Cared. Supported. Guided. 2 months into the much-awaited summer internship program “DIAGEO Distilled” at DIAGEO India were no less than a rollercoaster ride of learning new things and becoming the best at everything I do! The experience that I had from the point I got selected as an intern has been a journey of a lifetime.
1.
The Road to Safety Campaign
The experience began even before the internship started. In January, DIAGEO India gave the opportunity to its summer interns to become a part of their “Road to Safety Campaign” in Mumbai. The campaign is a step towards addressing the issue of road safety by inculcating behavioral change and creating awareness about responsible driving habits. It helped us do our bit towards society. The visit also helped me learn more about the organization and gave me an opportunity to interact with fellow interns.
After that, I was excited to embark on this learning journey during summers. However, COVID-19 had different plans for all of us. During these tough times, DIAGEO India was audacious enough to hold on to its interns and chalked out a fantastic internship plan for the 2 months ahead!!
2.
The Summer Internship
As a part of the induction, we had a session with the CXOs on the very first day of the internship. It not only helped us get insights into the organization but also helped us understand the journey ahead. As an HR intern, I got to work on a live project and learned the applications of theoretical concepts that I studied in college. I was fortunate enough to get a project that involved connecting with various stakeholders within the organization. It helped me learn a lot about the way FMCGs function and various processes across the length and breadth of HR. DIAGEO India also gave us ample opportunity to learn and grow with the help of different sessions about the organization and sessions across domains i.e. on marketing, finance, sales, etc.
One of the best parts of my internship has been the culture of the company. From the executive to the management officials, everyone made sure that I was able to fit in and some even went the extra mile so that I could excel in my project, helping me grow professionally as well as personally.
3.
Learnings
Apart from the academic learnings that I had, some of the other key learnings are as follows:
- Importance of Effective Planning: I was given the freedom to succeed for my project with appropriate guidance. Through my project, I learned the importance of visualizing the end goal and dividing the big task into smaller executable tasks.
- Stakeholder and Time management: To meet the deliverables on time, it was important for me to allocate appropriate time to multiple sub-tasks and sticking to the timelines. The art of managing time and the required stakeholders is something that I learned during my internship.
- Being passionate about your work: My summer internship has taught me that one needs to be highly engaged in their work to get the best results. To enjoy your work and giving your best is not only beneficial for your organization but also for you to grow as a person.
The 2 months surely went by in a flash. Working for an FMCG giant like DIAGEO India has been an experience of a lifetime. I am in absolute love with the culture of the company and the smooth way the organization functions. I am carrying with myself learnings and memories to cherish for a long time and the relations which I will value forever.
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