LEE Hoi-ying Fion || BSc (Hons) Engineering Physics || St. Jude Medical AB, Sweden
 Employees in Europe might give people an impression that they are somewhat laid-back at work. However, when Lee Hoi-ying Fion worked in Sweden, in front of her was a batch of devoted and hardworking people who offered her a pleasant and inspirational working experience.
“They all worked as a team with a high morale. Also, my colleagues were all very open-minded. They were happy to accept different ideas and opinions from others. It was very rewarding to work with them,” Fion says.
The Engineering Physics student commenced her internship in Sweden at St. Jude Medical AB, a US-based medical device company famous for making pacemakers. Working under the development department, Fion was assigned to test the impedances of a pacemaker, make a register manual using Excel, complete a progress sheet and conduct measurements on IC chips.
With the knowledge and skills she had gained through training back in PolyU, Fion handled all her tasks independently and efficiently. She also tackled different obstacles when using apparatus during experiments and tests.
Nonetheless, new difficulties always occur at work. “I needed to use the software, Matlab, to generate some graphs from the data obtained. Matlab was something completely new to me and I had to teach myself some programming skills and search the internet for solutions,” she says. “In the end, the most effective solution was to seek help from my colleagues who shared a lot of their experience with me.”
The meaning of breather
The Swedish are coffee lovers and would treat themselves to a cup of coffee amidst their busy day. “My colleagues in Sweden enjoyed two coffee breaks, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. During the break, we put our work behind us and just chatted. The coffee break was very refreshing and refuelled us,” Fion says.
Through interacting with her co-workers in Sweden, Fion has recognised the importance of having passion for work and the necessity to take a break at appropriate times. “Exposing to a different working culture has benefited me greatly. Such experience has catalyzed my growth,” Fion adds.
VN:F [1.7.5_995] Rating: 4.7/5 (6 votes cast)
CHOY Pui-ying Pearl || BSc (Hons) Chemical Technology || University of Tromsø, Norway
 Leaving her homeland and embarking on a journey faraway in Norway was unprecedented to Choy Pui-ying Pearl.
On her arrival in Norway, Pearl started working for The University of Tromsø, the northernmost university on earth. Assigned to work in the Department of Chemistry, she was responsible for preparing organic synthesis of pyrylium salts and a range of distilled solvents for her colleagues.
Despite working busily and independently in the laboratory, Pearl interacted with her colleagues during lunch. “We chatted about different things while having our meal which encouraged me to converse more in English,” Pearl recalls.
During the internship, Pearl also built strong bonds with other trainees from various countries. Among all the trainees Pearl met in the university, Pearl was impressed by an American trainee who was fluent in Putonghua. “I was surprised to meet a foreigner who could speak fluent Putonghua. He told me that he had studied Putonghua for several years,” Pearl says. This east-meets-west experience was an eye opener and another learning opportunity for Pearl. While both her spoken English and Putonghua were enhanced through the daily communication with the American trainee, she noticed how popular the Chinese culture was.
Born in a food paradise, Pearl made good use of her knowledge of food and cooking to mingle with her foreign friends in Norway. Besides introducing the flourishing dining scene and culture of Hong Kong to the foreigners, she took the initiative to cook for a trainee from Japan who knew nothing about  cooking.
An Unexpected encounter
As Asian people are minority in Norway, Pearl never expected to bump into anyone from Hong Kong on that piece of land. However, there was once when Pearl and her Norwegian friends were having a coffee in a local cafe and she encountered the former HKSAR Executive Council member and Secretary for Education and Manpower, Li Kwok-cheung Arthur, the Chairman and Chief Executive of The Bank of East Asia Ltd Dr The Hon. Li Kwok-po David and their family. Overwhelmed by the chance meeting, Pearl struggled with whether she should go forward and greet the celebrity from her homeland. “At last, I collected my courage and approached Prof. Li. When I greeted him, he gave me a warm smile and expressed his joy to meet someone from homeland,” Pearl recalls in excitement.
VN:F [1.7.5_995] Rating: 5.0/5 (5 votes cast)
CHAN Ngai-lee Ally || BSc (Hons) Investment Science || MVA Hong Kong Ltd.
 Unlike many Investment Science students who had their summer placement in local and investment banks, Chan Ngai-lee Ally gained a different learning experience at the UK-based marketing research company, MVA.
Ally was assigned to support a transport planning strategy project for the Hong Kong government’s Transport Department. To handle an unfamiliar topic could be intimidating, but, on the other side of the coin, it could be a valuable opportunity to learn and expand one’s knowledge.
A brand-new learning
“To be frank, I was worried at the beginning. Fortunately, with the patient guidance from my supervisor, I came to comprehend the project step by step,” she says.
Part of the project was to investigate the impact on the passenger volumes of some bus routes after the opening of the West Rail Hung Hom Station.  Ally’s team analysed the collected data and produced a summary of the new public transport arrangements. Ally says, “I am now very familiar with the Hong Kong transport planning and strategy for the years ahead.”
Meanwhile, Ally relished the opportunity to develop up her skills and knowledge in using the SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) analytical software. “It is the statistical analytical software used by many companies for data processing and analysis. Luckily, I had a general idea about the system from university. I think proficient manipulation of SPSS would give me a competitive edge,” she says.
Ally’s able performance during the internship was appreciated by her employer. After the completion of the placement, she was offered a part-time job by the company. “I’ve grown up and became more independent. I’m not ‘a flower in the greenhouse’ anymore as the Cantonese saying goes,” she says.
