A Different Pathway

Sporty students, engineering enthusiasts and lovers of design are finding alternative pathways to high school graduation at this international school in Hong Kong.

Traditional school pathways aren’t for everyone. Some students simply don’t take to the typical learning route like others; but that shouldn’t stop them achieving their professional goals, or graduating to a university place.

At Youth College (International), students captivated by sport, engineering and design are following an alternative pathway – and thriving. That alternative is a Vocational Baccalaureate (VB) programme from the Vocational Training Council.

Practical, hands-on learning

VB programmes, taught in English, are well suited to students that show potential in practical subjects – from those who show promise on the sporting field, to tech-minded young people who are eager to explore robotics. The programmes offer project-based learning, allowing students to develop 21st-century skills such as design thinking.

The campus experience is exciting for students who enjoy practical learning. The college is equipped with advanced teaching facilities and the ability to access the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) and the Tsing Yi campus of the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE). Students are also offered a great number of physical and virtual exchange opportunities with overseas colleges and universities.

While in Hong Kong, engineering students learn via hands-on sessions with robotic arms and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC). The design students work in the design studio and experiment with the water jetcutters and 3D printers.

Graduate success

Youth College (International) students graduate to a variety of opportunities once they leave the college. Some move on to further their education enrolling in degrees, some to higher diploma programmes and a portion straight into the workforce.

Graduates from the Class of 2021 are now attending universities both internationally and here in Hong Kong, including Central Saint Martins (Product Design Programme), University of Leeds (Civil Engineering Programme), Oxford Brookes University (Architecture), CityU (Mechanical Engineering) and PolyU (Environmental and Interior Design).

To apply, visit vtc.edu.hk/vb; Youth College (International) will be conducting interviews this summer, in June and July.