This early reviving spring saw the annual Career Exploration activity for SHBS students. Due to the recent surge of Covid-19 cases in Shanghai, this year’s activity had to be online. The Career Exploration activity, which is an advising and tutorial program independently developed and designed by SHBS, aims to help students better explore themselves, know about their own interests and hobbies, personality traits, and strengths, enlighten them about how to make good choices of their future majors and career paths, and help them raise their awareness of career development so that they can get well motivated and make proper plans for their high school years.

Led by the college advising department, students embarked on a month-long career exploration and planning journey. It included three phases: self-exploration, career exploration, and career follow-up.

During Career Exploration, based on students' interests and the trends of social development, this year the college advising department invited 16 elites from different industries at home and abroad to share with SHBS students. Each student could talk to guest speakers from the three industries he was most interested in. Guest speakers shared their education experience and career stories, as well as the current status, prospects of the jobs they were engaged in and the qualifications required. With their wisdom on life and career development, they inspired SHBS students to better plan for the future.

Let’s have a look at the briefings brought by student editors about this CAS session on March 21st. 

Architectural Design

Winnie Zheng

Mr. Yao Jiahao is an architectural designer.  Born in Hong Kong, he received a Bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Nottingham, UK and has since worked in leading architecture firms to practice his design philosophy. The projects he was involved in included the master plan of the 2019 World Garden Expo and the Hong Kong storefront design of the Contemporary Museum of America. He won an architectural award for the interior design of the Thai Lung Restaurant Group.

First of all, Mr Yao introduced to us some of the main subjects architecture majors would have to study at college, such as history, art and design studies, construction and engineering, etc. Thus, if you choose to major in architecture and take up architectural design in the future, you’d better develop your artistic designing skills and critical thinking ability, follow those world-famous architects, and explore different regions and their cultures during your high school years.  He also explained the development path of architectural designers: usually after the completion of undergraduate study, they need  to accumulate some practical experience before studying for a  master's degree, and they need to accumulate more practical experience before they can qualify for the registered Architect certificate.  Architectural designers should be aware that they will make money in the long run because they are not in a profession which will bring them quick profits. It takes years of hard work for them to produce excellent works.  Most architects don't become well known until they are in their 50s or 60s.

After attending Yao’s lecture and sharing session, I have got a very clear understanding of the required courses, professional characteristics and career development prospects of architectural design, and also come to realize the many aspects need to be considered to complete a work of design, and that one needs to work with other related designers specializing in landscape design, and urban design, which has also made me aware that I must find out what I am enthusiastic about in order to keep learning and developing in an industry.

 FInance 

Bruce Feng

Mr. Ye Tianwei is a professor of finance at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.  He said that the concept of finance covers a wide variety of things, and there are hundreds of industries derived from finance, the most common of which is commercial banks, and a series of institutions like trust companies, consumer finance companies, wealth management companies, fund companies, loan companies and so on.

Professor Ye said that our life and future careers will be related to finance, which is like the blood supply for the development of modern society.  We all care much about the flow of wealth, but to capture it, we must understand how it works. I had thought that the financial industry was all about watching the market, buying and selling stocks and futures. However, after attending Professor Ye's lecture, I have had a more comprehensive and profound understanding of finance, and his lecture seems to bring the essence of finance closer to me.  I have also learned that if one wants to have a command of the wealth flow logic of an industry, he or she must have a comprehensive and profound understanding of the development of this industry and related industries. That is exactly what is meant by “Industry is the foundation while finance is the means.”

医学 Medicine

 Powell Lin

Ms. Hua Wei Wu is a doctor, professor, chief physician and tutor of master students at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.  She shared with the students her major work responsibilities and daily work status.  As a professional and experienced doctor, she said she is often busy with medical treatment, teaching and scientific research, which not only made students have a better understanding of the profession of doctor, but also won their respect for this career.   Then she talked about the limitations of medicine and the humanistic care of medicine by quoting Dr. Trudeau's famous saying: "Sometimes it aims to cure, often to help, always to comfort."  She presented her view of medicine: “medicine is actually similar to literature” ,giving students a very deep understanding of the profession.

As a very young girl, Dr. Wu saw her relative die while giving birth to a baby, which inspired her to study medicine to save lives.  Through conversations with her colleagues and students, she found out that many medical students chose medicine for similar reasons.  This has triggered people's thinking about their future career: in fact, every bit of daily life will influence their choices of future careers. Therefore,  you should also find what you really want by paying attention to your daily routine.

 Interior Design

Powell Lin

As a famous interior designer, Mr. Zhu hao founded two design companies alone, and often traveled around the world.  In his early years, Mr. Zhu studied in Germany. Although everyone else chose to study economics, he determinedly chose to be an art major, which was rarely favored by overseas students at that time.  Mr. Zhu said he was the only Chinese student in the art department at the time.  He had his own ideas and pursued his own dreams.  After returning home, he started his own company, but soon quit to travel around the world.  He said traveling around the world enable him to broaden his horizon and give him more inspiration.  Later, he returned to Shanghai and founded another company, but he would still spend some time on travelling each year.

When students asked questions about the art portfolio, he suggested that they should take it seriously and carefully bind it in big volumes. At the mention of his own success, he emphasized one thing: think what others dare not think and do what others dare not do. He also reminded the students to set goals by themselves, think more and try more, not to be constrained by rules and regulations, not to talk like a parrot, but to pursue their dreams bravely.

Many thanks to all the guest speakers for their generous sharing sessions, which have helped students broaden their horizon with their wisdom on life. They also encouraged students to keep exploring. We will keep helping students better plan for their future. Besides, thanks also go to the members of SHBS Parents & School association for their support and the valuable resources they helped find for the development of kids!

【From: Shanghai Hongrun Boyuan School】