Industry Experience for Learning in Context

Our Grade 10 and 12 learners share their applied learning on projects during summer internships this year.

In the Senior School, we encourage students to undertake projects with industry and work in office spaces to understand the way world functions

The projects are driven by their own curiosity. This year, we're proud to share stories from students who willingly embraced unfamiliar spaces and contributed to those meaningfully. These experiences are a testament to their self-directed learning and the valuable insights gained when curiosity and grit leads the way.

Let’s look at where our senior school students spent their time this summer and what they learnt in return:

Vaani Saikia, Grade 12 | Internship at Shantanu & Nikhil (Fashion)

This summer, Vaani stepped into the dynamic world of high fashion, interning at Shantanu Nikhil, where she shadowed the Head Designer of Womenswear, Ryan Shaw, and his team.

Vaani gained invaluable firsthand experience in the garment manufacturing process. She observed intricate details like embroidery, hand tucking, and fusing in real time. She also delved into the creative process of garment design, from initial ideation and sketching to experimenting with fabrics and placements, ultimately leading to the creation of fabric swatches.

A Print created by Vaani inpired by Russian Art

Vaani highly recommends this internship, acknowledging the unique opportunity provided by her mentor, Rahul Bhaiya. "I was able to learn an immense amount from it," she shared. Vaani truly enjoyed understanding both the corporate and practical aspects of the fashion industry, calling it a beneficial learning experience for all.

Dhairya, Grade 12 | Internship at AEKOM LEGAL

Dhairya stepped into the legal world as an intern at AEKOM LEGAL, gaining firsthand exposure to the daily operations of the legal system. His time involved assisting lawyers with research and supporting clerks with document filing at the High Court – a practical look at the vital administrative work behind legal proceedings.

Dhairya's firsthand view of the legal system in action during court proceedings.

Dhairya's experience extended to various legal settings, including the High Courts, District Courts, and Tribunal Courts. He noted a particularly insightful learning experience in the tribunal courts, where he observed insolvency and other business litigations. He also took part in several arbitrations, seeing how cases are resolved outside formal courtrooms.

Beyond the legal specifics, Dhairya found the internship significantly enhanced his research and communication skills. He also gained valuable insight into work environment ethics, learning to adapt to a professional cubicle setting and collaborating with colleagues.

"The internship not only enriched my knowledge but also made me more independent," Dhairya shared, reflecting on his daily commute and the demanding 10-7 work hours.

He recommends this experience, valuing its contribution to both his professional understanding and personal growth.

Ivaan, Grade 12 | Internship at Inverted Energy Pvt. Ltd.

Next in our series, we highlight Ivaan, also from Grade 12, who spent his summer pursuing his interest in engineering with an internship at Inverted Energy Pvt. Ltd.

During his time there, Ivaan engaged in hands-on work, contributing to various stages of product development. He was involved in design, research, testing, and assembly, gaining a practical understanding of the process from conception to completion. He shared that this experience significantly improved his mechanical design skills and deepened his understanding of electrical circuits. He noted the internship's particular value for anyone genuinely interested in mechanical engineering and batteries.

Ivaan's experience underscores the importance of practical application in solidifying theoretical knowledge and helping students discover their true passions through self-initiated exploration.

Avni Sharma, Grade 12 | Executive Board at Diplomathon World Symposium

Avni took on a significant leadership role, serving on the Executive Board for Diplomathon World Symposium, an organization known for its large-scale Model United Nations (MUN) events. Avni distinguished herself as the Chairperson of the World Health Organization (WHO) committee, leading over 20 delegates through two days of intense discussion.

Her primary role was to moderate the debate on "the impact of industrial waste on public health," ensuring delegates adhered to procedures, managing the speaker's list, and maintaining order and diplomacy. She guided discussions, clarified doubts, and helped delegates formulate a formal document of solutions. Avni was also responsible for evaluating delegate performances, which involved critical thinking and assessment skills.

She shared that this experience was instrumental in developing her leadership, problem-solving, effective communication, and public speaking skills. The responsibility of evaluating delegates' speeches, aptitude, and proposed solutions also sharpened her critical thinking abilities.

Avni highly recommends this opportunity, highlighting it as a great way to "learn to be a strong leader and take an entire group of delegates to achieve the aims of the committee." Her summer demonstrated exceptional initiative and the capacity to lead complex discussions towards meaningful outcomes.

Advik Pathak | Grade 12 | Indic Summer School

Rishihood University’s Summer School programme offered a perspective on the way universities work to Advik alongside new insights on Data Science, Theatre and Public Policy. The programme had over 100 participants from schools across India including those from the Tier 2 cities. The geographical diversity of participants provided exposure to ambitions and interests of adolescents getting ready for college.

Itiva Batra, Grade 10 | Summer Patent School at Shoolini University

Itiva embarked on an innovative journey at Shoolini University's Summer Patent School in the Kasauli Hills. This unique program was designed to guide young students, from Grades 9-12, through the process of officially filing a patent for their research or inventions.

Itiva's experience involved close mentorship from university experts who helped refine ideas and create designs or sketches for their inventions, culminating in an official patent filing. The program also included insightful lectures from university heads and teachers, covering crucial topics like Entrepreneurship, Prior Art Search, AI Tools, and the legalities of Intellectual Property (IP).

Through this immersive program, she significantly improved her skills in researching prior art (existing patents or designs), using AI tools more effectively, and enhancing communication abilities.

Itiva highly recommends the program, believing "every young student should have the opportunity to take their creative invention out into the world and should open it for people to see." Her experience highlights the power of nurturing young innovators and bringing their ideas to life.

Building on her research and experimentation last year on how music and frequency help microbes grow, and with the help of Shoolini University and her mentor Tripti Kumari Didi, Itiva successfully patented a "musical incubator." This innovative device includes built-in music and set frequencies designed to aid the growth of microbes in an incubator environment.

Raya, Grade 12 | Internships at Lend a Hand India & Cequin

This summer, Raya from Grade 12 gained extensive experience through a five-month paid internship with the non-profit Lend a Hand India, and also contributed to Cequin, another non-profit organization. Her work involved significant content creation, writing, and design, specifically for the NCERT Vocational Education Healthcare Textbook and Trainer Guide. She also dedicated time to compiling reports, creating content, and analyzing data related to sports and healthcare.

Through these internships, she developed strong content writing and curriculum design skills, particularly within healthcare topics. She also enhanced her ability to create visually engaging educational materials. On the soft skills side, Raya became more proficient in teamwork, clear communication, and time management, successfully collaborating with diverse teams to meet deadlines and adapt effectively to professional demands.

Raya highly recommends these internships to other learners.

"This internship gave me valuable insights into how educational books and trainer guides are actually made," she shared. "I realised that creating content is not just about writing—it's about teamwork, accuracy, deadlines, and thinking about the learner’s needs."

She emphasized the importance of clear communication and accepting feedback, noting that the positive work environment and supportive mentors made the learning enjoyable. Overall, her experience vividly demonstrated how classroom knowledge can be applied in real-world projects.

Power Club

Some of our students from Grades 6-11 went through virtual industry projects on Game Design, Animation and Social Entreprenuership, facilitated by mentors from Power Club, a US-based EdTech firm. A separate feature will be published with their experiences.