THE PRESENCE OF PolyU students has had a positive effect on a travel and tourism company participating in the on-the-job summer placement programme. In fact, Hong Thai Travel Services described the programme as a 'win-win-win' exercise for the university, the students and the company.
Hong Thai Travel Services joined the Preferred Graduate Development Programme in 2003. Human resources manager Cindy Lui said the students gained practical experience from the placement, while the company benefited from the students' suggestions. 'We get new ideas and inspiration from them,' Ms Lui said.
Last year, Hong Thai took in two Hong Kong Polytechnic University students from the programme. One was assigned to marketing and the other to the human resources department. In 2004, five PolyU students majoring in marketing, tourism and management enrolled in the programme.
'Most of our colleagues have been with the company for many years, and we are accustomed to doing things in a set way, never thinking about alternatives,' Ms Lui said. 'The students pointed out weaknesses in our system. Not all their suggestions were practical, and we told them why they wouldn't work. But on many occasions, their suggestions were good and we adopted these. Their way of looking at things was inspiring and insightful.'
The company said it also beneftited from the 'energy' and enthusiasm of the students.
'They bring life into the office. As they usually came in the summer, we didn't always have the time to arrange work for them and teach them things. But they would always ask questions and offer help.'