Karthika Sivan Talks About The Tangible And Intangible Benefits Of The PDGM Programme At SCMS Cochin School Of Business

As we sit down to talk with Karthika Sivan, student of SCMS Cochin PGDM Batch 23 (Class 2014-2016), about her placement with the prestigious Aditya Birla Pantaloons, we realize that her mind has wandered off to her first day at the institute. She is filled with emotions as she says, “There was a lot of anticipation in the air. We knew that we had come to a place, which was going to shape our future. We were nervous but filled with hope.” And two years later, their hopes and decision of joining the institute have paid off.

The tangible and the intangible benefits

Karthika asserts that it’s practically impossible to account for all the important takeaways from SCMS Cochin School of Business. According to her, a lot of it is an inherent part of learning at the institute and the benefits will be explored in many ways in the future. “If I have to count the few important ones, then I would say that I have learned the importance of time; I have become more disciplined and also flexible enough to handle various situations in different environments,” she states.

Karthika also admits that she was lacked confidence when she joined SCMS. But things seem to have changed drastically for her as she has come into her own during her time at the institute. “I would be so unsure of what I should be saying. But today I can go on any stage and make my point. It is something I am quite proud of because it’s a huge transformation. I am also more organized in life, which should do me well in my career,” she says with a smile.

Turning challenges into opportunities

Academic rigour at an institute like SCMS Cochin School of Business is going to bring its set of challenges; however, Karthika feels that she had been equipped by her faculty team to turn them into opportunities. “There were challenges throughout, but they kept things exciting,” she says. “The curriculum brought in pressure and we had to keep up with deadlines. One big challenge was the internship but we grew from that and I think that has been the stepping stone for my career now.”

Up, up and away

Karthika is now raring to go in her new role as a Department Manager with Aditya Birla Pantaloons. She believes her Systems and Operations specialization will be put to good use as she manages the backend operations of the company. “I feel I will also be able to excel in customer relations responsibilities. It’s the perfect platform for my long term career and I am so excited to get started. SCMS Cochin has brought me a long way already, and now it’s up to me to keep going further and higher,” she says with bigger dreams in her eyes.