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| Spring 2007, Academic exchange to Nottingham Business School, UK |
| Summer 2007, 5-week WIE training in Bank of China, Nanjing |
| Summer 2007, 6-week WIE training in Ernst & Young Tax Services Limited, Hong Kong |
| Present, Management Trainee in a Japan-based bank |
TSANG Wing-fung Kurt || August 2008 Graduated with BBA (Hons) Accounting and Finance
Kurt, a graduate in Accounting and Finance, is presently a management trainee at a Japanese Bank. With clear objectives, Kurt started to plan his career when he first entered university, fully utilizing every resource and opportunity offered to him throughout his three-year university life. “What professors teach us in class is theory. The most important thing is applying what you have learnt in real life,” Kurt says.
Trying hard to gain something extra besides textbook learning, Kurt joined the Debate Club and various student societies in his first year at university. His involvement in different societies and competitions enhanced his analytical mind and public speaking skills.
“University life is short. Therefore, I planned to maximise my learning and organise my university life in a strategic way. Through participation in different co-curricular activities, I enhanced my different generic competencies, which was reflected in my resume and helped differentiate myself from others,” Kurt recalls.
Returning from a study exchange in the UK in 2007, he interned at Bank of China in Nanjing for a month through SAO’s “Preferred Graduate” Development Programme. He regards the summer internship experience in China as a cornerstone of his career. “Although I also got summer job experience in Hong Kong, the experience in China really helped me pursue my first job,” says Kurt, who later in the same summer received another internship offer from leading accounting firm, Ernst & Young.
“Although I majored in Accounting and Finance, I realised my career choice need not be only limited to accounting and auditing because of my banking experience in Nanjing. I understood more clearly about the operation of the bank and I found I was interested in developing my career in the field,” says Kurt, who began job hunting early in the beginning of his last year at university.
Attitude is the key
Many students might be reluctant to head to China for their internships because of the perception that the Mainland workplace has a completely different culture. After his placement in the Mainland, Kurt thinks the experience was a great exposure to the bank industry for him. “Hong Kong students are in general quite protected. Going north can widen their horizons and they will come back with a different mindset.”
The attitude of his superior during the Nanjing internship also inspired the Hong Kong student. “What they were most concerned about was customer services. Through observing their daily routine, I learnt that attitude was very important. It affects how you view your job and position yourself,” Kurt says.
Kurt says his present employer places great emphasis on staff’s attitude and the company spends lots of resources on nurturing and training staff. “They believe a person’s skills and knowledge can be developed through a series of on-the-job training. However, attitude cannot be taught,” he says.
VN:F [1.7.5_995] Rating: 3.9/5 (10 votes cast)
TANG Hiu-nam Rina, BSc (Hons) Computing and BBA (Hons) Management || NG Wai-long Vincent, BSc (Hons) Internet & Multimedia Technologies || Microsoft Hong Kong Limited
Enjoys double delights
 In Hong Kong, Tang Hiu-nam Rina and Ng Wai-long Vincent also found themselves immersed in the world of technology by taking on an twelve-week internship at the Microsoft Hong Kong office in the summer.
Rina, a double degree student majoring in Computing and Management, received an offer to be a consulting intern and was required to work for improving customer satisfaction in using Microsoft products, services and technologies.
During the Internship, she was in charge of the Cathay Pacific Airways Limited’s Management System Project, being involved in system development, testing, deployment and training for the airline and conducting user acceptance tests within the Microsoft Solution Framework Software Development Cycle.
“I never expected to have the chance to work with two big corporations in one summer internship,” says Rina. She worked closely with the technical account managers, consultants, partners and clients at different stages, including regular meetings, project development, requirement collection, testing, demonstrations, writing technical documentation, providing training and aids for clients, and answering clients’ enquiries.
“I was most fortunate to be engaged throughout the entire project. This enabled me be more familiar with the skills and techniques required in project management,” she says.
Moreover, from providing onsite training for IT professionals at the Cathay City, she learnt the techniques of effective communication. During one of the training sessions, a client representative reflected that her teaching was not clear enough which reminded her of the importance of putting herself in others’ shoes to deliver messages effectively and to establish good rapport.
Exposed to new skills
Vincent, majoring in Internet and Multimedia Technologies, was placed as a site assistant to support the online marketing team and implement page design, produce XML web content and build and execute web production. “The most challenging task was to modify the programme for the PressPass website, which required me to use a new programming language C# for programming development for the first time. I had to learn how to use this language while working on the task by myself,” says Vincent. “I am glad to have had the chance to learn this programming language. Now I plan to use this language in my final year project.”
To have his work done perfectly, he searched for information on the internet, flipped through many reference books and consulted his colleagues in order to master the programming language. Vincent felt excited by the results of using the new programming language. With success in acquiring some new skills by himself, he has become more confident about himself and is ready to explore his potential further.
