Summer Internship at TATA STEEL – Vishal Kumar from GIET Odisha
Vishal is an engineering student who did his internship at TATA STEEL. He shares an interesting story on how his learning part begun with breakdown in machines and he ended up learning everything that he wanted to. Read his story to know more.
“I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me” – Abraham Lincoln
I heard this quote several times but never tried to understand it’s meaning or if truly said I never bothered too. But there are few things that life teaches you and it was the time for me to learn a lesson from the greatest teacher of the world “The Life”.
Being a Mechanical Engineer I was so passionate about the industries that I have almost applied for the 10 companies for summer internships, as a result of which I have received 4 positive responses from the companies like Maruti Suzuki, Jindal Steel, MSME and Hyundai Motors but on 4th April 2015 I received a confirmation mail from TATA STEEL that my application for unpaid summer internship at TATA STEEL has been accepted and I can start my internship from 19th May onward. I was so excited that I did my all paperwork beforehand. I was sent for a safety training program where they provided the general safety rules, practices and guidelines before entering into the plant and after the completion I was given a safety card. I was supposed to call my project manager Mr. R.P.Singh to ask him for the further schedule. So I called him and he asked me to join from that day itself so that we can know each other and he can assign me the project. I visited him in his office where I saw a person in his 50’s sitting quietly and doing something on his laptop. I wished him “Good Morning” and introduced myself. He said that he’ll ask me few questions and then according to that he’ll assign me the project or I can say that he took my interview and the first question he asked me was “Why are you here?”
As a part of our value added programs I was familiar with this kind of questions and have already prepared answer for some FAQ’s . He asked me questions from my subjects and I was shocked that how a person can have that much amount of knowledge. After that he took me to his colleague’s office, where he introduced me to them and told me that I’ll be doing my project under them only. Next day I reported there and as a part of their general curriculum they took me to a plant visit where I met other interns who were from different corners of India.I was told to stay with Mr. Kamal Sharma and Miss. Panita Soren who are foremen. They told me about my work and gave me some data as well as notes on SOP (standard operating process) of the plant. My actual internship started with a shutdown in the plant due to breakdown in the Mair machine which is a fully automatic pipe packaging machine and is used to pack tubes in hexagonal order and was one of the most complicated machine of the plant. It works on a combination of two branches Mechanical as well as Electrical.
It was a general day when Panita Ma’am was preparing the list of the parts required and Kamal Sir was doing the routine work by preparing the inspection schedule for the day. I was reading a book that they gave me. Soon Sir received a call that there is a problem in Mair Machine in the HFIW#1 (High Frequency Induction Welding Plant 1) and he replied that “wait there and don’t touch anything, I am coming“ and then he told me “if you really want to learn something then come with me” and I walked with him. I saw that the chain drive which was used to run the arm of machine was dislocated. I was asked to think about its root cause and from that point my learning period started. It became my daily routine to go with them to different breakdowns in different areas of the plant and I started loving it. I used to notice the way they think about any problem and solve it. After few days I was called by my manager and then he asked me “what I learnt so far and what I want to do now?” I showed him the list of the breakdowns and their possible causes as per my knowledge then he said ‘meet me after lunch time’. Again I visited him and I saw there was a white board with marker. Few minutes later he entered into the room and started teaching me the steps involved in tackling any problem that they face and I can confidently say that it was a perfect technique, then he asked me to attend an emergency responder training program after which I can work with the machines and I did so.
From that day onward I got the authority to work with the machine and the areas associated with the machine and then I preferred to be in the plant most of the time rather than being in the office and reading books. I used to talk with the operators, technicians and other employee as well and asked them about their work which started boosting my knowledge to a level which I can never reach by reading any books. They also explained me everything from technical to non-technical. They helped me so much that I completed my project in 3rd week of my internship only and I submitted it. My manager said that “you can leave the company now but as a mentor I’ll suggest you to stay back and learn other things”. After that I was asked to attend the meetings for their product development programs. Doing so I gave some suggestions for the improvement of the quality of working conditions and they liked it and forwarded the idea to the plant head, who asked me to explain him my ideas through a presentation. He asked me to give a demo which involves “Gesture Controlled Office”
They love my passion towards engineering and increased my internship period for two more weeks where I learned a lot but as there is an end for everything this internships also was soon over. They asked me to be in contact with them and said me that if I wish to do my further internship with them or want to work with them then I am ‘most welcome’. Thus I want to say that TATA STEEL YOU ARE THE BEST and thank you for providing me that knowledge with so much care.
I respect your ethics , values, vision and mission and your ultimate goal of overall development of the society. Guys it was my destiny that I got a chance to work with such professionals. I am thankful to almighty for that. Now I know why Mr. Abraham Lincoln said that. So this is Vishal signing out for now.Thank you TATA STEEL.
If Vishal’s internship experience motivates you, you can view the latest internship in Jharkhand and latest Engineering internships.
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