LEAP WEEK 2025 – Career Orientation Week for Olympians in the Integrated Programme

LEAP WEEK is a distinctive experiential learning week designed for students in the Integrated Programme at The Olympia Schools, held in Da Nang. The programme is structured as a comprehensive career exploration journey, where students not only observe but also actively participate, ask questions, and connect with real people, models, and stories from contemporary professional life.
Through a diverse range of activities, LEAP WEEK supports Olympians in gradually identifying their strengths and personal interests, gaining a deeper understanding of the requirements across different career fields, and developing essential competencies for their future academic and professional journeys.

Service Learning – Learning Through Community Service
The LEAP WEEK journey began with a Service Learning activity, where Olympia students directly contributed to the local community through meaningful, hands-on actions. The Olympians donated books and thoughtful gifts to the SOS Children’s Village Library in Ngu Hanh Son District, Da Nang, conveying messages of care, encouragement, and solidarity to the children living and studying there.

In addition, students listened to heartfelt stories about the children’s living conditions, learned about the family-based care model implemented by caregivers, and explored the children’s daily living spaces. Moments of conversation and play offered students authentic and personal insights into community life. Beyond being a charitable activity, the visit created opportunities for students to observe, ask questions, and reflect on the social impact of even the smallest actions.

Through this experience, students strengthened their sense of responsibility, collaboration skills, and awareness of their individual roles in creating positive value for the community. This reflects the spirit of compassion and social responsibility that Olympia consistently fosters in its holistic approach to education.


Visit to Techzen Technology Company
On the second day, the Olympians visited Techzen, a technology company specializing in software solutions and currently serving both domestic and international clients. The visit allowed students to experience firsthand the working environment of a fast-growing technology enterprise.

During the tour, students were introduced to the company’s operational structure, working model, and office spaces, gaining insight into how a technology company organizes and coordinates its work. In addition to career orientation sharing sessions led by Techzen professionals, students were introduced to the Agile Scrum project management model—a widely adopted approach in modern technology companies. Instead of rigid, long-term planning, Agile Scrum divides projects into short phases called “sprints,” where team members take on clearly defined roles, continuously communicate, receive feedback, and improve products. Through this experience, students learned that in the technology sector, teamwork, effective communication, adaptability, and a mindset of continuous improvement are just as critical as technical expertise.

As a result, the Olympians broadened their perspectives on skill requirements and academic pathways, taking their first steps toward envisioning suitable career development paths for the future.


An Entrepreneurial Story from the CEO of Thai Market
A talk with Mr. Le Thai Hoang, founder of the Thai Market restaurant chain, offered students an authentic and insightful perspective on the entrepreneurial journey filled with challenges. After experiencing failure and bankruptcy just one year into his initial business venture in construction, Mr. Hoang chose to start over by formally learning culinary skills, patiently building experience from the most basic roles. With limited initial capital, he gradually developed a business model grounded in discipline, customer understanding, and operational efficiency—eventually growing it into a large-scale culinary chain.

His story inspired students with lessons on resilience, practicality, and the courage to pursue one’s own path—essential qualities in each student’s journey toward maturity and self-discovery.


Visit to Green Engineering Joint Stock Company
During the visit to Green Engineering Joint Stock Company, students explored the factory environment firsthand and learned about the departments within a manufacturing company focused on sustainable development. They also observed how different departments collaborate to operate the business effectively.

Through a sharing session with Mr. Pham Duc Tam, the company’s Director, the Olympians gained clearer insights into the company’s development strategy in both domestic and international markets, as well as its commitment to a business model aligned with sustainability principles. In addition to learning about products currently under research and development, students had opportunities to participate in hands-on product experience activities and bring home the outcomes of their work.

This visit helped students understand that sustainability is not only about long-term vision, but also about concrete processes and everyday decisions in production and business—broadening their awareness of career paths associated with responsibility and lasting value for society.


Cultural Journey – Connecting Tradition and Modernity
The visit to Cam Ne Mat Weaving Village offered students the opportunity to learn how local communities preserve and develop traditional crafts across generations. By observing and listening to stories about the village’s history, Olympians also experienced the mat-weaving process firsthand at the communal courtyard, gaining deeper appreciation for perseverance, craftsmanship, and the spirit of inheritance in traditional handicrafts.

Later that evening, the artistic performance *“Hoi An Memories”* further expanded students’ perspectives on the role of culture in creatively retelling history. The integration of art, space, and storytelling allowed students to experience how heritage can serve as a foundation for tourism development and creative industries. These cultural activities not only fostered pride in Vietnamese identity, but also opened students’ eyes to emerging career pathways linked to heritage and long-term cultural value.


Artificial Intelligence and Career Trends
On the final day in Da Nang, the Olympians attended a talk with Dr. Le Van Minh, a lecturer from Swinburne University. His presentation provided students with updates on the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its increasingly widespread applications across various fields.

In addition to analyzing AI’s impact on the labor market, Dr. Minh highlighted emerging career opportunities and emphasized fields that require creativity, problem-solving, communication, and human-centered skills—qualities that are difficult to replace with technology.

The session encouraged students to think more seriously about equipping themselves with essential skills, maintaining flexible learning mindsets, and developing adaptability in order to proactively shape their career paths in an ever-changing world.

For teachers in the Integrated Programme, LEAP WEEK is a valuable opportunity to witness students’ remarkable growth through each day of experience. From proactively asking questions to engaging in discussions and connecting with professionals, the Olympians demonstrated strong learning motivation and growing confidence. This experiential week not only deepened students’ understanding of the professional world but also contributed to nurturing the skills and mindsets essential for their long-term academic and career development.

LEAP WEEK is an annual experiential learning event designed specifically for students in Olympia’s American International Programme. Each year, students step outside their familiar classroom environment to observe, work, and interact directly with businesses and professional organizations in regions beyond Hanoi. Through real-world experiences, students gain deeper insights into various industries, workplace environments, and competency requirements—gradually identifying their strengths and making informed, purposeful, and meaningful academic and career choices.