INTERN EXTRAVAGANZA : PART-3
GURPREET SINGH, Intern at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)
1.Where and how did you get the internship?
I did my summer internship at Hong Kong University Of Science and Technology (HKUST) under the guidance of Prof. Christopher K. Y. Leung.I got this internship by applying for the International Internship Programme of HKUST (http://www.seng.ust.hk/web/eng/thirdcat.php?samepage=yes&catid=2&subid=12&thirdid=17)
2.How was the interview ? Is there any interesting or valuable point to be shared from your interview ?
Interview was not conducted. I was selected on the basis of my CV/Resume. I had already done a research project in the area of research of my Professor which I think was a very valuable point in my resume.
3.According to you,which major point in your resume made the university/company to select you ?
Generally Professors look at the work which you have undertaken and how that work will be beneficial in the upcoming project which will be offered to you during the internship. CPI or CGPA is also a criteria because it shows your academic excellence.
4.How was your work experience?Easy or difficult?
Work was moderate. I worked around 3-4 hours per day in the lab and spent around 1-2 hours in literature review and analysis of the results. My Professor and Ph.D. guide were very helpful and cooperative.They always helped me with any difficulty that I encountered.
5.According to you, how much important is it to do an internship during 2nd or 3rd year?
2nd year internship helps you to know the basic ideas or knowledge of civil engineering. Till 2nd year you are not even aware of many topics in civil engineering but during 3rd year internship you get to know about your interest and also you acquire a lot of technical knowledge. It is very much advisable to do interns in both 2nd and 3rd year,but the 3rd year internship is the key to set one’s goal in the path ahead.
6.What are the differences between learning as a student and learning as an intern?
During the intern you will be quite passionate about your work because you have to prove yourself there.You have to complete various challenging tasks in the stipulated time period. While as a student, numerous times you won’t be able to do work efficiently because of some other commitments or other course work.
7.Was it hectic or were you able to cope up with the stress of working? What about the ‘deadline pressure’ and ‘accommodation facilities’?
As I had mentioned earlier, my Professor and Ph.D. guide were very helpful,they initially assigned me a work to learn the basics of my project. They basically wanted me to know the goals and significance of my project. Only after getting well acquainted with the task, I was assigned the project. I didn’t feel any stress during my intern.There were no deadline pressures except report submission. But if you make report simultaneously with your work, it will not build any pressure on you. Accommodation arrangements were awesome. They registered me as a student and made ID- card for me by which I was able to assess their college facilities
8.What kind of internships one who is interested in core should prefer?
The kind of internship one should do depends a lot on one’s own interest.Someone with interest in research should seek a University Intern. Company internships are also quite helpful and add immensely to one’s knowledge by giving practical experience.
9.What would you like to say to those students who have less CPI but are willing to do internship in core?
CPI is I would say one of the many criteria of getting a core internship, and not the most important one. It might help you in clearing the first round for shortlist. Essential things that one should possess are the work experience, knowledge, passion and sincerity.
10.After completing the internship,what growth do you see in yourself on an individual basis?
As an individual I became more clear about my future goal. I came to know where exactly my interest lies, or how can I contribute to the society with my work.
11.What qualities do you think are required to get an Univ/core/non core intern respectively?
Qualities vary from company to company or more precisely from the profile of work. If you are applying for a coding profile you should be aware of basic programming languages.For other non core internships, management skills, statistical skills, basic concepts of finance,etc. come in handy. If you are applying for University Internship you should be aware of some softwares like MATLAB, languages like python or C++,etc. These things differentiate you from others. There is no hardcore rule.
12.Anything else you want to share with us?
Yes, it was a very nice experience for me at Hong Kong.The people of Hong Kong were quite helpful and friendly. There are so many places that I had visited. Some of them are The Peak, Ocean Park, Disneyland, Macau, Lan Kwai Fong etc. I faced some problems in terms of food. As a vegetarian it’s quite difficult for you, but for those who are fond of seafood, Hong Kong is a delight. Hong Kong is also a good place for partying and trekking. Overall it was quite an awesome experience.
Akshar 