Q) Hi Kenneth, it’s great to catch up with you a year after leaving Concord! Looking back now, can you share some of your favourite memories of Concord that will always stay with you?

There are honestly too many to talk about! My 4 years in Concord were probably the happiest and most carefree period of my life, because Concord gave such good support and I was surrounded by people who cared for me, teachers, staff members and friends.

Certain things that stood out are:

The SW USA geography trip when I was in Form 5. We went on a long trip to Arizona, Nevada and California, and saw some stunning places like the Death Valley and Grand Canyon. Ms Cunliffe, Mr Cale and Dr Outram were such good company and we always had a good chat and lots of giggles too, it was great!

The school musical We Will Rock You is of course on the list, because it was just a magical process. 10 years without a school musical, no one had any expectations. But within a really short time frame, we created a piece of work that I am very proud of. I never felt any pressure as well, it was just a very fun process. I think the whole cast owe it to Ms Russell and Ms Perrins.

Concord House MUN was also a very proud moment of mine. Being able to pull it off with a really small sized team, and create a whole new House competition was really quite special.

Q) Is there anything you don’t miss?

Honestly, I know a lot of people will say the food, but I don’t think so. I think our dining hall is pretty good. I’ll probably say the distance we have to travel to get to London Heathrow. But it’s not that bad really because we always have coaches.

Q) How did starting at uni compare to starting at Concord?

Uni was so different compared to Concord, no one does your laundry, no one cooks for you, no one cleans your room for you. My accommodation in LSE was nowhere near as good as my room in Wrekin! So adapting to London took some time. It was also much harder to make new friends compared to Concord because we are not stuck in some magical Concord bubble when we are forced to see one another every day. And genuinely, people just care less for you, it makes you realise what a kind and loving community Concord was.

Q) Looking at your LinkedIn page you are keeping very busy. How do you manage your time studying and being involved with various LSESU clubs?

I think year 1 freshers should take the opportunity to participate in more clubs and societies when our academic work load hasn’t yet gotten to us. I think by doing things systematically and efficiently, it saves a lot of time. I believe in setting to-do lists, using the calendar and designing relatively strict schedules. They are hard to follow, because when we work in groups there’s only so much you can do about other people… But when I know it is my working hour, I never waste time, and I am always focus. But whenever it is my rest time, I do not work (unless it is something urgent!), it makes sure I have a good balance between studying, clubs and societies, and my own spare time.

Q) Why is it important to do extra-curricular activities as well as study?

Doing extra-curriculars really help because it trains us on how to work in groups, which is essential in the real world. It also gives you real-life experiences, e.g. booking venues with big companies, handing budgets and talking to high-profile individuals. These are things that good employers expect from us, but without extra-curricular activities, we will never get the chance to really experience them. I was also lucky enough to work with people that I like, so I made a lot of new friends along the way.

Q) Of all the additional projects you are involved in, which have been the most valuable personally? 

It must be the Chinese Society Variety Show. That was a Cantonese drama show with acting, singing and dancing. I was the Co-Producer of the show, so I was responsible for a lot of different aspects, from the script, to the venue, to sponsorships, etc. So it was a hectic time, but it was also an experience that I know I will never forget because of how much effort and work I put into it. I learnt skills that I never thought I would acquire like photography, videography, professional theatre production, etc. I was also surprised about how I was able to handle the team’s internal friction. Our team of 10 was under constant stress, the stress of handling the production budget, the stress of producing a good show, the stress of selling enough tickets to make a profit…But I was able to make sure we don’t argue and most importantly, get the work done, even when I was under a lot of stress because of my workload. That was a surprise, and it made me rethink the role I can play in future group projects.

Q) This summer you are working as an intern at the Treasury Markets Association, congratulations on your post! Tell us how you came to get this job?

Getting this job was not easy because employers rarely consider students who are not in their penultimate year of study. So as someone who just finished 1st year of uni, I was placed in an awkward situation. Luckily, my boss was very willing to give chances to students and he also appreciates how difficult it is to get a job in finance nowadays.

My interview questions were mostly personal questions about my hobbies, work ethic, and how well I work in a team. Of course, they made sure that I was relatively proficient with the basics like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and most importantly, Excel. My experience in online marketing and publication also helped. The most important thing is to make sure you show your enthusiasm and your genuine self to your employer. Because they can tell whether you’re lying. Don’t forget to do your research! Look at their annual reports and company profile, employers want someone who knows about their company and embodies their values. I am very grateful that I got my job.

LinkedIn is always a great place to find internships, and don’t be lazy, apply to a lot of jobs! Competition nowadays is fierce, not just in finance. If you’re lucky, you might get two internships in one holiday! Utilise your connections as well, don’t be ashamed of getting a job because you know someone who works at the company, personal connections are considered a strength.

Q) What will you be doing while you are there? What experience will you gain?

As an intern, I have a lot of different tasks. Some are boring, like photocopying, typing up agendas and such. Some though, are really interesting and beneficial. Such as helping out at seminars and talks, which are aimed at finance professionals. So being there listening to these speakers talk about the latest Crypto trends or benchmark developments undoubtedly helps. And I do think working in an office environment is an experience on its own: how you interact with your colleagues and supervisors, how you gain connections and actively ask questions in a scary new environment are all things that we need to learn about and expereince.

Q) What advice do you have for our newest alumni about A Level results and starting uni?

First of all, I’ll say don’t be worried about A Level results, because Concordians receive probably the best education anyone can ever dream of. We always do well!

My advice will be to do your research, go to fresher events and welcoming events, whether they are at the university campus or if you are studying abroad, at your home country. For example, LSE has a Pre-departure day in Hong Kong on 23 August, and an Orientation camp also in Hong Kong on 1-3 September. These events help you in making an informed start to your uni life. It is hard enough to adjust to the completely different mode of learning, the last thing you want will be you finding it hard to make new friends and find a group you enjoy hanging out with.

Another piece of advice is to be open-minded. Uni is very different, the people are different, your life will be different. It is a very good time for you to try out new things and experience new cultures. Make friends from different backgrounds, join clubs you have never thought of joining in Concord, learn a new language. Just be open-minded and try new things. Don’t make your 1st year of uni one that you will forever regret.