Google, Infosys using internships to hire NEW talent

Organisations like Google, Infosys and Coca Cola are increasingly looking at internship as a key HR strategy that enables them to recruit A-grade performers based on how individuals fare in an actual workplace scenario, experts say. 

A good internship programme helps an organisation build a solid talent pipeline, also known as 'bench strength'. They recruit people from the campuses for internship programmes and based on their performance and inclination, induct them for full-time roles in the company. 

Leading executive search organisation, GlobalHunt, MD Sunil Goel said: "Any specific skills and the functional knowledge is restricted in total number and the only way to grow the skill sets and domain expertise is through internship programme." 

Companies nowadays look at internship programme as a talent management and talent acquisition strategy and convert that talent pool to pipeline of growth. Internship programme plays a very active role in creating that pool for companies. 

Commenting on the trend, a Google India spokesperson said: "It is undisputed that a good internship programme helps attract A-Grade talent, it also helps an employer evaluate how an individual would fare in the actual workplace scenario." 

Google India has BOLD (Building Opportunities for Leadership Development) Engineering Internships for summer 2013. 

These internship programmes are also designed to bridge the gap between academic study and the profession. It also doubles up as an important platform in corporate hiring and talent acquisition for us, Google India said. 

"Investing in Googlers drives business outcomes that we care about: innovation, retention. And we know that happier employees are more productive, and more likely to stay at Google," the spokesperson said. 

IT major Infosys has a global internship programme -- InStep for undergraduate, graduate and PhD students from leading academic institutions around the world. 

Interns across 35 different nationalities are given a chance to work on high impact assignments ranging from live technology projects and cutting-edge research to business solutions from Infosys offices in India.

Innovation at IIT Bombay

Technovation is expected to give students a better platform to showcase technical projects.

“It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s IIT-Bombay’s first Ornithopter!” is what the students of IIT-Bombay will soon be saying.

The Ornithopter is one of six projects that started off in a unique initiative ‘Technovation’ this year at IIT-Bombay.

Akshay Dandekar, a third year Aerospace Engineering student says, “An Ornithopter is an aircraft which flies by flapping its wings instead of having fixed wings which we see in aircraft today.”

Akshay, who has been working in the team of three for nearly a year on this project, says that he hopes to see the aircraft ready by February 2013.

So, what is Technovation? Technovation was started two years ago by a few students who were unhappy with the technical projects scene at IIT.

Ashay Tejwani, a third year Materials Science student who is working on his own project ‘Parinath’ says, “Previously the opportunities for tech in IIT as a freshman were limited.

There were a couple of competitions that took place during the semester, but they served as gateways to the tech scene, and didn’t go into much depth.

In my own project ‘Parinath’, which is a first of its kind humanoid robot capable of mimicking human responses and transforming them into a vehicle—like in the movie Transformers, I have eight freshmen actively take part in making the bot.

Funding

Ashwin Paranjape, a third year CSE student and this year’s Technovation Manager, says, “A lot of students have ideas that cannot be made into institute-level projects. Technovation acts as an incubator, by providing them with support in terms of funding, a mechanism to grow in and also helping with the expertise from a number of seniors. The screening for projects that are accepted into Technovation is rigorous as we are currently have a limited budget, but of the six projects that were selected this year, I am reasonably sure that they will all be completed soon.”

Freshers participate

The senior students involved in Technovation claim that one of the biggest advantages is that the technical nature of the projects is not a barrier for freshmen to take part in the project and feel alienated in any manner.

We can see there is a huge freshmen participation in each of the six projects undertaken this year.

Akash, Prateek and Kalpesh, all second year Mechanical students say that their project on a ‘self-balancing skateboard’ was primarily based on Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) which use a Gyroscope and an Accelerometer. While these are a bit technical, any freshman who is involved in the project for a reasonable duration of time can learn how to use them.

Projects that are selected for Technovation are generally pet projects of the students involved.

