What I learnt during my internship with TATA Steel -By B.V.N. Meghana from IIM Udaipur
It was 24th of September 2019, as I clearly remember, it was announced that I had been shortlisted for the interview process of TATA Steel. My happiness knew no bounds. Working with the TATA group has always been a dream, as the very ethical and value emphasizing work culture of the company has always inspired me. And so, here is an account of my internship experience with TATA Steel.
I personally, am a huge admirer of Mr. Ratan Tata. Thus, I did not want to lose this opportunity of working with TATA Steel and was preparing to give it my best shot. I was on cloud nine when I got the news that I have been selected to do an internship with TATA Steel.
Keeping up with the crest and troughs
In April, a stroke of uncertainty and worry hit us when the pandemic wrecked the world. Many of my friends’ internships were at stake. Relief struck when, amidst the crisis, I got an email from TATA Steel, that the internship was going to begin soon virtually. That exhibited how empathy mattered in the organization. The induction went well, with us getting a chance to hear from the top management of the organization. They were all very welcoming and friendly. The best part is how the management has been interacting with us from time to time and have been addressing all our concerns and any questions we had.
Supportive management is the key to wholesome learning
We were then allotted mentors and given our projects. I being a fresher was really concerned about how I would cope up with my first project virtually. My mentor was very supportive since day 1 from being in regular contact with me about the progress of my project and giving me timely feedback, despite his busy schedule. The entire HR department also, amidst the crisis, have been working hard to make it a smooth internship for all of us. Thus making the internship journey with TATA Steel a very smooth experience for me.
The nuts and bolts of my project
My project was in the Automotive Department of TATA Steel. The objective was related to market mapping and to come up with an entry strategy for a potential business opportunity. The first month of the internship involved majorly secondary data collection and analysis. The learnings during this period were truly surprising. I learnt how a single concept can be verified, validated, and analyzed from various points of view. With the constant support from my manager, I was able to finish the secondary research in a proper way, simultaneously enhancing my learnings.
The second phase included understanding TATA Steels’s competencies in that particular field and carrying out some primary research and coming up with an entry strategy. I was worried, that primary research was going to be quite difficult virtually. But luckily, each and every person I interacted with were very helpful and provided me with needful data. It was a very good learning experience as I got to interact with people from various hierarchial levels (from Senior Sales Managers to External Sales Executives) and also from various departments (Sales, Techincal, Manufacturing, etc.). The final review ended with appreciations and some constructive feedback.
Overall, my internship journey with TATA Steel was a dream come true. I consider myself really blessed to have begun my professional career with such a hugely respected company.