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For those in senior classes planning their career, it is important to understand industry trends. From ISRO to Cisco, Times NIE looks at interesting workplaces for internships and also long-term career options I ndia’s space agency Indian Space Research Organisa- tion(ISRO) has been featured among the TOP FIVE WORKPLACES IN INDIA, according to Indeed. German software multinational SAP is the top tech workplace in India on the list, followed by Adobe, VMware, and Microsoft. E-commerce compa- nies — Myntra, PayTM and Flipkart — and IT service providers Tata Con- sultancy Services (TCS) and Mphasis have also been featured on the list. “We have created a non-hierar- chical, diverse and inclusive culture which speeds up our innovation and helps our customers to run at their best,” Sindhu Gangadharan, Senior Vice President and Head of SAP Labs India, said after the recognition. Isro, featured among the top five workplaces in India has crawled five spots up from 10th position last year. While MNCs continue to dominate the top 10 list, e-commerce companies — Myntra, PayTM and Flipkart — and IT service providers Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and Mphasis have also been featured on the list. “It is important for firms to work towards building an inclusive work- place and create a culture of owner- ship and loyalty among their em- ployees in order to increase overall productivity. Companies that go be- yond strategic workplace programmes to create a conducive work environ- ment have been seen to have a posi- tive impact on the employee’s per- ception of the organisation,” says Sashi Kumar, Managing Director, Indeed India. ISRO is investing in the deep learning environment. The Bopal Campus at Ahmedabad, Gujarat will be a major deep learning centre. TOP PLACES TO WORK ACCORDING TO INDEED SAP Headquartered in Germany, the software multina- tional is an enterprise software maker that enables companies to optimise their business operations. The SAP ERP software (Enterprise Resource Planning) offers business functionalities across many sectors. ADOBE American multinational Adobe is a software compa- ny that is dedicated to developing multimedia, cre- ative toolkits and software products. Recently, the popular company also started providing digital marketing software. VMWARE VMware is a public entity listed in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). It deals with cloud comput- ing services and tools. The company is into the development of virtual technologies that allows companies to manage their IT resources. YASH CHAUDHARY, STUDYING AT FR AGNEL POLYTECHNIC, VASHI Pursuing his diploma in Mechanical Engineering was part of an internship for Siemens Limited, which is a German Tech giant specialising in electronics and automation solutions. For four weeks, Yash figured comput- er simulations for design of plants on PDMS Software. In the last two weeks, he was at the Kalwa Plant, where actual manufacturing takes place. He learnt about the automation solutions used by the company to produce switchgears used in power grids and heavy-duty applications. Yash describes the journey ‘informa- tive and a great learning experience.’ MICROSOFT Microsoft Corporation is an American software giant that deals with end-to-end software deliverables. From development, manufacturing and licensing to selling and support, the company provides assistance with computer software. ISRO India’s space agency Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is the only government run organisation on the list. It conducts space research and planetary movements and recently launched Chandrayaan 2 into the earth’s orbit. CISCO Cisco Systems is an American multinational that develops and provides high-technology services and products. It manufactures hardware equipment and software products. It recently unveiled a platform — Silicon One — to provide infrastructure network that can support 5G networks. MYNTRA India’s homegrown fashion e-commerce platform Myntra started 12 years ago to sell lifestyle prod- ucts including apparels, jewellery and footwear. In 2014, it was acquired by Flipkart. PayTM The e-commerce arm of One97 Communications, Paytm offers digital payment solutions. From recharges to digital gold, the company provides digital transactions to buy anything online. IBM Expanded in over 170 countries, International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is a software innovation company. It’s product IBM Watson also deals in technologies like machine learning, big data and others. FLIPKART Founded in 2007, Flipkart is an online shopping plat- form that offers lifestyle products, utilities, etc. It was founded by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal in 2007 and was later acquired by Walmart. 1 SEARCH GENERIC JOB SITES. Websites that are used for job seekers usually include internships as well. Try sites like Indeed, Monster, CareerBuilder, Glassdoor, and ZipRecruiter. In the search bar, type “intern” and any phrases that relate to your specific career field like “finance” or “medicine.” 2 SEARCH INTERN- SPECIFIC SITES. There are sites that cater specifically to interns and entry-level job seekers. Try sites like internships.com, LookSharp, Internmatch, and YouTern. 3 ATTEND CAREER FAIRS. Colleges and high schools often hold career fairs that will include a number of internship opportunities. They are great options for finding internships because you can make a personal impression on the recruiter and ask questions about the position. If you are a student, ask someone in your school’s administrative office or career services office when these take place. Ask the recruiter questions like what kind of work you’ll be doing during the internship, what kind of opportuni- ties it could lead to, and what the com- pany culture is like. Most career fairs that aren’t held at schools will be for full-time jobs. If you do plan to attend one of these fairs, ask the event organiser if any intern- ships will be available. Think of your conversations with recruiters as interviews. 