Nurturing the soil for talent, where young people can let their dreams take root.
University students often find themselves at a crossroads, feeling uncertain about the future. Should they pursue a well-paid and highly regarded job, or seek a development path that better aligns with their personal interests and values?
During the summer of 2025, two third-year university students—Antonia Lam, a Marketing major, and William Chan, who studies Politics, Law and Human Resource Management—joined The Hong Kong Jockey Club Summer Internship Programme, each carrying their own aspirations.
“My classmates all seemed to have clear goals. Some even began interning in their first year at university. I, on the other hand, felt like a blank sheet of paper, with no work experience and concept of what my future might look like.” Antonia recalled her mindset before applying for the Club’s Summer Internship Programme. She admitted that she was still unsure about her development direction and simply approached the opportunity with a willingness to try and to learn. Among the many large organisations, she chose the Club for a simple reason: “The Club values talent development and is a name every person in Hong Kong knows well. Through the internship, I hope to be exposed to different areas of work, accumulate experience, and add a bit of colour to what once felt like a blank page.”
Assigned to the Membership and Customer Excellence Division, Antonia initially thought her role would be limited to data collection. Under the careful and clear guidance of her department manager, she discovered that analysing the backgrounds of senior corporate executives was, in fact, a crucial basis for the Club's screening of corporate members. “I did not expect that my analyses could genuinely influence decision-making,” Antonia said. This gave her a first taste of confidence and achievement in the workplace.
William's situation was quite different. Having previously interned at a bank during the summer of his second year, he gained knowledge and operational practices within financial industry. However, he still hoped to explore a wide range of development possibilities. He was particularly interested in understanding how the Club carries out charitable work and gives back to the community through its various business operations.
While interning with the People and Organisational Development Division, William was responsible for handling large volumes of raw data and complex spreadsheets. By moving beyond traditional methods, he designed an automated system that uses artificial intelligence tools, greatly improving the speed and accuracy of data processing and updates. “It is incredibly rewarding to know that my work can help my colleagues save two to three years of time in the future,” he shared. William learned that by taking one step further, his innovative ideas could bring meaningful, positive change to the team.
During their two-month summer internship at the Club, they also stepped beyond the office and gained broader exposure. Contrary to her expectations of feeling distant in a large organisation, Antonia was pleasantly surprised by the warmth of her supervisors, who even invited her to activities at the Club’s clubhouse. “They didn't treat me as a temporary passerby, but genuinely helped me integrate into the Club's culture.” For Antonia, as a university intern at the time, this was her first experience of such social settings. With guidance from her supervisors, she was given opportunities to communicate with people and expand her network, which became one of the most valuable takeaways from her internship.
William had the opportunity to visit the stables and experience the Happy Wednesday night races at Happy Valley, giving him firsthand exposure to the Club's diverse operations and the way horse racing is integrated with dining and entertainment. He also felt the Club’s strong commitment to talent development. “No matter how busy my supervisors were, whenever I had questions, they would spend the time to respond patiently,” he said. This atmosphere of open and equal communication helped him let go of the initial reserve that came with being new, allowing him to integrate into a team that embraces new ideas and encourages young people to experiment.
Although eight weeks may not seem long, the internship was more than enough for Antonia and William to gain a clearer sense of their future direction.
Antonia no longer felt apprehensive about entering the workforce, instead, she developed a much clearer understanding of her career path. William, meanwhile, discovered the sense of purpose he had been seeking, confirming his desire to pursue a career in an environment that combines professionalism with social responsibility. Armed with new perspectives and confidence that were developed from the internship, both returned to campus hoping to apply their strengths and pursue paths that align with social values in the future.
Did you know?
The Hong Kong Jockey Club is committed to talent development. Our Summer Internship Programme offers valuable opportunities for university students to gain practical work experience, explore their career interests and acquire firsthand insight into the Club's unique integrated business model.
Over the eight-week programme, interns will take part in real-world projects and, under the guidance of experienced colleagues, gain a deeper understanding of the Club's operations. The programme aims to help interns enhance their skills, broaden their horizons and prepare for future career development.
Wan Yee says, “Since joining 21C@JC, I have started to enjoy connecting with other young people in the community, and I hope to organise activities that bring even more youth together.”