Mind the gap year: experts say DSE graduates can gain from experience before university

Hong Kong students can benefit from taking a gap year after the university entrance exam, but should set clear goals for their future, education sector experts have said, pointing to the increasing value of applicants with experience outside the classroom.NGOs and experts said that setting aside a year for internships, volunteer work or exchange programmes would enable students to understand different perspectives, build soft skills and learn new languages, helping them stand out amid stiff competition and the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI).The results of the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) exams were released on Wednesday, with 58,487 candidates receiving their scores.For the thousands of Form Six leavers who spent years preparing for the exam, taking a gap year has emerged as an alternative to heading straight for university.AFS Intercultural Exchanges, a local NGO, runs a year-long overseas exchange programme for students aged 15 to 20.This year, 11 of its 58 participants were Form Six leavers, a proportion that has held steady over the past few years.