The selectors look for some real-world application of the projects. Sudheer, a fourth year Electrical student working on a ‘Tum-Tum Tracker’, named after the little buses called Tum-Tums that run within the IIT-Bombay Campus says, “When the project is complete, the Tum Tum Tracker can give an accurate position of each bus in the IIT Campus to every student on a Google Map. While it currently works on GPS with a limited range, if equipped with a GPRS with a larger range, it could even be expanded to a city-wide scale !”

So, what is the way forward with Technovation? “Currently we are not very well publicised on campus, so we hope to improve the situation this year by coming out with many successful projects. We do not have enough representation among the professors. But, a new project ‘Powai Lake Breather’ taken directly under the Dean, R&D, and a few other professors will hopefully improve the situation.

I am also hopeful that once Technovation establishes itself, we can take part in various exhibitions as it is always good for a team to showcase its efforts,” says Ashwin.

The writer is a student of IIT, Mumbai.

Source: THE HINDU

Next gen robots may perform surgery and even beat humans at football

London, October 23 (ANI): A new generation of humanoids are being designed in Bristol and Essex labs to performed complex tasks like humans.

The prototypes of robots are being designed to rescue us, clear our sewers and become our companions.

Scientists even hope some of the humanoid designs will one day compete - and beat - humans in football matches, the Daily Mail reported.

Some can walk, talk and dance, speak 20 languages, hold conversations and respond with life-like expressions.

Most interesting of all is The BERT2 humanoid, which can interact with humans using an expressive face and artificial hands.

Theoretically, it could be controlled from anywhere in the world and so could be the forerunner of a robotic surgeon performing remote operations around the globe.

Others have been inspired by nature and can swim like fish or mimic the flight of birds and insects.

The Robotic Fish, which has the 'natural speed and motion of a large carp', can operate autonomously and is designed to monitor water pollution and detect leaks from ships in harbour.

Dr Ioannis Ieropoulos, senior researcher at the Bristol Robotic Laboratory, said the scientists had looked to nature for inspiration.

One of his personal creations is the EcoBot III, which can power itself by 'feeding' on sewage water.

The water provides nutrients for the robot's fuel cells and these generate electricity to power it.

This self-sustainability means it could eventually be programmed to roam along sewers, cleaning them as it goes.

"By looking at how animals in nature sustain themselves, a robot could be developed that is able to operate in hostile and lethal environments, providing a service to humankind," the paper quoted Dr Ieropoulos as saying.

Others like the Shrewbot and SCRATCHbot, which both have sensitive 'whiskers', could be used in rescue missions to search pitch-black caves.

The iCub - a 'robot youngster' modelled on a three-and-a-half year old child - is designed to give insight into how real humans develop and learn from their environment.

The Robothespian, made by Engineered Arts Ltd of Cornwall, is a 'humanoid acting robot' that can be programmed to move like a human actor.

It uses facial-recognition software to mimic human movement and respond to faces. One version speaks 20 different languages.

Jules and Eve are humanoid heads, which are able to talk and respond to people with human-like facial expressions. They are covered in a synthetic skin for a lifelike appearance.

Careers in Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering graduates, especially those who score high in the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE), have many higher study options. To score a high percentile in GATE, go deep into the subject, which will help you get good marks in the B.Tech. examinations as well.

The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the National Institutes of Technology (NITs) are among the top premier institutes that offer the M.Tech. course in Mechanical engineering. After taking a postgraduate degree, a student can join a research programme leading to a Ph.D. The All India Council for Technical Education offers fellowships for research scholars.

The IITs, Madras (www.iitm.ac.in), Kanpur (www.iitk.ac.in), Kharagpur (www.iitkgp.ernet.in) and Guwahati (www.iitg.ernet.in), offer the M.Tech. course. An M.Tech. course in Aerospace or Aeronautical Engineering is a higher study option for Mechanical Engineering graduates with a GATE score. The IIT, Kanpur, offers M.Tech. and Ph.D. programmes in Aerospace Engineering.

