Vivekananda Global University, Head - Internships: Dr. Ruchi Sharma Interview

Dr. Ruchi Sharma is head of the Internship department at Vivekananda Global University. He is a result-oriented professional with 14+ years of experience in Corporate and Academics to display exceptional communication, teaching, interpersonal, and leadership abilities. Dedicated, enthusiastic individual with outstanding academic, communication, organizational, and people skills and a passion for networking. Believe in teamwork, collaboration, and making the right decisions at the right time to get results. My academic qualifications are B.E., M.Tech., MBA, Ph.D. which makes me more confident to enhance my outreach in Industry for students internships & placements. Internship Cell hope that more of our team will call esteemed companies to the campus and oblige our students with a high profile job which students target right from the beginning of their first year.

How do you train students for better career opportunities ahead?

“Providing Students with various internship and training opportunities”

Internships play a major role in shaping up the career goals of students. It is the dream of every student to get placed in a top organization visiting their campus for recruitment. Keeping this key aspect into consideration, it is realized that internships are important for students of all the courses to enhance their employability skills and achieve good placement in various Industries. We encourage students of every semester to opt for small programs/workshops/hackathons/ideations/intercollege competitions to get exposure in the outside world and they will be up to date as per industry demand. Enhance exposure of Technical/Non Technical students to the industrial environment, by conducting guest lectures, workshops by experts, certification courses, industrial visits and hence creating competent professionals for the industry. 

What is the average internship rate at your college/institute?

“100% internship record was achieved in 2021”

The earlier internship was only limited to a pre-final year and final year internship cum placements. But now UGC & AICTE made internships mandatory every semester for preparing students industry-ready before placements in the final year. Internship cells always plan to provide structured, short-term, supervised internships often focused around particular tasks or projects with defined timescales. Internships may be compensated as well as non-compensated but providing practical experience in a field or discipline. 100% internship record was achieved in 2021 Students got internship opportunities in various Ministries/Government/ Non-Government/ Private organizations / Central Labs/ MSME/Live projects/NGOs. We target those internships which can provide compensation to the students.

What methodology/strategy do you follow to help students prepare for internships?

“Building 5 important qualities in students”

We motivate students to build up below 5 qualities in himself/themselves to prepare them for internships

1. Encourage Teamwork- 
2. Complex Thinking Skills
3. Be Future Focused
4. Update yourself as per industry demand
5. Aptitude & Attitude

How do you help your students attain the required skills/attributes?

“Providing Students with best skill enhancement programs regularly”

We help our students to attain the required attributes/skills by giving them proper knowledge and idea of how to manage:-

• TIME MANAGEMENT: Prepare a weekly schedule that includes time in class, studying, activities, work, meals, study, and time with friends. 
• STRESS MANAGEMENT: Regular exercise, adequate rest, good nutrition, prayer, and/or meditation are all suggested ways of engaging in self-care that reduces stress. 
• STUDY SKILLS: Even some of the best high school students have not always developed good study skills. 
• ASSERTIVENESS SKILLS: Speak up for yourself in an assertive manner that is not aggressive or passively allowing others to take advantage of you. Assertiveness skills are helpful in roommate communication, study groups, teams, and conflict resolution.
• SEEKING ASSISTANCE WHEN NEEDED: A big part of advocating for yourself is knowing when to ask for help. The college years are a time for learning new information, new life skills, and a new way of relating to our world.
• RESPECTING THE RULES AND POLICIES: Every community has rules and policies and our college campus is no different. 
• DISPLAYING HONESTY, INTEGRITY, AND PERSEVERANCE: Learning to incorporate personal values and ethics into every aspect of life is a significant part of personal growth during the college experience. Part of the path of integrity is learning how to hang in there and stay committed to goals even when situations are challenging.

How does your institute differ in providing training and placement to students?

“Institute establishes three-way partnerships among the institutions”

Internships are three-way partnerships among an institution of higher education, an employment (internship) site, and a student intern. Internships offer students an opportunity to apply classroom learning to a practical setting while engaging actively in a professional capacity. At the beginning of an internship, students are likely to be confronted with a number of challenges until they become familiar with various required tasks. This hands-on learning opportunity allows students to collaborate closely with a college faculty advisor and an intern employer, thus promoting partnerships between the college and the community. Our institute offers each and every student multiple opportunities to get internships and jobs according to their interest area.

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Being an Internships Head, what are your roles and responsibilities?

“Encourage students to develop learning objectives and goals”

My responsibility as a Head Internship is to ensure the internship opportunities that we are providing to students should be meaningful and have a learning experience for the student.

We are responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of an internship program, overseeing and coordinating the program once it's up and running, assigning internship opportunities to various departments. We act as the liaison between the company and the educational institution.

We effectively train our students for an internship profile and provide all necessary resources for the position.

How do you strategize the internship process for your students?

“Providing Students with promising career prospects”

Helping students build their self-awareness- While many consider attending university a way to leverage promising career prospects, the university is also a unique opportunity where you can look at yourself and think about how you can benefit and grow personally from the experience.

VGU has set itself up to become a pioneer in higher education and lead the way in teaching its students how to find their own meaning and purpose in life. It believes that university is more than just about getting a degree, and puts life purpose, positivity, wellbeing, and happiness at the epicenter of its student education and teaching.

How do you outline why students learn what they learn?

“Providing work-integrated learning opportunities and getting students out into the real world”

Teaching and learning should always be relevant – whether it’s related to your degree or extra-curricular activities. While VGU teaches its students necessary workplace skills, it also teaches them about the importance of wellbeing and proposes positive practices, including how to manage emotions, how to engage in the workplace, how to have positive relations with others – and most critically, how to have meaning in life. It’s out with traditional classroom-based learning (not entirely) and in with work-integrated learning. Students who have the opportunity to get out of the classroom can gain genuine business and industry insights, develop their awareness of workplace culture, and also enhance critical workplace skills, such as positive leadership and communication. It’s also a great opportunity to help students gain a better sense of what their purpose in life is.

Any insights on international internships from your Institute?

“Encourage students to opt for the various Internship activities”

Internships abroad are becoming the new favorite in the world of international education. Being an intern abroad means gaining practical, hands-on experience at an international company or organization while still having all the fun adventures—and not to mention college credit—afforded during a study abroad program. Yes, college students are beginning to weigh the benefits of overseas internships against traditional study abroad experiences, so how do you make the choice for yourself? 

How do you coordinate with different companies for the recruitment process for internships?

“Prepare a plan and showcase the Projects effectively”

The key to successfully set up an internship program is simple: Have a plan. As with any project, outlining the concrete steps necessary to reach your goal keeps you focused and increases our chances of success collaborating with industries. Regular Research work of the market is the key factor to explore the best opportunities for internships. We explore the meaningful internship profiles for the students and evaluate the organizational status of the market. We impaneled with the diversified companies so the recruitment process will be on a regular basis not a single time. We also involve students as Student internship ambassadors to be a part of the recruitment process, so the students also get exposure to learning skills and confidence. 

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Any advice you would like to give to the students who seek jobs or are ready to be placed?

“Students should focus on updating their skills regularly”

1. Keep your skills up-to-date- When you apply for a job or internship, you’ll likely be competing with other candidates. 
2. Stay focused- It’s important to stay focused on your career goals and aspirations. 
3. Get your skills and knowledge- Employers want to hire candidates with a wide range of skills. Use your college years to expand your skills and overall knowledge. 
4. Strive for excellence and stay motivated- Whether you’re in your first job or an internship, it’s important to aspire to be the best you can be.