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Sonora Gaggar is a NTAT Certified Student pursuing her B.Tech from VIT, Pune.
1. Where did you do your internship?
I did my internship at the mobile network operator IDEA Cellular, Pune in Network Quality Department.
2. When did you give appear for NTAT exam and how was your experience in answering the ticklish questions?
I had given the NTAT in my first year of engineering i.e. in 2014. It was challenging in aptitude. I was excited​ about the results since it was the first time I had given any exam for securing an internship.
3. Is this your first internship? If not, then where did you do your previous internship?
Yes, this is my first internship.
4. What kind of experience did you have during your internship?
I had a positive and enriching experience throughout the six months of my internship. It greatly helped me in developing and incorporating a familiarity with the corporate work environment. I was able to practically implement the theoretical knowledge I had gained in college. It also guided me in developing key skills such as multitasking, communicating, learning to deal with deadlines, learning of a professional work environment and gaining substantial professional experience. I got a sound understanding of the IDEA Cellular Telecommunication Industry.
5. Who do you think was your actual mentor during the internship?
I think my actual mentor during the internship was the entire network quality team. They shared their pearls of wisdom with me throughout the course of the internship and were understanding & friendly and guided me whenever needed. Even though I was a temporary addition to their team, they considered me as one of the essential members of their team.
6. In what way this internship has inspired you?
It has instigated an interest in me to take a look into pursuing a career in the telecommunication industry. I also found it inspiring to work in such a positive and healthy work environment, it even helped me to develop the essential skill of time management. Also, as an intern, I learned how to handle criticism with grace (both from watching coworkers receive criticism and from receiving criticism myself), which also built my confidence in a professional setting.
7. What would you suggest to your fellow engineering students?
I would persuade my fellow engineering students to take up any internship in their area of interest as it gives an invaluable experience and an exposure to the professional industry which is not possible to obtain just from the college. With an internship, we have the opportunity to showcase our talents and value to a prospective employer, since many internships have the possibility of developing into a full-time employment.
8. During the XX no. of days in the company, what is the single most important thing you have learnt?
I think the single most important thing I learnt in my six months of interning here was that we should always look for new ways to learn and new methods to improvise the existing ones. In this constantly changing and rapidly evolving tech savvy world, more the adaptable and flexible we are in learning new things, the more likely we would be in averting challenges life throws our way. Learning something new gives us access to new and different opportunities and the chance to try new experiences.
9. Seeing yourself doing something different from your fellow classmates, what is the one thing you think you did differently than others?
The one thing I think I did differently than the others was gain first hand practical knowledge about the telecommunication industry and the technologies used about which till date I had only studied in college. This helped me to develop a better understanding of the concepts I had theoretically learned about. It also gave me an opportunity to test out a career field of interest. I met new people which gave way to establishing a network of professional contacts, mentors, and references.