Visual Equipment Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, one of the organisers of Shanghai Disney’s grand opening in June. Amongstthe students, three interned in Shanghai’s accounting and financial firms under the Cross-boundary Study Tour for Post-secondary Financial Talents organised by Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau of the HKSAR Government. The Shanghai-Hongkong Future Leaders (Lingnan Elites) Internship Programme, initiated and coordinated by our Council member Mr Andrew Yao Cho-fai, has offered an additional 30 places for our students to intern in their most preferred event management and multi-media industry. Prominent enterprises participating in the programme included Shanghai Media Group and Oriental DreamWorks.

SSC’s Local Summer Internship Programme (LSIP) also arranged 4 to 8 week internships for 103 non-final year students.  These placements covered commercial firms, banks, media agencies, government departments and NGOs.  Being exposed to the local dynamic and ever-changing working environment, students have not only enhanced their knowledge and generic skills in the workplace but also maintained a good rapport with their colleagues.
 
Participating in internship programmes is an essential platform for students to learn and work independently.  They can broaden their global perspectives through international work exposure and cultural understanding.  It can also develop students’ open attitude to different work practices and customs, and enhance their awareness of cultural differences as well as language proficiency.  Students with these international experiences prior to graduation will set themselves apart from their peers and impress prospective employers with their upgraded personal profile.