The NIT, Calicut, offers an M.Tech. course in Mechanical Engineering with specialisation in Industrial Engineering and Management; Thermal Science; Manufacturing Technology; Energy Management; and Material Science and Technology. A GATE score is required for admission (www.nitc.ac.in).

The NIT, Tiruchirapalli, offers an M.Tech. course in design and production of thermal power equipment with specialisation in industrial safety engineering; manufacturing technology; welding engineering; material science; industrial engineering; energy engineering; and so on. A B.Tech. degree in Mechanical Engineering with minimum 60 per cent marks is required for admission. Selection will be through an entrance test (www.nitt.edu).

Delhi Technological University, Delhi, conducts M.Tech. programmes in Thermal Engineering and Production Engineering (www.dce.edu).

The Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) offers an ME course in Mechanical Engineering on its Pilani campus and another with specialisation in Thermal Engineering on its Hyderabad campus (www.bitsadmission.com).

IN KERALA

The College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, run by the State government, offers an M.Tech. course in Mechanical Engineering with specialisation in Thermal Science, Machine Design, Propulsion Engineering and Industrial Engineering.

The TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, offers the course with specialisation in Industrial Refrigeration and Cryogenic Engineering.

The Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology, Kottayam, offers it with specialisation in Industrial Engineering and Management

At the Government Engineering College, Thrissur, the specialisations are in Production Engineering and Internal Combustion Engines and Turbo Machinery.

Mechanical Engineering graduates with minimum 60 per cent marks and a GATE score are eligible for admission to these colleges. Only those from Kerala without a GATE score will be considered for admission if a sufficient number of applicants with the score are unavailable to fill the seats.

The College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, handles the joint admission process to government and government-aided engineering colleges under the supervision of the Director of Technical Education. The admission notification can be expected in May or June. The selection list will be published on www.dtekerala.gov.in or www.cet.ac.in. Students with a GATE score get a scholarship of Rs. 8,000 a month.

The Mar Athanasius College of Engineering, Kothamangalam (www.mace.ac.in), offers a self-financing M.Tech. course with specialisation in production and industrial engineering. A Mechanical Engineering degree with 60 per cent marks and a GATE score are required for admission.

The SCMS School of Engineering Technology, Aluva, offers the M.Tech. course, admitting candidates with 60 per cent marks and above in the B.Tech. course (www.scmsgroup.org).

The Amal Jyothi College of Engineering, Kanjirappally, offers an M.Tech. course in machine design (www.amaljyothi.ac.in).

The Viswajyothi College of Engineering and Technology, Vazhakulam, Muvattupuzha, offers an M.Tech. course in Industrial Engineering and Management (www.vjcet.ac.in).

The MES College of Engineering, Kuttipuram, offers an M.Tech. programme in Thermal Systems for Mechanical or Automobile Engineering graduates (www.mesce.ac.in).

The Amrita School of Engineering, Ettimadai, Coimbatore, conducts an M.Tech. course in Engineering Design and Manufacturing Engineering. Those with at least 60 per cent marks in the B.Tech. course in Mechanical Engineering are eligible to apply. Applicants with a GATE score get preference in admission and if selected, in scholarships (www.amrita.edu).

AT IISC

The Department of Mechanical Engineering of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, offers a direct five-year Ph.D. course for Mechanical Engineering graduates with a good academic record and aptitude in research. Admission is based on the GATE score and an interview. Students get monthly scholarships. The department also offers an M.Sc. engineering course for engineering graduates interested in research. Students should do course work followed by research. Admission is based on the GATE score and an interview.

The IISc offers an ME programme covering a broad area of Mechanical Engineering. The students can convert their registration to that of a Ph.D. before taking the postgraduate degree. Admission is on the basis of a GATE score. All students get monthly financial assistance. Those with an ME or M.Tech. degree can opt for the Ph.D. programme. Admission is based on an interview. The course duration is four-and-a-half years. Students get monthly scholarships or fellowships.