Discover potential and passion
Having the opportunity to work at one of the world’s greatest companies could be a once-in-a-life-time experience. Rina and Vincent grabbed every chance to participate in Microsoft events such as the Microsoft Annual Channel Kickoff 2009 held at Ocean Park. In the event, they helped demonstrate the latest products to the press, the company’s partners and clients. “It was really a rare experience to give a presentation to clients in a cable car!” Vincent recalls.
Having worked at Microsoft, both Rina and Vincent realised their potential to join the high-technology industry. Before the internship, Rina never thought that she could work well in the information technology industry. The invaluable experience prompted her to consider being a business analyst or system consultant.
“I am confident that I can provide business solutions for organisations to implement their information system, through which I can fully utilise my computing and management knowledge learnt from my double degree,” Rina says. “I hope I can pursue my future career in Microsoft after graduation.”
VN:F [1.7.5_995] Rating: 3.7/5 (19 votes cast)
WONG Ting-yi Winnie || BBA (Hons) Accountancy || Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
LAI Jin-kei Ricky || BBA (Hons) Accounting & Finance || PricewaterhouseCoopers
CHEUNG Pan-lok Edmond || BBA (Hons) Financial Services || KPMG
HO Nga-ting Magdalene || BBA (Hons) Accountancy || Ernst & Young
LAU Shuk-ping Pauline || BBA(Hons) Accountancy || PricewaterhouseCoopers
 As a leading international financial centre, Hong Kong maintains financial stability under strict monetary regulations. To facilitate such an environment, accountants are one of the most significant professions. Over the past year, a handful of PolyU students were granted internship opportunities from the Big Four accounting firms, gaining a glimpse into the respected profession and industry.
Wong Ting-yi Winnie joined Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu as an intern in the auditing section. Starting with a week of training courses, the internship then divided the interns into different working teams. Winnie was assigned to take on some entry level auditing work with the use of Deloitte’s software.
“That was simple to my colleagues, but challenging for me,” says Winnie. “My colleagues, however, were all very approachable and welcomed any inquiries on audit-related matters. Every one of them was my mentor.”
The internship enhanced her commercial awareness and improved her confidence. “I am proud to be a PolyU student. Our University equips us with knowledge, and more importantly, gives us with the ability to put theory into practice to sharpen our competitive edge,” Winnie says. “It also develops our attitude which is especially crucial in work, and hence, I was able to enjoy my internship life.”
Winnie’s classmate Ho Nga-ting Magdalene interned in the Audit and Assurance Business Services section of Ernst & Young. After a five-day training programme on auditing procedures, all the interns worked in groups on different tasks, activities and exercises.
Assigned to an engagement team, Magdalene assisted her colleagues in preparing the audit schedule of a private limited company. Since the company had nearly 50 subsidiaries and the work was under a tight schedule, Magdalene had to process hundreds of accounts every day.
Though the tasks were tough, she learnt how work was done practically in the real world. “I truly experienced the life of an auditor. Nevertheless, the communication with the client was the most difficult challenge I had encountered,” she says. “With guidance from my colleagues, finally I was able to communicate well with my client and get the information I needed.”
Future talent in the making
 Financial Services student, Cheung Pan-lok Edmond, obtained the chance to acquire accounting knowledge from the China Tax Services Department of KPMG. Before the internship commenced, Edmond had attended a workshop on China’s tax framework at university to prepare himself for the placement.
In the accounting firm, he conducted a research about taxation in China. He also helped analyse tax issues raised by clients, found relevant tax laws to support advice to clients, produced summary reports on the updates of the tax laws, and translate reports from Chinese to English. With his fundamental knowledge of taxation, he managed to pick up all his assigned tasks quickly.
“In KPMG, I experienced how challenging the tax services field was. I learnt what skills were required to excel in the field and what improvements I should make. All this will help shape me into a professional tax consultant,” he says.
Another student, Lau Shuk-ping Pauline, thinks her internship at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) was an invaluable experience in her life. “People say working in the Big Four accounting firms, even if it’s just an internship place, is a milestone leading to a successful career. I can’t agree more with this statement,” she says. “Not only is it a company of great renown, but its philosophy will also be beneficial to my whole life.”
Pauline was responsible to summarize board minutes, obtain client’s schedules, review the IFRS and HKFRS notes and update their control lists, consolidate daily issue logs for partners’ review and perform some ad-hoc tasks.
Governed by tight schedules, she was trained to be as a cautious yet efficient person. Through getting in touch with clients, she applied the business communication skills learnt from the workshops in PolyU and her accountancy knowledge was sharpened. “I can say, on-the-job training is a good chance to practice the knowledge you acquire from books,” Pauline explains.
Being awarded a PwC Scholarship, Accounting and Finance student Lai Jin-kei Ricky interned in the Tax Department of PwC, preparing corporate tax returns and tax computations.
