As a complement to the Internship Scheme, the College organised a Workshop on Getting Ready for the Workplace on 24 March 2017 to prompt students to begin thinking early about careers.
Prof Wai-Yee CHAN, College Master, welcomed the participants, most of whom had applied to the Internship Scheme or already had work experience. Prof Kenneth YOUNG urged students to identify gaps between their present competencies and what would be required for entry-level jobs and eventually top jobs in the profession—and have a plan to fill these gaps. He also asked students to be conscious of the differences between school and work.
It was the College's honour to have three experienced speakers offering advice from different perspectives. Ms Rachel LI, Senior Manager of the Career Planning and Development Centre, Office of Student Affairs, introduced students to various resources available and reminded them to better equip themselves as competent job applicants.
Mr Wilfred WONG, Founder and Managing Director of Resolutions HR & Business Consultancy Co. Ltd., shared with our students some tips on job hunting, while Mr Frank LAU, former General Manager (Projects) of The Hong Kong Electricity Co., Ltd., spoke about employers' expectations of new hires.
Mr LEUNG Tsun Yin, a Year 4 student who had done well in the Internship programme, was invited to share his job hunting and internship experience over the last two years, encouraging fellow College mates to adapt to the working environment and plan their career as early as possible.
The participants responded positively to the workshop, praising speakers for their useful advice on job-hunting skills and positive attitude at work and bringing to their attention the importance and need for strategic planning for their careers.
Workshop on Job Application and Interview Skills with Mock Interviews
With a view to supporting senior students and the Graduating Class in their preparations for job applications, the College organised a workshop on 7 April 2017 to demonstrate the preparation of curricula vitae and the writing of covering letters, and to remind participants of the points for attention in a job interview.
The College had the honour to have Dr Yvoone LOONG, an experienced trainer and speaker from the Independent Learning Centre, as the keynote speaker for the workshop. Dr LOONG, based on her observation of some of the shortcomings of fresh graduates today, offered advice on areas to which a job seeker has to pay attention. She then reviewed with the students their sample curricula vitae submitted before the workshop, providing individual feedback and pointing to paths for self-improvement. The students found the workshop very useful, expecting what they had learnt would assist them in job hunting.
Upon completion of the workshop, the participants were given a valuable opportunity to attend a mock interview. Prof Wai-Yee CHAN, College Master, enlisted the help of a team of highly experienced professionals from different sectors, including former heads of a government bureau and of a major public body, lawyers, engineers, a general manager of a listed utility company, and a senior administrator in a major charity, to be the panel interviewers of the mock interviews.
The experience was most valuable to the participants, especially those without any job-hunt experience. The College matched the interviewers with the interviewees' fields of interest and preferences, in order to provide the students with specific and realistic experience. The panel members reviewed with the interviewees their performance and weaknesses immediately afterwards. The participants rated the workshop and the mock interview sessions highly, for the skills and experience that they had acquired and for building and boosting their confidence. The College will review the outcomes of the workshop and plans to organise the activities again in next year.
