The real-world value of work experience

When a potential employer sifts through a mountain of résumés, those who demonstrate practical work backgrounds and evidence of internship experience are prioritised.

By attaining first-hand exposure to work in the real world, you maximise your understanding of your chosen profession, showing employers that you’re passionate about starting your career and that you exude a strong work ethic.

Another angle that works in students’ favour lies in the connections made through internships. Embarking on a professional placement with a local company could well lead to a permanent role once your studies are over and you graduate.

For international students, internships can act as a bridge between potential employees and their admiration for the surrounding campus community. If you don’t feel as though you’re ready to leave your study destination just yet and you’ve made long-lasting friendships, an internship may offer security and a longer stay.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers 2018 Internship & Co-op Survey Report found that employers who responded “expect to increase the hiring of interns by 1.7 percent in 2018 and employers favour career/job fairs and on-campus recruiting as the best recruiting techniques for interns and co-ops.”

Source: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

This is great news for students who pursue internship programmes and career fairs at their university, as employers are on the hunt for talent through on-campus initiatives.

Acknowledging the real-world value of work experience, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) encourages students to partake in a range of internships, scholarships and student exchange opportunities regardless of which programme they choose.

Showcasing top-tier rankings both in Asia and worldwide, landing 7^th in the QS Top 50 under 50 Rankings 2019 and 106^th in the QS World University Rankings 2019, here, you’ll merge your academics with a leading education provider, all while experiencing a cornucopia of cultural delights in Hong Kong.

PolyU currently offers postgraduate, undergraduate and sub-degree programmes to over 27,000 students. Undergraduates are expected to complete a WIE (work-integrated education) component as part of the curricular requirement.

For BBA (Hons) Management student Irene, her work-integration education opportunity led her to a project co-ordinating position with an NGO for women’s rights.

Source: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

“My tasks included inviting different organisations to the annual event and conducting research. I was responsible for the material translations, video production, design marketing materials and social media graphics. This WIE experience at PolyU related to my profession and taught me how to work effectively within a group and how to enhance my communication skills.”

“The best part of studying in Hong Kong is probably the opportunities you have at PolyU and the surrounding business environment. You receive so much support and resources from the university and it’s the ideal study destination for those who are driven and determined to succeed in their career after graduation.”

BEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering student Nurzhan also finds PolyU’s focus on professional enhancement programmes helps him establish a secure business network and widen his career prospects.

“PolyU is as a very innovative university, which provides students with very fundamental knowledge in related fields and potential employers know it.

“During my studies in PolyU, I had a lot of opportunities to meet and interact with many interesting people from my field. With the supervision of the Office of Careers and Placement Services of PolyU I could apply and get nominated to work as an intern in Macedonia,” Nurzhan notes.

Source: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Not only does PolyU provide you with worthwhile career engagement programmes, it also offers different forms of ‘out-of-classroom’ entrepreneurship education incase you wanted to start a business of your own.

PolyU full-time students also have the opportunity to take part in the Student Exchange Programme, in which they experience a different culture and enhance their language ability.

“During my studies at PolyU I had a lot of amazing experiences. I enrolled in a student exchange in Canada, embarked on an internship in Europe and spent many wonderful days in Hong Kong. The university also offers scholarship opportunities to help students with their studies, exchanges, internships and projects,” Nurzhan explains.

So, if you’re a prospective international student considering studying at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, you’ll be signing up to a study environment that offers continual personal and professional improvement.

Broadening minds and shaping the future, you’ll graduate from this university with confidence, cultural appreciation and a growing global network of corporate contacts and future professional endeavours.

If you’re ready to integrate your learning with study exchange programmes, internships, work-integrated education and more, visit the PolyU admissions page today.

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