Did you focus on a specific domain while participating in summer placements?
Yes, being a Data Science enthusiast, I extensively focused on the Data Science domain apart from the regular MBA curriculum to gain all the valuable skills, knowledge and tools which are required to excel in this field.
The certification courses, projects related to Data Science and regular practice of coding language (specifically Python) helped me smoothly sail through the very rigorous summer placements.
What was your internship experience like?
Even though it was a virtual internship, the overall experience of working at such a reputed MNC was extremely enriching. The constant support that I received from Saint Gobain, especially the guidance from my Mentor, team members and guide throughout the project helped me gain an in-depth understanding of the Data Science domain.
What were the key challenges you faced during your internship and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge that I faced during the course of my internship was the initial communication barrier with the guide and mentor owing to the virtual nature of the internship. But, through continuous follow-ups, regular meets, and the liberty given to reach out to them over phone calls for anything urgent, I managed to overcome those communication barriers effectively and moved towards efficiency.
What were your learnings? Are there any milestones you would like to share?
Being a Data Science enthusiast, I was able to practically apply the Advanced Machine Learning Algorithms in a real-world corporate dataset, which immensely improved my hands-on experience with Python language and other important Data Science tools.
Since this internship was my first exposure to the corporate world, directly working under the guidance of a Senior Data Scientist of the company helped me see how the corporate world functions. This enhanced my learning and broadened my knowledge about the domain and industry.
What values/skills can a B-School student gain from a summer internship?
I personally believe that an internship is really important for an MBA student because of the following reasons:
1) CORPORATE EXPERIENCE:
MBA offers a lot of live projects, case studies, and sessions by industry experts. But, first-hand experience in a real-world corporate setting is absolutely necessary to immerse themselves and use those skills learnt in class. And the knowledge that an MBA student gains in the classroom and real-world environment helps shape their future growth.
2) NETWORKING AND CORPORATE CONNECTIONS:
Internships are one of the great ways through which the students can actually grow their corporate connections. And for an MBA student, networking plays an important role in developing a professional career.
How did IFMR GSB help you during your internship?
I was regularly in touch with my academic mentor over email and virtual meets. Their valuable inputs, real-life experience and constant support helped me add more value to my project.
With the internship happening virtually owing to the COVID-19 crisis, how did you navigate your way through this new experience?
Although it was a virtual internship, the company ensured that the interns’ learnings were not compromised. They bridged communication gaps early on and would set regular meets with the Guides and Mentors to enrich our internship experience.
Could you tell us how the remote working experience was with respect to building team rapport, internal communication and work as a whole?
My rapport with the team was highly collaborative – one of the biggest learnings an intern can get in the real-world. Right from team members to the HR people, everyone was approachable and supportive, with a special emphasis on transparent communication and clarity. Learning the importance of delivering on time with clear communication is an important part of the corporate culture, and I feel grateful to have understood its importance.
Is there a fond memory or milestone from your internship that you would like to share?
Right from the seamless onboarding process to getting helpful feedback from my mentors – the overall experience was memorable.