Engineering graduates and final-year B.Tech. students may take GATE conducted by the IITs. The Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED), also for engineering graduates and final-year engineering degree students, is conducted for admission to the Master of Design (M.Des) programme at the IITs, Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati and Kanpur, and the IISc.

ROBOTICS

Another suitable higher study option for Mechanical Engineering graduates is Robotics. Robotics is the scientific study of the design and making of robots. Jadavpur University, Kolkata (ME Robotics); the University of Hyderabad (M.Tech. Artificial Intelligence and Robotics); the University College of Engineering, Osmania University, Hyderabad (M.Tech. Automation and Robotics); Thapar Institute of Engineering Technology (Thapar University), Patiala (ME Robotics); PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore (M.Tech. Mechanical Engineering with Robotics as an elective subject); and SRM University, Kattamkulathur, Chennai (M.Tech. Robotics); are some of the institutions offering higher study facilities in Robotics.

Mechatronics combines Mechanical and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, incorporating the ideas of Mechanical and Electronics Engineering into a whole and in particular covers those areas of engineering concerned with the increasing integration of Mechanical, Electronics and Software engineering into a production process. M.Tech. programmes in Mechatronics are rare in India. VIT University, Vellore; Rajalakshmi Engineering College, Thandalam, Chennai; and Karpagam College of Engineering, Coimbatore, offer them.

NANOTECHNOLOGY

It is another option for higher study for Mechanical Engineering graduates. This engineering technology has high potential and involves several disciplines. Its major applications lie in the manufacturing sector. M.Tech. programmes in the discipline are offered in very few institutions in India. They include Jadavpur University, Kolkata; the NIT, Calicut; Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham; the Amity Institute of Nanotechnology; and the Birla Institution of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi.

TOOL DESIGN

ME Mechanical Engineering (CAD/CAM) and tool design programmes are suitable higher study options for graduates in Mechanical Engineering. The Central Institute of Tool Design, Hyderabad, is a premier institute offering these courses.

MBA

Postgraduate diploma programme in Management or the MBA course are among the higher study options for engineering graduates. Since the quality of management education is important, choose reputable business schools or institutions. Those who have an engineering degree and higher qualifications in management can easily find managerial positions. Since Mechanical Engineering is the broadest of all engineering disciplines, dealing with design and production of tools, machines and other mechanical equipment, it offers a wide choice of career options.

Make the most of YOUR COLLEGE DAYS

The upcoming semesters are going to be hectic where you will be bombarded with assignments, projects, tests and more

Every summer, millions of students have a tough time selecting the right engineering college that will open doors to an exciting career. Let us assume that you made it to the engineering college of your dream. If you think that was difficult then you really don’t know what you are up against.

The upcoming semesters are going to be hectic where you will be bombarded with assignments, projects, tests and everything your professor feels that you need to do to be ready for your role as an engineer. Professors won’t spoon-feed you and you are expected to hone your own skills. But if you want to be the best, then you can only be the best through your own efforts.

Over the years you may have unconsciously bought into a message that goes like this: “My teachers know everything I need to know to be an engineer. Their job is to give lectures, and my job is to soak it up and then repeat it on exams.” That approach works in Intermediate but not in engineering. Problems don’t come neatly packaged with all the information needed to solve them. In fact, often the hardest part of a real problem is figuring out exactly what the problem is. Lakhs of engineers were in your shoes a few years back. Now they are successful and so can be you, if these following tips are taken seriously.

Ask questions

If you have difficulty in classes or can’t figure out the equations and sketches on the whiteboard then ask him or her to explain it again. “Could you give an example of how you would use that formula?” “Could you sketch what that (device, solution, plot) might look like?” “Where did that equation you just wrote come from?”

Even if you’re afraid a question may sound stupid, ask it anyway. I guarantee that others in the class are equally confused and will be grateful to you for having the courage to speak up.

Never ask your instructor for help on a problem until you have made a serious effort to solve it by yourself. Bring in your flow charts and free body diagrams and calculations, including the ones that didn’t work.

Most teachers are also happy to help their students after class and guide them.

