Filipinos go to other countries for many reasons. For some OFWs, aside from work, they also take advantage of their time abroad to have formal education or upskill by taking specialized vocational or technical courses.
This has been the track of our featured OFW vlogger, Jean, who works as a domestic helper, but at the same time, was able to get a certificate for a health management course during her stay in Hong Kong. Awesome, right? Continue to read the article to learn more about working and studying in Hong Kong.
Disclaimer: The information published is based on the experience shared by the vlogger/YouTuber. The information provided may change without prior notice and may differ in actual scenarios. Let this article serve as a guide only.
Here is the video guide shared by a Filipina domestic helper in Hong Kong, Jean, a.k.a. Pinay Nanny Vlogger in Hong Kong on YouTube. If you find her tips helpful, you may check out her YouTube channel to catch more interesting content about her work and life as an OFW in Hong Kong.
Studying while working in Hong Kong? Here Are Some Things to Consider
The first thing that you might have asked yourself when you saw this post was “Is it possible to work as an OFW and study in school at the same time in Hong Kong?” In the case of Jean, an OFW working as a domestic helper in Hong Kong, yes, it is possible.
But is it for you? Here are some basic things to consider if you’re planning to work and study in Hong Kong:
#1 Money
As in the case of Jean, she first came to Hong Kong to work because she has a daughter and a family to support back in the Philippines. This, however, did not stop her from pursuing her higher goals in life. She set aside her own money to pay for her schooling, her expenses in Hong Kong, and at the same time for her remittances to her family and daughter back home.
If there’s one thing we should learn from Jean, that’s discipline. Working full-time and studying part-time as a working student under normal circumstances, requires determination and most importantly, discipline.
First, you need to have discipline in handling your money. Jean may not have started going to school right away when she first came to Hong Kong, but over time, as she has settled in their culture and her work environment, and was able to save up some money, she was then able to enroll herself at a university that accepts working students and offers certification for various types of courses.
#2 Time
This goes hand in hand with #1 (money) because time can also be considered a valuable resource. Remember, you will still be working full-time should you decide to go back to school as a working student.
And for domestic helpers, work can be very time-consuming as you need to attend to your host family’s needs as much as possible and at the same time, study your lessons and work on your homework and other requirements to the best of your abilities.
But, from what we have seen in Jean’s video, this too, can be managed properly with the right mindset and a lot of self-discipline. If you are keen on finishing your studies, you will need to make some sacrifices such as spending your day-off studying instead of going out with friends or finishing your homework late in the night just to complete your school requirements even though you may be physically and mentally exhausted already.
According to Jean, if you have the money but do not have the time, it would be difficult for you to accomplish your goal because these two things should be your priority when you’re working and studying in Hong Kong. Both are invaluable resources, so be sure to spend them wisely.
#3 Courses Offered
The courses you can take up at the university vary from one school to another because schools here in Hong Kong have specializations. This means they are known to have the expertise and offer high-quality instruction in certain courses such as health, computer science, engineering, and so on.
With that in mind, you need to do some research. When selecting a school or course to take, you need to answer these questions:
- What are your strengths and weaknesses in terms of academic performance? What are your skills? What are you deeply interested in or passionate about?
- Is the course that you’re eyeing for something that you want to make a career in Hong Kong or back in the Philippines?
- What are the best schools that offer this course?
- Are these schools accessible to you? Can you afford their tuition?
- What are the other requirements that you need to submit if you choose a certain course or school to go to?
These are just some of the basic but important questions you need to think about if you want to maximize your experience as an OFW-working student here in Hong Kong.
Remember, no goal is too hard to achieve if you have the commitment and motivation to pursue it.
Also, consider your employers when it comes to your decision-making. Remember, as you will be staying at their place and working for them to pay off your tuition fees, you should let them know of your intentions to go back to school.
Communicating your goals properly and effectively will offer them some insight regarding your goals and ambitions as an individual. Who knows, if you’re dedicated and passionate enough, they might even support you in their own ways? But for this to happen in your favor, you need to develop a good working relationship with your employers first. And we all know that this takes time. Early on when you start working in Hong Kong, always remember to stick to your goals. Why are you doing this in the first place? Who are you doing this for?
If you are clear with your answers to these questions, your motivation in improving yourself will never crumble. Discipline and commitment will follow. And if studying to further improve your skills and knowledge is one of your goals in life, then it will come as a fulfilling challenge for you. It won’t be easy but it will definitely be worth it.
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