Over 150 students of IFIM Business School recently began their six-month-long Industry Internship Programme (IIP). The programme aims to provide internship opportunities to its students with the average stipend offered being Rs 6,702 per month and going up to Rs 20,000 per month.

A majority of the students got internship in sectors such as IT and ITES, FMCG, financial services and e-commerce. These were followed by upcoming sectors like sports management and hospitality and conventional sectors like pharmaceuticals and manufacturing. Some of the reputed companies where students will intern include Britannia Industries, The Ritz-Carlton, [24]7 Innovation Labs, UB Spirits, Toyota Kirloskar, Larsen & Toubro, Infotech and Genpact among others.

Despite the prevailing business climate, the 100 per cent internship opportunities have made them confident of a good placement season ahead. “This model of internship is very useful in terms of getting hands-on experience in the real world and we get to apply our theoretical knowledge in the company,” says Shwetha Sumal, who is interning at The Ritz-Carlton. Her batchmate Anirudh Thackur adds, “The courses offered here are well-designed and up-to-date so that one gets the best of the academics and the industry exposure. The courses are practical and they help you understand the nuances of business. The internship is something that I am eagerly looking forward to so that I can put all my knowledge to best use.”

Many companies acknowledge the value of the programme, which is now in its second year. “Biocon took two interns from IFIM last year and both were absorbed by us at the end of the internship. When we approached them this year, we did so with the intent of filling in some permanent positions within our HR team. This year, we have taken five interns and will be absorbing three of them. They are disciplined, well-adjusted and have displayed sound inter-personal skills,” shares Ravi C Dasgupta, VP Group HR, Biocon.

The programme includes regular evaluation and feedback sessions, where the faculty and industry mentors work in tandem to extract maximum value from the efforts of the students and see that the learning for them is maximised. Saurabh Rai, who is interning at Britannia Industries, says, “The long duration of the internship provides an excellent model for a fresher to showcase his skills. It’s also a good platform for us to convert this internship into a job. Since it’s a part of our academics, we have a more serious approach towards it and will try to give it our best to learn more and get good grades.”