Joseph K N Chan
Setting Up a Developmental Career Service in Hong Kong
Joseph K N Chan, Director, Student Development Services, City University of Hong Kong, earned a B.A., MBA, and MEd. Joseph and two staff members, Po-Yi Chung and Raysen W L Cheung, were participants in the CDF Instructor June, 2010 training program conducted by Roberta Floyd, Master Trainer and Sally Gelardin, CDF Instructor. The newly trained CDFIs will now conduct the first CDF training program in Hong Kong.
Contact:
Joseph K N Chan
Director of Student Development Services
City University of Hong Kong
Exercise: 4S SWOT Analysis
Identify your student poplulation, existing services, school, and self according to the following variables: (a) strengths,
(b) weaknesses, (c) opporunities, and (d) threats. Then visualize your ideal career service.
A Poem: Reflection on Career Counselling for Young People
by Joseph K.N. Chan
Student Development Services
City University of Hong Kong
Career, marriage, studies, house are critical decisions,
That decide the who, why, what and how of our life positions.
The world of work is changing drastic and fast,
The customary career support we used to offer cannot last.
As resources and funds begin to come hard,
Let’s review our career service from the start.
Finding a job is not downloading information off the shelf,
But a developmental learning experience beginning with understanding the self.
Though aptitude and personality tests may be a good start,
Teachers, parents and mentors still have to play their integral part.
Changing mind-set and building self confidence hold the key,
The more life opportunities and career possibilities our young people will see.
Resume and interview are based on competent transferable life-skills,
Whose importance in education and work is strongly felt.
Here, career counsellors can play a part,
Whose courses on communication and inter-personal relation command high regard.
Updating on latest development in jobs and industries is useful,
Newspapers, magazines and internet are worthy channels,
Cultivating career planning habit and enjoying the exploration process should be the aim,
Whilst anticipatory socialization for future dream career is the name of the game.
Finding a mentor or role-model is an asset,
Critical to your personal and professional development facet,
Broadening your horizon and stretching your potential will reveal newer heights,
Whose meaning and significance we should always keep in sight.
An overseas internship or local practicum is instrumental
In helping you to be more professional.
Though the school can lend you a hand,
You can always put your own internship under your command.
Career planning is not an once-in-a-life-time decision
But an exciting, rewarding and enjoyable evolution,
Built on personal maturity, knowledge, skills, insight, experience and passion.
It's the meaning of life that is at stake,
Not finding a bowl of rice or pair of chopsticks.
Treat the young people as your own beloved kids,
Who will one day occupy society’s important seats,
Then you will surely find
That our career counselling service needs a new paradigm.
Introduction
It is an honor for me to introduce Joseph K N Chan, Director, Student Development Services, City University of Hong Kong. Joseph earned a B.A., MBA, and MEd. I met Joseph at the Career Development Facilitator Instructor training that Roberta Floyd and I conducted last week. Joseph and two staff members, Po-Yi Chung and Raysen W L Cheung, were participants in the CDF Instructor training program, and will now conduct in Hong Kong the first CDF training program. From our three day acquaintance, I am impressed by Joseph's deep respect for his colleagues, staff, and instructors. Joseph is a very centered person. He emanates graciousness and peace of mind. He also has a beautiful singing voice, as listeners will hear shortly. Welcome Joseph! My first question is...
Questions
- First of all, congratulations on completing the Career Development Facilitator Instructor training this week.
- How do you plan to implement this training when you return to Hong Kong? Who is your target population?
- I was greatly impressed by your presentation on setting up a career service. Your exercise included a SWOT Analysis. Could you explain what that is? (show diagram and give instructions to listeners).
- At the beginning of your presentation, you sang a song, Man from La Mancha. Could you sing that song now? What is the reason you opened your presentation with that song?
- At the end of the presentation , you sang another song, by Pete Seeger. Could you sing that song and explain its signifcance related to setting up a career service?
- What is your general view of life and career?
- You told me recently that your mother influenced you is this view. How has she influenced you?
- In general, what do you think career professionals from China can teach the rest of the world?
- What can career professionals from China learn from career professionals in other countries?
- I know that I learned a lot from your presentation and in general from the way you related to your fellow CDFI training participants and to your staff who were part of the training. You treat everyone with the utmost respect and kindness. How did you develop this skill?
- You also appear to be a very centered, balanced person. How did you gain these attributes?
- Thank you for sharing the wonderful gifts you brought to the CDFI training.
Closing
Roberta Floyd, Master Trainer, and I were truly appreciate your contributions to the CDF Intstructor training and for sharing career strengths of the Chinese culture in Hong Kong, where East meets West.