Since joining China State Construction International Holdings (CSCI) in 2006, Amelia Cheng Wai-chung has worked in various projects and acquired the skills necessary for an aspiring engineer.
'You face different challenges on different construction sites and learn new things every day,' says Cheng, a former graduate engineer at the company who was recently promoted to the role of engineer.
'For example, there are certain standard procedures governing public housing projects, while each private residential project is different in terms of the features and materials used, not to mention the differences between building malls, hotels and hospitals.'
Cheng says the intensive, four-year training she received as a graduate engineer prepared her for the chartered qualification examinations she will sit for and helped pave the way for a career in the field.
Aside from offering young engineers the chance to learn technical know-how, the company provides training in soft skills such as leadership and team-building capabilities and the ability to communicate and negotiate with others. The trainees have mentors who give them pointers at work and review their progress regularly.
CSCI hires 30 to 40 university students for the graduate engineer programme a year. 'The scheme nurtures the most talented for management positions, and is an important part of our succession plan,' says Eva Leung Yuk-ling, the company's deputy general manager of human resources.