Read books

Some textbooks clarify difficult questions with practical illustrations and explanations. A good strategy is to look at a second reference on the same subject - a different text, a handbook, or a website. Even if you can’t find the crystal-clear explanations and examples you’d like, just reading about the same topic in two different places can make a big difference in understanding.

Read everything in your library and everything else that you can get your hands on related to your course work.

Reading will make your concepts and theories clearer and you will grasp the knowledge forever.

Team work

When you work alone and get stuck on something, you may be tempted to give up, where in a group someone can usually find a way past the difficulty.

Working with others may also show you better ways to solve problems than the way you have been using. Get group members, especially the weaker ones to explain all completed problem solutions before ending a problem-solving session. If everyone can do that, the session worked. Make your portfolio of projects. You might have a busy schedule but try to participate in every experiential learning project you can get your hands on. This will help you apply the knowledge that you gain in college and in addition you will have a portfolio of projects to show your prospective employer.

Build a good network. Engineering is not an isolated field but requires leadership and team work. You need to build your network in college so that you are not lost when you start your career. The best way to network is to have good relationships with your classmates, immediate seniors, alumni and teachers. In addition, attend seminars, lectures and conferences on-campus and introduce yourself to the speakers. Also check out your college’s alumni association. These are graduates from your college who want to connect with new undergraduates. Also use social media to stay in touch.

Consult experts

Sometimes you’ll run into a problem that completely stumps you. When practicing engineers run into such problems they consult experts. Your course instructor is an obvious candidate and other potential consultants include other professors who teach the same course, students who have previously taken the course, smart classmates, and tutors. Contact them early and not just two days before the final exam.

Internship

The best way to retain your knowledge is through practical experience so take up internship during the summer. Prospective employers love new undergraduates with practical experiences. Also try to build your portfolio of projects along the way. Interning will also help you prepare for the new semester. Hone your other skills as well. As an engineer you need to be an all-rounder to be the best in your field. Gone are the days when engineers were only required to be technically proficient, they need to be business savvy as well. Have faith in yourself. If this advice is hard for you to take now, you’re probably suffering from what psychologists refer to as the Impostor Phenomenon, which is like a tape that plays inside people’s heads. “These people are good and I am not.” Remove those apprehensions. Success starts from belief that I can do it.

DR. N.V RAMANA RAO

Professor in Civil Engineering

Registrar JNTU Hyderabad

Source: THE HINDU

Winning combination

An engineering degree complemented with an MBA is important for professional excellence.

Today’s market is arguably the most demanding it has ever been. A strong grasp on the basics, excellent communication skills, ability to think outside the box, capacity to manage large teams have become standard requirements for any job applicant. Possession of a wide skill set has become more of a basic necessity than an added advantage.

In such a competitive scenario, having a master’s degree is becoming a necessity for various reasons. I am a Marketing Manager at Asahi India Glass Limited, Bangalore, with a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering and a Dual MBA in Marketing and Operations. After completing the engineering course, I worked with procurement division of an engineering consulting firm specialising in petrochemical projects. My role required me to understand not just the technical aspects of projects, for which I was trained for, but also to be highly adept with its commercial aspects as well, with the proficiency to manage multiple projects and work with teams of large numbers.

Inference: an engineer has to be not just proficient technically, but also should have the capacity to plan, organise, execute and monitor the activities, his own as well as his team members. Increasingly, I felt the need for a master’s degree. Post my stint at the engineering firm, I went through an MBA course specialising in Marketing and Operations. The course helped me understand the holistic aspects of businesses and the most important mantra for any successful business — decision-making.

An MBA is all about graduating from a theoretical perspective to a more real-life one. Multiple case analysis and problem-solving sessions have helped the engineer in me understand that although the fundamental theories are of high importance, the ability to apply them to situations in real-life is what sets one apart, and the MBA has given me the tools for exactly that purpose.

