In the midst of action

Universities and colleges need to offer high quality internship to students as an integral part of the curriculum,” say young people in the City who are on the verge of completing their formal education and entering the job market.

“I have done six internship in the course of my studies, with different companies ranging from newspapers to law firms, and every one of them has been invaluable,” says Madhukeshwar Desai, a fourth year Christ University law student. “There are procedures that one can only understand and master when done first hand in a real working environment for a real client. When I made mistakes, I was chastised and then taught. Internships immerse you in the work environment directly and are the only way for you to actually get in the heat of the action.”

Neha Jacob, a BCom student, is about to join a Chartered Accountants firm to do her articleship which is a mandatory internship requirement for her course. “I have also done short stints in companies both abroad and in the City. I found that every industry has its specialised lingo and way of operations. Internship helped me build industry knowledge very quickly and also helped me appear much more knowledgeable with other career interviews,” she states.

Harsha Vardhan Reddy is interning in Kolkata right now for some internship experience, away from his comfort zone in Bangalore. “Although internships are optional at most academic institutions, they are essential to put into practice what we learn in theory. Internship expose us to the fundamentals of how businesses work. We learn how meetings are conducted and how different parts of the company come together to form a whole. This can never be taught in a classroom environment.”

Says Matthew Palan, a student counsellor, “One of the recurring themes in any entry level job search is the lack of experience factor. “Where do I get experience if no one is willing to hire me?” The answer is simple: “Get an internship!”
Not just students, even employers benefit by having fresh young interns in their firms for short spells. “Not only do student interns lend a helping hand in our business, they contribute their ideas and give us a fresh vantage point. The process of leading and teaching within the context of my workplace, keeps me and my own skills flexible,” says Mabel Patrao, an IT Human Resource person.

Maulik Doshi, a BCom student is an intern doing his articleship at an office where he spends time from 9 am to 5 pm. “Work experience not only makes you more marketable as a job candidate, it also gives you the opportunity to gain greater understanding about your chosen field. You will have an opportunity to enter your field with your eyes wide open.

This may give you the chance to step back early from what could have been a major career mistake. Colleges need to take internship into account when factoring their time-tables for the academic year.”
Jackie Pinto