4 ASK YOUR TEACHERS. Teachers and professors often know of internship or assistantship opportunities that may not be published on a job site. They themselves may be looking for an assistant to help out with certain tasks. If you are in college, you could also approach the administrators or your major’s department. It’s best to approach a teacher you know fairly well and whose subject matter you are interested in. Say something like, “I am really enjoying our class. Do you know of any rele- vant internship opportunities?” 5 CREATE A RESUME. If you’re applying for an internship, it’s likely you don’t have much job experience. However, you’ll still need a pro- fessional-looking resume to demonstrate your background and interests. If you don’t have much professional experience, try to think of other experi- ences that could be relevant. I f you don’t have much professional experience or you’re still in school, an internship is an ex- cellent opportunity to build your qualifications. Because internship applicants rarely have much in the way of professional experi- ence, potential em- ployers will generally be more concerned with your skills and attitude INTERNSHIP WHAT IS SAC Space Applications Centre (SAC) is one of the major centres of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). SAC focuses on the design of space-borne instruments for ISRO missions and development and operationalisation of applications of space tech- nology for societal benefits. TREES Isro has a program named TREES (Training and Research in Earth Eco-System) for graduates, postgraduates and research students. Isro has launched a series of polar- orbiting Remote sensing satellites IRS, Resoursat, CARTOSAT and RISAT. The data from these satel- lites is archived under research pro- gramme under Visualization of Earth Data and Archival System VEDAS. The objective of the TREES pro- gramme is to conduct research proj- ects on data collected from these satellites. Isro has developed a high tech facility of storing and retrieval of this data. Many projects in the field of remote sensing, deep learn- ing and data analysis are carried out. — SHIVAM KAUSHIK is a web developer, who interned with Isro SHIVAM KAUSHIK ON ISRO INTERNSHIP WORK CULTURE The work culture at Isro is pretty serious. Unlike start-ups that have contemporary, cool and fun environment, Isro is an organisation that takes work seriously. One has to report by 9.30 am sharp. But there are many perks too! ➤ Powerful and expensive resources for your research ➤ Mentorship and connections from India’s best scientists ➤ Struggle stories from senior scientist ➤ Presentation of your work to your colleagues/ judges ➤ Occasional parties ➤ Social media free work life ➤ Live videos from launch Interested candidates have to fill an application form provided at SAC website for TREES pro- gram. The application is needed to be forwarded to HEAD of ERTD/VRG/EPSA through candidate’s Head of the Department/ Institution. The official website for TREES is https://www.sac.gov.in/Vyom/TRE ESProgram.jsp ISRO/DoS has been participating in the Smart India Hackathon (SIH), Software Edition, a 36-hour non- stop digital programming competi- tion, since 2017. Isro submits many problem statements. The problem statements that you should be focusing on should be related to deep learning. Teams with a feasi- ble and robust solution are offered internship under TREES. TRADITIONAL WAY ALTERNATIVE WAY HOW TO APPLY? 1 START WITH RELENTLESS PUNCTU- ALITY Show up on time (or early) in the morning, arrive for meetings before they begin, and complete tasks by their deadlines. When I asked profes- sional contacts for their advice to interns, they consistently listed punctuality as a criti- cal factor in success. 2 COMPLETE EACH TASK WITH EXCEL- LENCE AND PER- FECTION Whether an as- signment is mundane or exotic, pursue it with relentless drive and a determination to excel. If you’re asked to make coffee, make the best coffee your col- leagues have ever had. If you’re asked to make an Excel model, over- invest your time and ef- fort in assuring it’s right, aesthetically ap- pealing, and thorough. According to experts, “Finish the assignment or project with excel- lence — anything else you do is bonus, but please start with the as- signment given.” Even if the project seems small or basic, do not give in to the temptation to complete it with any- thing less than your best. And don’t decline a project just because it does- n’t interest you. 3 TAKE ON MORE WORK — WITHOUT BEING ASKED Use excess time to take on new and important work, assignments others don’t want, or projects that are needed but not yet clearly defined. Experts say, “Sit- ting at the desk checking your most recent Twitter feed while you wait for someone to give you some- thing to do is one of the best ways to not get an in- vite back.” De- liver what no one is expecting — or what no one else is willing to do — and you’ll not only be appreci- ated, but remem- bered too. 4 BE VERY RE- SOURCEFUL Research a topic before ask- ing a full-time colleague or man- ager for help. Take the time to reflect and come up with your own insight or solution before consulting others when you face a problem. 5 ASK QUESTIONS — GOOD ONES The hallmark of an intellectually cu- rious, diligent colleague is the quality of his or her questions. Renowned management thinker Clay Christensen rec- ommends spending time formulating the right questions. Ben, a man- agement consultant, agrees: “Think — in ad- vance — of an insightful question that can open an opportunity.” BUILD RELATIONSHIPS Build professional relation- ships. Forming broad, deep relationships within your team and throughout the organisa- tion can help you manage your responsibilities and boost per- sonal development Getting a good refer- ence comes in handy while applying for internships THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE APPLYING FOR INTERNSHIP Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images ONCE AN INTERN, HOW TO ACE IT 06 CAREERS A woman with a book and a pen has the power to move nations. A woman with a mind and a voice has the power to change worlds. Sasha Temerte