“Thanks to the PwC Scholarship programme, I had the chance to work for both Auditing and Tax departments. Both departments require different knowledge and their working natures are completely different,” he says. “I was worried and afraid that I would not be capable to handle the task well. However, thanks to the taxation course in PolyU, I found that the assigned task s were not that difficult to handle and I completed them satisfactorily.”
When working for the Audit Department, Ricky also had the chance to liaise with the client’s accountant or even the chief financial officer of the company. The experience was challenging and rewarding. His mentor guided him and demonstrated some questioning skills which helped improve his interpersonal skills. “I am sure this experience will benefit me in the future,”he says.
VN:F [1.7.5_995] Rating: 4.1/5 (8 votes cast)
Wang Fangyuan George || BBA (Hons) Global Supply Chain Management
Bank of Communications and Schroders Fund Management Company, Shanghai
 Shanghai, now the financial and trading centre of China, has become one of the most ideal locations for anyone pursuing a career in the finance industry. Wang Fang-yuan George, a Global Supply Chain Management student, was thrilled to complete his five-week internship in Shanghai, enjoying the vibe of the city.
After a tough screening process, George landed an internship at the renowned investment bank, Bank of Communications and Schroders Fund Management Company. The valuable internship has changed George’s perspective on his career and placed him into the business world. “During the internship, I met many fabulous bankers and investors who motivated me to pursue perfection and preciseness,” he says.
One of the most memorable assignments for George was to turn an interview with the Chief Director of the Shanghai Stock Exchange Market into a report on corporate governance, a topic which he knew nothing about.
To get the job done, he read articles and conducted research to equip himself with related knowledge. “It was hard at the beginning. Gradually, I understood you have to comprehend the notion of an assignment to complete your work,” says George, who was inspired by the brilliant marketing ideas and financial concepts raised in the brainstorming meeting.
He was also glad to earn the trust and respect from the professional economists. “It was happy to be a participant, and not just a listener. I had the opportunity to give a 10-minute presentation about a brochure of a new fund product of a competitor,” he says. “My seniors were open to all opinions and mindsets. My ideas were adopted sometimes. I felt that they treated me not only as an intern, but also as a real staff. I really appreciated that.”
A test for endurance 
Working overtime is a normal phenomenon in Schroders. George was also influenced by the culture and worked late to complete his tasks even on his birthday.
“I had to rush a speech draft out for my supervisor that night. Although my senior asked me to leave and celebrate with my friends, I insisted on finishing the task myself,” says George. “It was the strong company culture and the business ethics PolyU instilled in me that motivated me to keep working. I never imagined myself being so committed to a job. When I was in school, I always finished my assignment on the due day for submission.”
George is now more clear about his future career and study plan. “On the last day of the internship, I was really sad. I looked through the windows to see the high-rises all- around and to feel the pulse of the Chinese economy. I know I will work in this city again,” he says with determination.
VN:F [1.7.5_995] Rating: 4.7/5 (13 votes cast)
LIU Tian-zhe Ollie || BBA (Hons) Management || Haier Group, Qingdao
 In the four-week project-based placement in Qingdao, Liu Tian-zhe Ollie experienced his first taste of being in a multinational team. Through the memorable summer internship, he realised effective communication is the key to success.
Being a consultant trainee at the leading Mainland electronics appliance manufacturer, Haier, Ollie and his team, which comprised of a Russian, two Mainland Chinese and four other Hong Kong students, were required to work on a proposal for the company.
In the very beginning, the collaboration among the seven members was not smooth at all due to the language barrier and cultural differences. However, they managed to find a way to work together. The entire team also benefited from their mixed backgrounds.
“English was not our mother tongue. No matter how hard I tried, I still wasn’t sure if the others understood my idea,” says Ollie, a Management student. “Since all of us study similar subjects in universities, we were able to reach agreement in the end. On the other hand, the different cultural backgrounds of the members brought in very distinctive mindsets and ideas to the project.”
The power of variety
While one of the Mainland students who studies in Canada contributed some western ideas, the other Mainland undergraduate provided some valuable insights into the mainland market which helped the team to understand the situation in the Mainland and ensured the project was on the right track. The Russian member also shared the customs from his home country. “I didn’t expect such a multi-cultural interaction when I learnt that I would be having my internship in Qingdao,” says Ollie.
 To allow the Russian teammate to take part in the final presentation, the team decided to complete the research report in both English and Chinese, in spite of the fact that their workload would be literally doubled. “In fact, we only needed to prepare the report in Chinese. But we didn’t want to leave our Russian teammate alone as an outsider, we would like to have him to work with us as a team and have his contributions in the project,” says Ollie.
Ollie is glad that the project was finished on time and without a hitch, even though the working styles of members were different. “We divided the projects into parts and each teammate focused on the area they are good at,” says Ollie. “Also, we were willing to accept each other’s ideas and ways of doing things. This is crucial to working in a team with such great diversity.”
VN:F [1.7.5_995] Rating: 4.4/5 (8 votes cast)
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