STEM INTERN SCHEME WELL RECEIVED

The STEM Internship Scheme has been well received by participating universities and the business community. It attracted more than 3,000 university students and 1,500 companies and organisations in the summer and winter of 2021-22.

The Innovation & Technology Commission today said the figures represent a year-on-year increase of more than 80% in the summer and close to 50% in the winter.

According to the findings of surveys conducted by participating universities after the completion of the internships, among the students who joined the scheme in 2021-22, 98% of them gained a better understanding of the innovation and technology (I&T) field upon completion of their internship, while 97% would consider pursuing careers in I&T in the future.

Furthermore, almost all participating employers considered that the interns' job performance had met or even exceeded their expectations and planned to join the scheme again.

The findings reflect that the scheme has met the expectations of students, companies and organisations and its effectiveness is recognised by the universities and business community.

Participating universities noted that the scheme had encouraged employers to provide more I&T-related internship places, offering students the opportunity to apply their STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) knowledge in the workplace.

It had also motivated STEM students to enrol in I&T-related internships, thus enabling them to understand the I&T work environment and culture. In addition, some SME employers said that the scheme had helped them hire interns with STEM knowledge.

The STEM Internship Scheme has been well received by universities and the business community since its launch in summer 2020 and it was regularised last year.

Entering the scheme's third summer break, the commission said it looks forward to the participation of more employers and students.

Apart from providing students with internship opportunities, the scheme assists companies in recruiting suitable I&T talent, thereby enlarging the local I&T talent pool, it added.

The scheme provides university students in STEM disciplines with internships of at least four consecutive weeks with a monthly allowance of $10,500 for up to three months in every academic year.

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