Helping students in Yuen Long to broaden their horizons

Although Hong Kong is a small place, some secondary students living in Yuen Long and its vicinity seldom go to Central or other business districts. To enable them to broaden their horizons and gain a better understanding of the operation of professional and business firms, as well as the study and career pathways available to them, I initiated in 2008 the Yuen Long District Secondary School Students Internship Programme, which offers each participant a two-week internship placement. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Hong Kong Coalition of Professional Services and the Yuen Long District Secondary School Heads Association, the programme has entered its seventh year.

This morning, I went to a secondary school in Yuen Long to attend the launch ceremony of the programme for 2014-15. I chatted with the students participating in the programme and was most impressed by their proactive attitude towards their future studies and careers. They all treasured the internship opportunities.

After the launch ceremony, I invited the school heads and teachers involved to lunch at Fanling Lodge to thank them for their great efforts. Over lunch, they told me that there were not enough places in the programme to meet the keen demand. They said they hoped that more organisations would join the programme, so that a larger number of students could learn more about themselves and the community through this experience.

Young people are our future. To enable them to have holistic development, we must supplement school education with other learning opportunities outside the classroom. I hope that more organisations and professional firms will offer placement for secondary students to broaden their horizons.

Video of the Chief Executive attending the launch ceremony of the Yuen Long District Secondary School Students Internship Programme

July 11, 2015