Why my summer internship with GSK Consumer Healthcare was a ray of hope during the pandemic -By Avneet Anand from SIBM Pune

Have you ever felt mesmerized by the knowledge your seniors provide you with, so much so that they become the torchbearer in your first year? That’s because summer internships happened to them. In any B-school, it is a summer internship which helps you successfully transition from being a first year, to a final year student.

I was able to bag a summer internship with GSK Consumer Healthcare this year, and was looking forward to experiencing it at their Gurgaon office. Unfortunately, with the announcement of the nation-wide lockdown, there was nothing but anxiety, confusion, and negativity. 

With so much happening around us, all we needed was a ray of positivity. That’s when the onboarding team of GSK Consumer Healthcare pumped our confidence and assured us that we should gear up for our respective internship. I was thrilled to hear this news, especially since my summer internship with GSK Consumer Healthcare has taught me lifelong lessons. 

All is well when it starts well

Work-from-home definitely became the new normal for everyone in no time. However, this wasn’t the case with us interns. Fortunately, the onboarding team arranged a two-day induction process to understand the organization’s culture, vision, and encouraged us to interact with different employees across multiple domains. In no time, we were comfortable with our co-interns and colleagues on MS Teams, and were able to adjust to our new internship with GSK Consumer Healthcare. 

Break the ice!

Before we could kickstart our internship journey, the onboarding team connected us with our respective guides to “break the ice”, understand our project, and get to know them a little better. Gradually, my guide put me in touch with his team, which helped me gain more clarity on my internship objectives. Our onboarding team always mentioned that we were free to reach out to them at any time and they meant it. They organized weekly meets and also connected with us one-on-one to make the most out of our virtual internship with GSK Consumer Healthcare.

To tame a niche understand the larger picture

Talking about my responsibilities and the work I did as an intern, my project was based on developing a framework to educate consumers on tooth sensitivity for a leading oral care brand. Even though the category is a niche one, my project guide ensured that I understood the need for this project well and most importantly directed me towards the right path. He and his entire team gave me useful insights on understanding the crux of the brand and how it all functioned better. With the guidance and support I received from my mentors and colleagues, my internship with GSK Consumer Healthcare happened quite smoothly. 

Uncertainties bring with them great lessons!

During my summer internship, I realised it is only the uncertainties that give you some of the most valuable lessons. Before I started my internship with GSK Consumer Healthcare, I had imagined a completely different experience. The pandemic stole our chances of visiting the office premises and getting to know one another better, but it didn’t steal our excitement, ambition, and sometimes even a small coffee break on Skype!

It is without a doubt that my summer internship with GSK Consumer Healthcare has given me a better perspective in the field of marketing. It also taught me about the work ethics of the reputed company, and how they give their consumers and employees ultimate focus and importance.