Playtimes HK Magazine September 2018 Issue | Page 49
features
W
ith pressure from schools
and family to accept a
university place and start
heading toward a degree
and that great job as soon as possible,
it’s often difficult to decide if you’re
actually ready for university. Some
young people have a clear idea of their
goals for education and a career path,
while others simply have no idea.
More pressure, from not only schools
and parents, but also society, to go
to university straight after secondary
school has brought with it a marked
increase in the number of university
students. According to the Higher
Education Statistics Agency (HESA),
between 2007-08 and 2016-17, the
number of students entering university
in the UK went up from 458,560 to
548,415, a 20 per cent increase in
ten years.
As the number of people choosing
to study at university increases, it is
only natural to expect the drop-out
rate to increase too. Data gathered by
HESA show that in 2015-16, 6.4 per
cent of undergraduates aged under 21
years dropped out during their first year,
a 6.2 per cent increase from the year
before, and a six per cent increase from
2013-14. Reasons for students to drop
out of university are varied and can be
anything from not choosing a course
that suits them, to suffering from stress-
related mental health issues, to student
loan-related stress. A 2015 survey
conducted by the National Union of
Students (NUS) found that 78 per cent
of students in the UK experienced
stress-related mental health issues
during 2014.
Some students will have the time
of their lives at university and will
enjoy all of the new and exciting
experiences on offer. However,
there are also many factors that can
increase a student’s anxieties about
the challenges of university life.
Some of these factors could be living
independently for the first time, making
new friends, or managing an increased
academic workload.
For young people who just aren’t
ready for all of these responsibilities
to be thrown at them, it’s worthwhile
to consider alternative options to help
bridge the gap between school and
university life. Also, not all students
will get the desired grades in their final
exams to be accepted to the course
and university of their preference.
Taking a year or two off can be helpful
for either retaking exams or revisiting
course and career options. Finally,
for students who are keen to explore
career pathways that may not require
a standard tertiary degree, plenty of
possibilities exist to help them find the
right track.
Internships
An internship is a great way for school
graduates to have a taste of working
life and see what industry they might
be interested in. Working as an intern
is also helpful in building real-life work
experience to add to your CV later
for job applications. Whether it’s with
a huge multinational or a small-to-
medium sized enterprise, a targeted
internship can only strengthen your CV
as it shows a level of accountability and
on-the-job knowledge that academia
doesn’t always provide.
Internships also often give you the
opportunity to interact with industry
professionals who can help you to build
networks in the professional world.
These can be useful later for job hunting.
Another thing that an internship will
teach you is how to manage your time
effectively, which is an important skill for
day to day life as well as at university.
There are many companies in Hong
Kong offering internships, however,
you must be prepared for little or no
pay! You can find internships through
websites like www.indeed.hk or http://
hk.jobsdb.com.hk where the advertising
employer will give information on the
position, hours, and qualifications
needed. Many of these internships,
like most jobs in Hong Kong, require
applicants to be able to speak fluent
Cantonese and/or Mandarin as well
September 2018
47