Club-funded School-Company Partnership fosters entrepreneurship among young people

7 July 2010

Young people are the future pillars of our society.  To help senior students in Hong Kong gain a stronger understanding of the commercial sector and better equip themselves for future business challenges, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has donated nearly HK$1.5 million to the Young Entrepreneurs Development Council to run the School-Company Partnership Programme.

Today (7 July), the Club's Executive Director, Charities, Legal & Corporate Secretariat Douglas So joined Under Secretary for Education Kenneth Chen at a closing ceremony and experience-sharing session for this year's programme.  Mr So told the audience that the programme complemented the new senior secondary curriculum by encouraging students to develop their potential in non-academic areas.  He hoped the participants would be inspired by their learning experiences outside the classroom and better able to plan their future careers.

The School-Company Partnership Programme has been funded by the Trust since 2007. In collaboration with schools and companies, students from Secondary Four to Secondary Seven levels are able to acquire an entrepreneurial mindset before entering the workforce.

Seven workshops covering the topics of self-knowledge, corporate structure and operations, along with field trips and company visits, are aimed at helping students set their career goals and develop a business mindset.  Teachers and Company Ambassadors are assigned to provide the students with career guidance during each year's five-month programme.  So far, over 300 school-company teams have been formed and more than 11,000 students have participated.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club has become one of Hong Kong's best known and respected organisations, providing the public with world-class sporting entertainment as well as being the city's major non-Government community benefactor, now donating more than HK$1 billion a year to charitable and community projects.  It has been a part of Hong Kong through good times and bad, sharing the city's growth and development with its people, and is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for future generations.

The Club's Executive Director, Charities, Legal & Corporate Secretariat, Douglas So, says the School-Company Partnership Programme complements the new senior secondary curriculum and he hopes participants will be inspired by their learning experiences outside the classroom and better able to plan their future careers.
Photo 1:
The Club's Executive Director, Charities, Legal & Corporate Secretariat, Douglas So, says the School-Company Partnership Programme complements the new senior secondary curriculum and he hopes participants will be inspired by their learning experiences outside the classroom and better able to plan their future careers.

Photos 2/3: Students share their thoughts and experiences at the ceremony (Photo 2). Company Ambassadors and participating teachers say the programme induces a spark of potential amongst the students (Photo 3).
Photo 2:
Photos 2/3:
Students share their thoughts and experiences at the ceremony (Photo 2). Company Ambassadors and participating teachers say the programme induces a spark of potential amongst the students (Photo 3).

Photos 2/3: Students share their thoughts and experiences at the ceremony (Photo 2). Company Ambassadors and participating teachers say the programme induces a spark of potential amongst the students (Photo 3).
Photo 3

The Club's Executive Director, Charities, Legal & Corporate Secretariat, Douglas So (2nd from right); Young Entrepreneurs Development Council Chairperson Sophie Leung (3rd from right); Centaline Property Agency Chief Executive Officer (HK & Macau) Addy Wong (2nd from left) and Young Entrepreneurs Development Council Director Joey Fan (1st from left). Under Secretary for Education Kenneth Chen (3rd from left) says the School-Company Partnership Programme has successfully broken the barrier between education and business sector and allowed students to enrich their knowledge through workshops.
Photo 4:
The Club's Executive Director, Charities, Legal & Corporate Secretariat, Douglas So (2nd from right); Young Entrepreneurs Development Council Chairperson Sophie Leung (3rd from right); Centaline Property Agency Chief Executive Officer (HK & Macau) Addy Wong (2nd from left) and Young Entrepreneurs Development Council Director Joey Fan (1st from left). Under Secretary for Education Kenneth Chen (3rd from left) says the School-Company Partnership Programme has successfully broken the barrier between education and business sector and allowed students to enrich their knowledge through workshops.

The Club's Executive Director, Charities, Legal & Corporate Secretariat Douglas So (left) receives a souvenir from Young Entrepreneurs Development Council Chairperson Sophie Leung (right).
Photo 5:
The Club's Executive Director, Charities, Legal & Corporate Secretariat Douglas So (left) receives a souvenir from Young Entrepreneurs Development Council Chairperson Sophie Leung (right).

Photos 6/7: The Club's Executive Director, Charities, Legal & Corporate Secretariat, Douglas So and Young Entrepreneurs Development Council Chairperson Sophie Leung, pictured with "Best Performance School-Company Partnership" winners (Photo 6), including students from Precious Blood Secondary School (Photo 7).
Photo 6:
Photos 6/7:
The Club's Executive Director, Charities, Legal & Corporate Secretariat, Douglas So and Young Entrepreneurs Development Council Chairperson Sophie Leung, pictured with "Best Performance School-Company Partnership" winners (Photo 6), including students from Precious Blood Secondary School (Photo 7).

Photos 6/7: The Club's Executive Director, Charities, Legal & Corporate Secretariat, Douglas So and Young Entrepreneurs Development Council Chairperson Sophie Leung, pictured with "Best Performance School-Company Partnership" winners (Photo 6), including students from Precious Blood Secondary School (Photo 7).
Photo 7