Post-MBA, my entry into the corporate world has been largely guided by the expertise gained through the degree and my prior experience. The experience gained during my MBA combined with the technical knowledge imbibed through engineering has helped me to a considerable extent perform these tasks with ease. The loads of real-life exercises I worked on during my MBA have allowed me to approach these tasks with a sense of familiarity. Hence, my MBA degree has perfectly complemented the technical expertise I gained during engineering.

                                                                            KARTIK MENON

Source: THE HINDU

How to build-up your career from college days

How to build-up your career from college days

Bunking college? Highly recommended! But only if you are using that time to do some learning outside the classroom…

On one of the TEDx talks, Sir Ken Robinson, a leading educational reformist, made a significant remark about the “linearity” of the current educational system: “… it starts here; you go through a track, and if you do everything right, you will end up set for the rest of your life.” This linearity is the most likely reason that you are in the college and the stream you are in right now.

Did you ever have a dream? Were you passionate about designing cars? Have you always dreamt of making a BIG social impact? When you were young, did you have amazing writing skills? You probably did. But, somehow, you landed up in an engineering college and your dreams have become a mere hobby, if not fully extinguished.

If you want a career in what you love doing, here's help. Your curriculum helps a little, even assuming you ended up in the right stream. Today, learning is more than just about concepts and curriculum. It is about keeping pace with trends, networking with the right people, and building your knowledge and skills in your area of interest. No better time than college to do this. Here are some pointers to get you back on the right track...

Network: Professional networking during college is a critical aspect of learning that most students miss out on! Building the right professional contacts during college makes it easy to get internships, find mentors and get a job in the field you love.

Events and conferences: Keep tabs on relevant events in your city and ensure you attend as many as possible. Apart from gaining new insights, events are the best place for you get to meet new people from diverse professions. Look out for TEDx events in your city. Chennai Open Coffee Club is a group where entrepreneurs and wannabe entrepreneurs meet every month.

Check out conferencealerts.com/india.htm which post updates on events and conferences regularly. Participating in the right groups on Linkedin and following newspapers will ensure you don't miss important ones. Make sure you meet at least five new people at every event you attend.

Five quick steps to network in a conference:

1) Introduce yourself.

2) Start a conversation with a smart question or a pre-prepared pitch.

3) Have a quick meaningful conversation.

4) Ask for their business card.

5) Be sure to follow up via e-mail.

Guest lectures in colleges: You have scores of guest lecturers and industry experts addressing you in college. Ensure you connect with them once their talk is over. Take notes during the talk if required, but ensure you have some feedback and questions when you approach them.

You've got to network like crazy! Make it a point to start a relationship with at least one new person every week and I don't mean dating!

Internships: Internships are the best way for you to gain practical exposure. The best part: 65 per cent of companies offer you a full-time job based on your performance during your internship. It also adds immense value to your profile. The important thing is to use internships as an experimenting platform. So, don't restrict yourself to internships in just one field. Look to do at least four internships through your college. With many companies offering virtual internships (work from home), you can do internships even when your college is not on vacation! Consider doing at least one internship in a start-up, the learning is immense.

Tips to get an internship:

Tap professional network: This is the best way. If you have built a good rapport with relevant professionals, check with them for possible internship opportunities.

Career section: Many companies list internship openings in the careers section on their site. For instance, Amazon has interesting internships for developers; find market research internships at Frost and Sullivan based on your stream.

Through portals: There are several portals that make it easier for you to get internships. You can check Twenty19.com, internshala.com and AIESEC (International internships)

Keep up with trends, build your knowledge: A curriculum can never keep up with the rate of change happening today. For an electronics engineering student, the best textbook may have information about the new technologies applied in iPhone 4, which it doesn't. Even if it did, it will be outdated. Keeping up with current trends and building your knowledge and skills around it will be extremely beneficial when you get out of college.

Subscribe to experts' blogs and sites: Experts in different areas maintain regularly updated blogs, which are a great source of valuable insights. For example, if you are interested in marketing and business, subscribe to Seth Godin's blog and MarketingProfs' newsletter. Check out Mashable and Techcrunch if you're a tech and social media is your cup of tea!