VN:F [1.7.5_995] Rating: 4.6/5 (5 votes cast)
CHEUNG Siu-yung Tracy, CHAN Lai-kwan Rainy || BA (Hons) Fashion and Textiles || H&M Hennes & Mauritz (Far East) Limited, Hong Kong
 Cheung Siu-yung Tracy and Chan Lai-kwan Rainy’s internships at H&M Hennes & Mauritz (Far East) Limited this summer has broadened their horizons with a deeper understanding of the fashion industry.
Studying Fashion Technology, Tracy interned as a technician in the Quality Assurance Department. She first worked in the Physical Testing Section for accessory products and learnt testing techniques such as dry and wet rubbing, staining, colorfastness to water, saliva, perspiration and bleeding. Later, she was rotated to Color Evaluation and worked on approval of lab dip and sample. Throughout the internship, Tracy received guidance from mentors who taught her different techniques. “I am glad that I could implement my textile knowledge learnt from school into the summer training and have a better and deeper understanding of it,” says Tracy.
As a merchandiser during the internship, Rainy assisted in following up orders and assessing products. She also helped in sample development and communicating with buyers. “I am glad to have had the chance to work with different teams. They also provided me a series of shop visits to investigate what kinds of products got the most attention and draw from customers. I thus learnt to apply the retail theory I learnt from the college in real work,” says Rainy.
She also went to the showroom to study the display of products. “I was so impressed by the brilliant fashion in the showroom. It was a place for media and promotions. It was an unforgettable experience and a practical lesson in visual merchandising,” Rainy recalls. She also visited the Guangdong factory which manufactures hats and acquired more understanding about the production processes and how a factory runs.
Westernized management style
The international working environment was another excitement to both interns. Headquartered in Sweden, H&M regularly seconds staff to the local office for transfer of management style, culture and new ideas. “Most of the H&M staff are energetic and passionate about the fashion industry. Maybe these are important attributes required for working in the field. The potential to work in a foreign country inspired me to get prepared for my future career. I hope that I can become more independent to take up jobs outside Hong Kong,” Rainy says.
Tracy and Rainy were also impressed by the harmonic and flexible environment H&M created for staff. “The company offers flextime to employees. Staff can manage their own working hours. It is a kind of mutual trust and none of the staff will exploit this policy,” Rainy adds. They also highly appreciate the company and the staff for their friendliness and kindness. “I am so delighted that we were treated as full-time staff. As we are about the same age group, we’ve become friends with the staff,” Tracy says.
 Best quality, best price, fast fashion
“The company gave us with a comprehensive training. They provided us the best quality of learning and working environment and the most up-to-date knowledge just as how they provide their products to the customers, showing us the outlook of an international fashion company,” Tracy says.
The well-organised training is influential on their career plans. “I believe there are challenges in this industry especially in merchandising where I would like to pursue my career,” Rainy adds.
Tracy, who decided to select the subject of intimate apparel this year, was much inspired by her colleagues. “I talked to some of the seniors about my career development. They shed some light on studying intimate apparel. Since PolyU is the only university with this specialised subject, why not develop my specialties in this area?” she says.
VN:F [1.7.5_995] Rating: 5.0/5 (5 votes cast)
CHAN Fong-ting Fontinie || BA (Hons) Fashion & Textiles || Eve Fashion Beijing Ltd, Beijing
 When Fashion and Textiles Year Two student Chan Fong-ting Fontinie received the details of her summer placement, she was anxious and edgy. But the experience has proven to be an eye-opener and beneficial.
Fontinie, who spent her summer internship at the famous Mainland menswear company, Eve Fashion Beijing Limited, says, “What I usually design and learn at school is women’s fashion. I was totally unfamiliar with menswear, including its sizes, trends and production.” Despite the anxiety, she took it as a challenge and an opportunity to learn a different skill.
Assigned to the company’s Design and Development Department, Fontinie worked with five professional designers under the supervision of the Design Director. The first task she was given was to research and analyse several international brands as well as local competitors. “That was a very helpful start of my journey. Through the daily visits to different fashion stores, I have better understanding of the fashion industry and design in China,” says Fontinie.
Practice makes perfect
To know more about men’s clothing, Fontinie borrowed some garment samples and studied the measurements and proportions of different sizes and parts closely. She also read a number of Beijing fashion magazines to get familiar with the technical terms and jargons used in the Mainland fashion field. All these experiences have inspired Fontinie to pursue professionalism and be an all-round designer.
Under the training framework, Fontinie designed a series of men’s casual wear for the company and was taught to come up with commercial designs. “I was so glad that my contribution to the company was beyond my expectation. Meanwhile, I could practise what I learnt from school and learn something more,” she says. One of the biggest challenges came during the last week of the internship. Fontinie was asked to come up with 40 designs for the line, Notting Hill, in five days. “It was a big challenge to me. I could never imagine I could finish the task on time with good quality,” she recalls. “I tried to apply my knowledge and creativity to design various cuttings and add some finishing touches which were not adopted in their previous designs.”
Fontinie thinks the internship has broadened her career prospects and she is now more determined to be a fashion designer. “I realised my vision and creativity in the fashion context is not sufficient now. I will work harder and seize every opportunity in my remaining school life to better prepare myself for my future job,” she says.
VN:F [1.7.5_995] Rating: 4.5/5 (6 votes cast)
|
