Subsidized Local and Overseas Internship
The Programme has been providing generous financial support to those students participating in internships with no or nominal remuneration. The maximum allowances per intern are $9,000 and $30,000 for local and overseas internships respectively. In 2015, we subsidized $88,000 for three students to intern at an international organization in Geneva, Switzerland, and one in Ontario, Canada respectively.
This has been a great scheme that both the internship providers and the interns were very satisfied with the internship experience. Due to their great performance, most interns were invited to stay after the internship as regular staff.
International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)
International Institute for Sustainable Development is a huge and very well supported institution based in Canada and Geneva. IISD relates and provides advice directly to senior levels of governments with scores of high level technical staff. In 2014, it started to offer two 4-month full-time intern positions to MIBF graduates from June to September. The interns were assigned to work for Public Procurement and Infrastructure Finance programme in Geneva under the primary supervision of the project officer. The Programme provided each intern with a living subsidy of up to HK$5,000 per month plus an allowance of up to HK$10,000 for airfares. The organization also provided meal allowances and reimbursement for transportation for the interns. In 2015, IISD increased the internship quota for MIBF graduates to three, with two stationed in Geneva, Switzerland and one in Ottawa, Canada.
Compass Business Solutions (a PCCW Solutions Company)
An alumnus has introduced this internship subsidy scheme to her firm, the Compass Consulting Group (a member of PCCW Solutions) in 2013. The firm offered two 3-month full-time Assistant to Consultant internship positions to our graduates from June to September. The interns were assigned to different projects (such as meeting, discussion, designing, training, system configuration and so on) and supervised by senior consultants. The Programme provided allowances of HK$9,000 per intern to support their living expenses and the firm also topped up the amount. Both the internship provider and the students were very satisfied with the internship experience. Due to their great performance, both interns turned into the permanent full-time staff with their probation requirement waived. The firm has returned to recruit our graduates as interns afterward.
Views from Interns
Ms. JIANG Yuanzhen
Settlements Analyst, BNP Paribas, Hong Kong
Graduate from Zhongnan University of Economics & Law
“I was very excited to be selected to intern at Ottawa office in IISD. During the internship, we cooperated with international team and discussed about problems encountered in project with colleagues from Geneva and Beijing offices through remote meeting. It's really an unforgettable experience with a diversifying working environment. This internship was a valuable NGO exposure that broadened my horizon and improved my research skills.”
Ms. DU Yingzhe
Graduated from Northwood University
“There were many job opportunities and internships available when the graduation is around the corner. I was lucky to have a chance to go to Geneva to work with lovely team members of IISD with the help of MIBF program. I was able to make valuable contributions to a large project in green public procurement in China, where I gained a good understanding of the current procurement policy frameworks and helped identify ways to improve them.”
Ms. LIU Shuang
Associate Consultant, PCCW Solutions, Hong Kong
Graduate from Lingnan University, Hong Kong
“Thanks to MIBF, I got this big opportunity to work as an intern in PCCW Solutions and turned out to be a fulltime SAP Consultant after three months. During that year, I had met and collaborated with people from different industries, learned things that I could hardly get to know at school, been working with a group of nice and joyful teammates, and most importantly, built up myself to be much more confident, independent and responsible.”