Linkedin Today: With this feature on linkedin.com, you get to read the most popular stories and articles from the leading news sources based on your interest. This is a fantastic tool to keep up with trends, build knowledge and gain perspective. You can subscribe for feeds based on the industry of your interest whether it is automobiles or fashion. You'll get the best stories from the most relevant and top-rated sources.

Twitter: Twitter is like the ultimate university where you can get the best insights and knowledge on any subject.The best way to make use of twitter is by following the right people and lists. Science geeks should follow Andrew Maynard (@2020science), a scientist who tweets about all the good stuff on his blog !

Tip: To find the right people and lists to follow on Twitter based on your interest, go to Listorious.com

Web Learning: Bored of listening to your professors? Access course lectures at IITs (nptel.iitm.ac.in) and international universities like MIT (www.ocwconsortium.org) for free. You can learn anything under the sun on the web. Codeacademy.com and W3Schools.com are great for learning how to code and for web development. Udemy.com and skillshare.com are platforms where anybody in the world can learn and teach.

Initiatives

Spend more time with meaningful initiatives. The best part is they will pay off in a BIG way! Here are couple of highly recommended ones:

Blogs: Maintain your own professional blog where you write articles related to your career passion. Write about latest trends, comment on articles you have read, your ideas and insights... Ensure you bring in your perspective in atleast some part of every blog entry that you make.

Volunteer: Volunteer for a cause that you believe in. NGOs are always on the lookout for reliable volunteers!

Bottomline: The amount of time you spend learning outside of your curriculum is directly proportional to how awesome your career will be!

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Curriculum is always a few years, if not decades, out of date. Only by getting out can you get knowledge and skills that are current and useful. For example, I did the Google Summer of Code (internship) with mediawiki last year, and am an employee of the Wikimedia Foundation, where I help run Wikipedia, an amazing job with a huge impact. Would've never happened if I stuck to my “curriculum”. - YUVARAJ PANDIAN (He has now dropped out of college )

Most of what you learn at college is not what you apply in the corporate world. Focusing too much on studying things in the curriculum and not on learning things that help you in the real world would be a bad bet. I worked on a couple of projects for the visually challenged people during my second and third year of college and presented them in research conferences in the U.S. and Singapore. During my fourth year, I built a web app called Extragram, which now has users from more than 102 countries! These initiatives taught me a lot of lessons, which I apply as I build my start-up company. - KEVIN WILLIAM DAVID, Sairam College of Engineering

Internship programmes undoubtedly accelerate students' career paths. As a student, I interned with L&T where I built a TCP/IP stack ground up for their Patient Monitoring System. When I began applying what I had been studying till then, it led to a shift in perspective. I began taking my course more seriously. It changed everything; I began applying myself better in everything I did. - KISHORE A.K., Co-founder and CEO, Althea Systems 

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What employers want…

Signing up to be part of industry associations and forums is a great way to understand recent developments; it also gives you the opportunity to network. Students eventually work in an organisation where skills such as leadership, planning and a certain amount of risk-taking are essential. The best way to acquire these is to venture beyond textbooks and take part in activities such as industry forums, sports, technical and cultural challenges or be a part of associations where you have the opportunity to manage projects. - ABHAY SINGH, Director HR, Applied Materials India.

Learning through experiences and internships is often more engaging, relevant to current industry practices and gives students access to better resources. Most importantly, students get to be part of a realistic work environment and get a sense of working with a team, meeting pecific goals and deadlines and are encouraged to explore multiple avenues to arrive at a solution. They learn how to innovate in a lean, entrepreneurial and start-up environment. They learn how to work closely with customers and solve problems as well. - VIJAY ANAND, Vice President, India Development Center, Intuit

