Stimulation for STEM stars l Intriguing EdTech internship projects done partly at home and partly in the workplace stimulated the spark of ingenuity in these five talented students. l They took part in an Innovation & Technology Commission internship scheme organized in partnership with HKFYG. l Their experience will help to bridge the gap between their academic work and their future employers’ needs.
Honing IT skills was one of the goals of this funded programme. Participating students also saw the scheme as a way to prepare for work. Not only did they build on the knowledge gained at university, they also found inspiration to work in the tech industry – a highly competitive field. Part of the internships had to be done remotely and that fitted well with some project work.
Kwan, a 25-year-old student of electronic engineering, completed a project that created STEM educational material for children. “We made 4D frame models* to explain the structure of insects. My own individual project introduced children to the basics of machine learning and python programming skills.”
l 嶄新的混合模式實習計劃——糅合在家及辦公室工作 之優勢，有助激發學生的創意。 l 本文五位各具專長的青年參與由香港青年協會協辦的 「創新科技署創科實習計劃」，他們從計劃中受益匪 淺。 l 實習讓他們獲得相關工作體驗，協助他們由學習過渡 至工作階段，讓他們做好準備配合僱主需要。
Given the importance of getting work experience as part of a career pathway, the projects were planned to complement theoretical knowledge. “My internship was in hybrid mode and it was fine to work on my individual project remotely but I would have preferred more faceto-face contact. In remote internships, it can be difficult to arrange a discussion with your supervisor when you come up a problem. It may also be an inefficient way to work on a group project with a workmate.” Nevertheless, the skills Kwan most wanted from an internship included both generic skills such as teamwork and practical, job-specific skills. “I hope to have the chance to do a six-month overseas placement with group project work and supervised hands-on practical work or online interactive activities.”
* 4D frame models were introduced to Hong Kong from South Korea and are used as aids for teaching engineering and science prototyping.
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