MWYO: MWYO Corporate Internship Initiative

Introduction

We firmly believe that grades do not determine a person’s worth, but unfortunately, many firms use academic achievement as the main screening criterion in the recruitment process of young workers. Though some applicants may fulfil the job requirement in terms of soft skills, they may not have the highest grades and thus miss out on many job opportunities. Most internship opportunities today are reserved for tertiary students, or even secondary school students with well-connected parents. Secondary school students from a more humble background are excluded and lack the means to gain valuable hands-on work experience.

In the summer of 2020, MWYO launched its Corporate Internship Initiative, lining up internships for Form 6 students with average grades from non-elite schools and a humble background. Our aim was to enable these students to have a clearer sense of their future career path and earn practical work experience, while developing their soft skills and mindset. We also sought to explore a possible link between educational attainment and soft skills in the workplace. The firms hiring them could have a better understanding of their capabilities and potential, even offering them job opportunities beyond the internship itself.

Throughout the Initiative, we have tracked the growth and learning process of each participating student, to identify their strengths and weaknesses and evaluate their performance. We hope that our observations and findings may shed light on the importance of internships for secondary school students, to equip them with the soft skills and attitudes that are indispensable in today’s increasingly competitive job market.

Feature of the Initiative

Feedback from Corporates

We go the extra mile by identifying and attracting talent while they’re still in secondary school. Eventually, when they start looking for work, we’ll be the first to hire them.
Joe Chan, Head Of Administration

Running a successful internship programme doesn’t only mean creating opportunities for our young people. It’s also important for corporate planning and change.
Steven Tsoi, Chief Impact Evangelist, SVhk | Co-founder, SONOVA