The Indian education system relies heavily on the marks in tests/exams. However, as an organisation, we look for attitude, passion, integrity, team spirit and a hunger to learn. These are not reflected in the marksheet. Organisations also use various methods to evaluate a candidate. Psychometric tests and behavioural models are some tools to better understand a candidate or employee's role fit in the organisation. Recently we were interviewing a candidate, a fresher, who was exceptionally smart and fit our requirements. When the interview ended, she was keen to show us her academic records. We said “no”. Marksheets do not tell us what we want to know about the candidate. Of course, they may be required later by HR for reference checks and other documentation formalities. - SHEKHAR SANYAL, Country Head, IET India

Source : THE HINDU

About Transfer of college

About Transfer of college

The following is the procedure for transferring of college

1) First the student need to consult their respective college principal & inform about the transfer of the college ( student need to inform the college name & also under which JNTU region that particular college comes under )

2) The student need to get the no objection letter from their respective college & the need to forward the request to the concerned JNTU university.

NOTE : students can transfer to any other college during his academic course only if there is a vacant seat in the college where the student want to transfer (But they cant shift their branch to any other branch)

3) If once the university accepts the transfer of college, then all the details like internals marks,external marks etc will be transferred to the new JNTU university.

4) The student need to pay the complete fee in their old college before transferring to the new college.

Robot welding

Robot welding( six axis welding robot )
Robot welding is the use of mechanized programmable tools (robots), which completely automate a welding process by both performing the weld and handling the part. Processes such as gas metal arc welding, while often automated, are not necessarily equivalent to robot welding, since a human operator sometimes prepares the materials to be welded. Robot welding is commonly used for resistance spot welding and arc welding in high production applications, such as the automotive industry.
Robot welding is a relatively new application of robotics, even though robots were first introduced into US industry during the 1960s. The use of robots in welding did not take off until the 1980s, when the automotive industry began using robots extensively for spot welding. Since then, both the number of robots used in industry and the number of their applications has grown greatly. In 2005, more than 120,000 robots were in use in North American industry, about half of them for welding.[1] Growth is primarily limited by high equipment costs, and the resulting restriction to high-production applications.
Robot arc welding has begun growing quickly just recently, and already it commands about 20% of industrial robot applications. The major components of arc welding robots are the manipulator or the mechanical unit and the controller, which acts as the robot's "brain". The manipulator is what makes the robot move, and the design of these systems can be categorized into several common types, such as the SCARA robot and cartesian coordinate robot, which use different coordinate systems to direct the arms of the machine.

13 PSUs Recruiting through GATE 2013 scores

13 PSUs Recruiting through GATE 2013 scores

13 PSUs have confirmed that the GATE 2013 scores will be used for job shortlisting

Even as the registration window for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2013 opened, those enrolling themselves for the exam will be using it more like a door to a government job. From being seen as the ‘gateway’ to M.Tech seats, GATE has now become the first step to be shortlisted in renowned Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).

According to reports, as many as 13 PSUs have confirmed that the GATE 2013 scores will be used for job shortlisting. Among these are Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), PowerGrid, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).

Some of them have already issued notifications/advertisements announcing that for candidates to get to the next step of getting a job i.e., interviews, etc., they first need to get a decent GATE score. In fact, companies such as BEL have made it mandatory that applicants need to have the GATE registration card while applying for the job.

This is a significant increase in the number of government companies accepting GATE scores, as five companies had accepted them in 2012. In 2011, only the Indian Oil Corporation Limited has used scores of the GATE exam conducted by the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) on behalf of the National Coordination Board-GATE, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).

But those tracking the sector are not surprised by the trend. They say it is a win-win situation for the companies as well as for the worth of the exam. For the PSUs, their access to the talent pool increases by doing this. Instead of the two or three lakh people who will apply for the job directly, they will be looking at a few lakh more eligible candidates.

As for GATE, it will be seen as a ‘single currency’ accepted at the institutes as well as in the PSUs, said Prudhvi Reddy, Course Director for GATE at TIME. “There is a definitive shift towards GATE. The number of engineering graduates is also increasing each year,” he said, speaking about the expanding scope of the exam. So, does this mean there will be changes in the exam? “With the number of applicants going up, it will become much more competitive,” he said.

Source : THE HINDU