You may already have met some of them when you check in or when you go out for a little walk at night. They're students like you, wearing a blue uniform, serving as helpers to manage the Residence. They are called Residence Life Assistants (RLAs).
On 15 Jan 2008, Student Residence Office (SRO) held a Learning Workshop for RLAs. RLAs from different service sectors got together to share and learn. Click here for the photo gallery.
“They're really friendly”
RLAs have long been taking up their responsibility to make our residents' life better. They work behind the scenes and hand-in-hand with SRO staff. In the Workshop, they reflected thoughtful and memorable moments in their work. Chi, one of our Peace Marshals said he had got to know the job duties in the Residence better. “Some residents won't turn to security guards for help because they think they ‘regulate' residents, and are always troublesome.” But he said they're really friendly and perform various jobs for ensuring our safety.
Chi had also enjoyed many chances to communicate with non-local students. “They're easier to communicate with than I'd imagined.” He said he had gained lots of impressive cross-cultural experiences.
“We progress as we process”
As our Building Assistants, Terry and Julie said they had applied what they had learnt from their building and surveying studies to their job. Meanwhile, they harvested skills that would benefit their future career. “In taking up our duties, we also realized the importance of good work ethics.”
“Work culture”
Firenze, the designer and one of the reporters of this Newsletter, as well as being a non-local student, shared his fresh experience in this job, one of the first in his life. “I had never realized that every detail in the Residence is already attended and cared for by someone here today. I had taken it for granted that a Residence could run smoothly by itself.”
Compared to his prior internship experience, he had discovered that the work culture here is “equipped with well-structured working procedures, and a factual and realistic work style.” “People focus on efficiency and effectiveness, rather than keeping their face,” he said.