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Letters | No internship, no problem: Hong Kong youth can use the time to learn new skills

  • Survey shows nearly 40 per cent of students who did not land an internship amid the pandemic-induced economic downturn did not despair and acquired new skills
  • Schools should provide training in IT and problem-solving skills, and help students adapt to virtual internships

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A cyclist makes his way down Hong Kong’s business district of Central on January 4. The economic downturn and Covid-19 restrictions have caused a drastic cutback in internship opportunities for university students in the city. Photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups think tank Youth IDEAS’ education group recently conducted a survey on university internships. Unsurprisingly, with the economic downturn and the restrictions caused by Covid-19, there has been a drastic cutback and other changes in internship opportunities.

Some employers turned to a mixture of online and offline models to structure their internship programme, while students cast about for alternatives. According to the survey, 54.3 per cent of the 457 students who got an internship did their work remotely.

Meanwhile, 37.1 per cent of the 420 students who failed to land an internship explored new interests and skills. Their positive attitude showed that, while life is full of setbacks, we can confront each setback with ingenuity.

There are at least three lessons we can learn here. First, learning is always the most valuable investment anyone can make. The value of academic qualifications may follow trends. Still, no society can do without people who learn fast and well. Lifelong learning helps students adapt in the future world. Learning fosters a curious mind that may lead you to creative solutions.

A child in Hong Kong skips rope in March last year. Photo: Xinhua
A child in Hong Kong skips rope in March last year. Photo: Xinhua

Second, information technology and analytical skills are critical to thriving in the future. A lot of information is accessible to everyone in the digital era. Students need to know how to manage and make use of data to detect the relevant signals.

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