Balancing Employability Preparation with Youths' Well-being and Preventing Excessive Internship Stacking

Mr Jackson Lam asked the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry has studied the psychological or developmental effects of students taking on multiple internships at increasingly younger ages; (b) how schools are ensuring balance between employability preparation and youth well-being; and (c) whether guidelines exist to prevent excessive internship stacking among secondary and post-secondary students.

Internships play an integral part in providing relevant work experience for students in our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), as they transit into the workforce. Based on the Graduate Employment Survey, the average number of internships undertaken by students from the autonomous universities (AUs), polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) have remained largely stable in the past three years. On average, AU students complete two internships during their course of study, while polytechnic and ITE students complete one internship.

Junior colleges offer a variety of programmes, such as career fairs and industry talks, to help students explore potential career pathways. Internships are not compulsory and are one of the modalities available for students to explore their career interests. There is no requirement for secondary school students to undertake internships.

While it may not be practical to set guidelines on the number of internships students should complete given the diverse needs of different industries, students are encouraged to prioritise having meaningful internship experiences, rather than maximising the number of internships. The Ministry of Education, our schools and IHLs remain committed to supporting the well-being of students, including when they are on internships.