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. 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。

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.” 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.

Edith, whose internship included facilitating events and workshops, planning lessons that involved innovative tools, and training for design thinking, sees her internship as an important step towards her chosen career in education technology.

“I think work experience is necessary before getting a good job and a work placement is part of a career pathway. This internship helped me to be well prepared for practical teaching and has inspired me to redirect my career and academic development towards STEM education.”

Edith’s ideal mode of internship or work placement would have been 100% face-to-face but this time she worked in hybrid mode, like Kwan. “I think virtual internships have many limitations. There are no effective group discussions or brainstorming of innovative ideas. The skills I most want from a work placement are practical and job-specific together with teaching experience. I also wanted to meet other people with innovative mindsets. They give me inspiration.” Oscar, a 23-year-old student of electronic engineering, planned and conducted training workshops for young people in an internship that embraced research and the development of teaching resources. He also designed hands-on experiments and sourced course materials. Being very well prepared for a new job after graduation is essential if the new recruit is going to settle in quickly. Oscar managed to include both realtime and remote experience in his internship.

“I helped to organize a big STEM educational event, the finals of the Global Youth Science and Technology Bowl 2020 but I did most of my project work at home and that was very hands-on. I have to do internships for my degree but I also think it is necessary before I can get a good job. My ideal would be a placement that was mostly face-to-face. It is the best way to learn and gain proper working experience.”

The Global Youth Science and Technology Bowl 2020 is a new international competition. It was organized in 2020 by HKFYG’s Creative Education Unit with support from the Innovation and Technology Commission. The virtual contest attracted 122 teams from 22 countries and regions, with about 70% of the teams having previously won awards in regional or international science competitions. More details ce.hkfyg.org.hk/teachers-zone/competition/gystb

Tim is a 20-year-old third-year chemistry student whose internship was a mixture of hands-on and work-from-home activities. His project involved preparing and conducting an online STEM class. “Working with teammates during this internship was a really good experience even though more group project work with more supervised hands-on practical work would have been ideal.”

One of the biggest problems engineering students are facing is visualization. The teaching strategy Tim used was based on models that help students learn the topic in the most effective and easiest way with a handson" approach. It makes students feel that engineering is an interesting field to study. “The only drawback in my internship was lack of interaction with colleagues. However, I don’t want to complain. Virtual internships are more flexible where timeslots are concerned and I liked working on the project my own.” Gabriella, 21, is also in her third year of a chemistry degree. Her internship required her to make STEM lesson plans including Live Kaleidoscope, a Microsoft feature for smart phones, and a prototype for a science exhibition booth that used a 4D frame and micro:bit.*

“I also tested a CPS system** and helped with the organization of the Skills for Tomorrow Expo. The internship was a hybrid mixture of remote and face-toface activities. Although I think that virtual internships have advantages such as more flexible scheduling and shorter travelling time, I want more hands-on, practical job-specific skills for the workplace so the hybrid mode is better from my point of view.”

The Skills for Tomorrow Expo took place at the HKFYG Leadership Institute. More details leadershipinstitute.hk/ event/skills-tomorrow-expo-andhkfyg-leadership-institute-open-day

* The BBC micro:bit is a pocket-sized computer that introduces students to the ways in which software and hardware work together. It has an LED light display, buttons, sensors and many input and output features that can be programmed. ** CPS is a collaborative problem-solving system created by HKFYG’s Centre for Creative

Science and Technology for online collaborative training and exchange of innovative ideas among students regardless of location. The system has been renamed “Co-solve.” These students took part in the Innovation &

Technology Commission’s STEM Internship

Scheme in 2020 in partnership with HKFYG’s Centre for Creative Science and Technology. A total of 1,600 university students and over 1,000 companies or organizations were involved and the successful scheme is ongoing. Other partnerships were with SMEs and startups and involved areas such as technology-related intellectual property work, digital marketing and data analysis for the manufacturing industry as well as education technology and environmental protection.

More details itf.gov.hk/en/fundingprogrammes/nurturing-talent/steminternship-scheme/index.html