Internships at MICA

Ahmedabad, July 02, 2021

AHMEDABAD: As COVID-19 upended many internships across B-schools, leaving students trapped behind their computer screens for virtual internships, MICAns too expected to work in silos.

However, they were surprised to see various companies adopt different approaches to keep the students engaged in learning activities and smooth communication. From virtual gaming sessions to fitness-yoga workshops, stand-up comedy, and constant mentor support, the organizations ensured a wholesome experience.

Nearly 200 students of MICA, India's premier institute for Strategic Marketing and Communications, who completed two months of their summer internship, shared their experiences of how organizations walked an extra mile to change their virtual working game.

Karma Gandhi, who interned at Amazon India, said, "I experienced Amazon's culture in its truest form. They organized different activities like interaction with senior leaders, intern networking sessions and, an intern day to celebrate and showcase our talent. I was also introduced to not just the Indian team but the global team as well, exposing me to how markets work globally."

For Chintan Mehta, work tasks came with many activities at Amazon India. "Amazon arranged many activities to keep us engaged and make the experience convivial. For example, there were fireside sessions with global amazon leaders, yoga and fitness sessions for physical and mental well-being, virtual gaming, and stand-up comedy sessions by famous artists."

For Jai Shrivastava, who interned with Sony Pictures Networks India, the virtual game was a great way to engage with fellow interns. He says, "On the first day of our internship, we had a virtual game with fellow interns. The game had several rounds, and we had to solve a puzzle in each round using clues to reach the final. It was an ice-breaker with fellow interns."

Noopur Nagpal, who interned at Flipkart, said, "I worked on helping Flipkart monetize aspects of the consumer journey, give users a personalized experience, and help brands reach their target group better. My mentor had daily catch-ups to help me understand the organization better. In addition, the University Relations team organized 'Flintern Fridays' to help all the interns have breakout sessions. Overall, due to these initiatives, I was able to work efficiently and perform well despite the virtual mode of working."

"The work culture was amicable and warm. My managers introduced me to music marketing, valued my opinions and ideas, and helped me bring those ideas to life. As a result, I worked on multiple music campaigns, including the 'World Music Day' Campaign that involved virtually organizing one full Instagram live concert and live activities with Professional Artists”, said Charu Arora, who worked at JioSaavn.

The institute witnessed a 68% increase in the new recruiters for its 2-month summer placements of the 2020-22 batch. The students were placed in more than 80 companies across diverse industries. Some of the recruiters included Google, Amazon, P&G, Grofers, JioSaavn, L'Oréal India, Delhivery, Sony, HT Media, Digit Insurance, among many more.

Established in 1991, MICA is the first residential institute in the country and perhaps in the Asia-Pacific region, dedicated to creating Leadership in Strategic Marketing and Communication.

Its spirit lies in its grasping of contemporariness, addressing the needs of an ever-changing environment. The MICA brand assures effective delivery of Strategic Marketing and Communication solutions to the industry, government and community.

Today, it is the alma mater of professionals serving in leadership positions in some of the best-known companies in India and the world, in marketing, brand management, research & analytics, advertising, media, digital and other strategic marketing and communication-driven businesses.