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. 

Metaverse

Charlotte Li

Mr. Chris Sifton gave us a brief introduction to the metaverse that is linked and created using modern technology. We know more or less about the primordial universe, a concept particularly popular this year.  In fact, everything around us is a meta-universe, because the basic definition of a meta-universe is a platform on which we can interact with anything.  Mr. Sifton, who has been interested in sound and light effects since childhood, has a keen desire for immersive experiences.  So far, he has set up branches in six countries and has developed 15 products.

I was also impressed by Mr. Sifton's insight into entrepreneurship: If your company is still at an early stage, the "threshold effect" requires you to invite people from other companies to try your product for free before they consider building a partnership or making an investment.  This open-mindedness can better promote the development of the company and make it more innovative. Although Mr. Chris only focused on a small piece of the metasomes, he made me feel the huge opportunities and prospects of the metasomes.

Chip Engineering

Chen Chen

Mr. Tong yi, currently a professor at the School of Optoelectronics and Microelectronics at Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, holds his Ph.D. degree in electronic and electrical Engineering from The National University of Singapore, and a postdoctoral degree from the School of Electronics, MIT - Singapore University of Technology.  He introduced to us the construction, processing methods and production workshop of nano-chip, as well as the characteristics and importance of memristor like device.  At the same time, he corrected the students' use of technical language in response to their less rigorous questions.  According to the current situation of China's chip "neck jam", he pointed out the precise problem, and made assumptions based on the possibility proposed by the students. Finally, he looked into the future of China's electronic industry, and believed that the problem would be solved in two or three years.

During his sharing session, I was deeply impressed by several things Mr. Tong stressed: Too many people give up their profession, abandon their foundation and only keep a logical thinking in order to make money, which has led to the serious deformity of the social science and technology system.  When choosing a career, it is also necessary to keep close cooperation with the industry's top players.  By planning and being exposed to advanced technology, you can highlight your value at important moments and have more options than others.

Sports Management

Eric Liu

Mr. Liu received double bachelor's degrees in Applied Psychology and Athletic Training from Peking University and Shenyang Sports University respectively. He also holds double master's degrees in sports Rehabilitation and Medical Nutrition from St. Louis University.  As a former member of the national rowing team, he won the champion and the runner-up of the National Games many times. He used to be the coach of the Rowing team of St. Louis University in the United States. Currently, he is the operation director and head coach of Shanghai SDBC Rowing Club, and also the head coach of SHBS rowing Double Excellence program.

First of all, Coach Liu introduced to us the professional courses he took in college, as well as his experience as a professional rower and coach.  Through his sharing, I learned that to be become professional athletes and coaches, they need not only to be good at their own sports and improve their abilities by participating in various national and international competitions, but also to learn about sports rehabilitation and nutrition and other related knowledge.  Liu himself once worked as a nutritionist for an American high school football team.  If you take up sports, you might end up starting your own business: like starting clubs, coaching and running them; establishing sports rehabilitation clinics; opening restaurants do sports nutrition meals and so on. Coach Liu also gave us advice on career planning for taking up this profession.

Through this lecture, I not only have had a more comprehensive understanding of health and sports learning, but also of the entry requirements and career development prospects of this industry, which made me see the infinite possibilities of this industry, and inspired me to think about my own choices and plan in advance.

Electromechanical Engineering

Kay Gao

Mr. Xu Dong, a visiting scholar at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom and the University of Lyon in France, holds a Master's degree in Management from the University of New Zealand, Australia, and double PhDs in Philosophy and business from the University of Liberty in the United States. He is also the founder of the State Grid and the construction of underground power grid. Having been working in the mechatronics industry for more than 20 years, his job responsibilities mainly include underground power grid architecture for long distance and small load lighting of expressways, urban road construction, maritime expressway (bridge), and modern urban roads.

For more than 20 years, Mr. Xu has been dedicated to the development of buried transformers, and has achieved a specialized and leading position in his single field.

Through his sharing, I have got a better understanding of mechanical and electrical engineering, especially the development of mechanical and electrical integration, as well as the responsibilities, future prospects, required courses at college and the qualifications for this industry. He also inspired me to think deeply about my choice of future career.

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】