Interview March 2021∣Youth Hong Kong
Ready for careers l Dr Rosa Tang from HKBU speaks about the evolution of internships for university students.
l 香港浸會大學事業策劃中心主管鄧藹儀博士，分 享該校專為大學生而設的創新實習計劃。
l As employers needs change, generic skills and innovation matter more than ever.
l 因應僱主及職場需要的轉變，創意創新及共通能 力的重要性可謂前所未有。
l While there has been a massive shift towards more remote work, 100% virtual internships are uncommon in local corporations and most are mixed-mode.
l 儘 管 疫 情 期 間 社 會 已 廣 泛 試 驗 遙 距 工 作， 但 100% 虛擬實習在本地仍然少見，混合模式則較 為常見。
How has the landscape of university student internship changed? In the past, internships were a required part of practical training for degrees in subjects such as medicine and social work. Today, the objective of many internships is the enrichment of students’ transferable skills. These include multitasking and may involve reporting or editing in combination with social media marketing skills, for instance. What should be the prime motivation for doing an internship? Most importantly, this is a chance to explore interests and strengths and to get a clearer understanding of career goals before actually starting work. The aim is to help narrow the experience gap that occurs during the transition from study to work. However, that transition can also include the application of theoretical knowledge to practical work done in a real industry setting. Students should learn not only about their major subject area but also acquire generic skills. For journalism study at the Hong Kong Baptist University [HKBU] School of Communication, for example, such learning is linked with data analytics. Where does the demand for interns come from today? Some corporations consider the experience from internships gained by fresh graduates to be a very important factor when they decide whether or not to offer job interviews. Indeed, some corporations will give higher priority to students who have four or five relevant internships if they apply for management trainee posts. 12
