Three students preparing for take-off in their own careers got a chance to view the running of the aviation industry from the senior management “cockpit”.

Maggie Ng Tsz-ting, Anson Lo See-chai and Andrew Law spent three days shadowing Stanley Yau, director of human resources and administration at Hong Kong Airlines, picking up vital career pointers as they went.

“By shadowing my daily life, they got a taste of business life at a high level, and the chance to experience things from a senior management perspective,” Yau explained. “I hope this programme helped them pick up some essential management tips and showed them how to think in a more strategic and comprehensive way.”

Hong Kong Airlines was set up in 2006 and now has a fleet of 34 aircraft and five freighters operating out of its main hub at Chek Lap Kok. So for Yau’s shadows, as well as gaining insight into his daily routine, they were also able to see how a fast-growing airline functions.

“The shadows were invited on an airport site visit and to various management meetings,” Yau explained. “Besides offering them the opportunity to mingle with other senior executives and management trainees, they were also able to acquire some fundamental aviation knowledge and insight into the sort of soft skills which are essential to a company executive in this rapidly changing commercial environment.”

Ng, who is in the final year of a BBA (Hons) in business analysis at City University of Hong Kong, found the opportunity to listen to and interact with a group of company executives particularly valuable.

“During meetings, Stanley showcased the way in which managerial-level talent approaches the decision-making process. He is very attentive to detail and very encouraging. He also lays out a clear vision and direction to his subordinates, and this gave me an insight into being a director,” she said, adding that she was particularly aware of how harmonious the atmosphere was during such high-level meetings.

This unique access to senior executives was also appreciated by Lo, who is in the final year of a BBA in insurance, financial and actuarial analysis at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

“The meetings were invaluable opportunities which we normally would not have,” he pointed out. “We could learn in person how senior executives manage their teams and, within a split second, come up with feasible recommendations for various issues.”

Lo added that leaning about the company’s “FLY Programme” was another highlight. Through this scheme, senior managers place themselves in their employees’ shoes to experience their daily working lives.

“At Hong Kong Airlines, senior management tries to understand more about frontline operations while setting long-term strategic plans,” Lo said. “With the airline expanding rapidly, it is striving to care for its employees as well as maintain a high-quality standard of service for its customers.”

Law won’t graduate from his BBA (Hons) in corporate governance programme at Hang Seng Management College until 2018, but he’s already thinking ahead to life in the world of work. He said he was surprised by the scale of Hong Kong Airlines, but came to understand more about its structure by attending the monthly meeting of its management trainees.

“This was my favourite part of the programme,” he said. “This meeting gave us the ‘big picture’ view of the way Hong Kong Airlines operates, with every management trainee presenting the latest projects they are handling.”

Law said this session allowed him to understand the function of each department and the framework of Hong Kong Airlines in more detail. “Most importantly, I came to understand the interaction between different departments and the work flow within the company,” he explained.

Law was also struck by Yau’s attention to detail. “He showed us the importance of analytical skills, and a sensitivity to numerical data, because these will directly affect the decision-making process. This really impressed me and I would like to improve in this way.”

For Yau, it was important to enhance his shadows’ understanding of the aviation industry during their time with him. “They were curious and keen to learn,” he observed. “I believe they have learnt a lot about the dynamics and operation of the airline business, and have developed more of an interest in the aviation industry.”

He admitted he was surprised by the students’ capacity for innovation and ability to generate fresh and valuable ideas. “They were energetic and possess good business sense. Since the workplace is ever-changing, their fresh insights and energetic attitudes will serve them well when facing the challenges ahead.”

Ng says her time with Yau only confirmed a decision previously made. “After joining this programme, I am more sure of dedicating my future career to the aviation industry.”

This article appeared in the Classified Post print edition as Getting a sky-high view at HK Airlines.