Interns choose to work for a cause

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What was just considered a mandatory part of some professional courses, has now gained prime importance when it comes to getting the right job. Giving a piece of advice to fresh graduates, a recent survey by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) revealed that internships play a major role in securing a full-time job after graduation. While the survey focuses on business students, those studying other courses tell us how internships are the best route for jobs. In what is becoming a trend of sorts, youngsters are interning with companies which are not directly related to their academic courses, but promise them professional value and help them work for a noble cause.
Lohit Kumar, who works with a recruitment firm, tells us, “If you’re a fresher, internships hold an important value. Companies want to know if you are creative enough, have done something extra, other than just your course. For freshers, in some cases internships hold more value than professional experience.”
For Mridang Lodha, Eco (Hons) student from SRCC, it’s his internship with the Nehru Learning Centre for Children and Youth, which will give him an edge over the others. It’s interesting to see how many youngsters are approaching government departments for internships. “I was placed with their summer school and was handling one session for kids. We were teaching them wildlife through craft, space through paintings where we taught them about the stars and space. Once the school got over, we would prepare a manual on how to organise a summer school. An internship with a government organisation adds credibility to your resume,” he says.
Prateeksha (name changed on request), a commerce student from DU, shares, “I interned with the RTI. Though it was not taxing, I was asked to spend a week each with different departments and prepare a report on how they function. At least I’ll have something different to say on my resume.”
Although Nitika, a second year student from Hansraj College, took up Economics as an academic subject, social work is something that always held her interest. “I am interning with Make a Difference NGO, where they teach basic English to young kids from Hindi medium schools. I am a part of their English Project where we teach students from five of their shelter homes around Delhi. Social entrepreneurship is fast catching up and something like this will help me,” she says.
Seconds Rohan Rai, a DU student, who aspired to join Civil Services and do something for the society. To get an on the field experience of how villagers live in various parts of India, he chose to work with Pravah, an NGO.
“Pravah works in collaboration with many organisations. So I worked with Rasna to look into environmental issues. I was required to work in three different villages of Uttarkashi. We collected data from various farmers who were facing a crop failure because of wild animals. We were later required to present a report on what the farmers need, the problems they face, and the probable solutions. Since I want to sit for Civil Services, and I am confident that this experience will help,” he shares.