Author: Stuti Bhargava, Class VIII G
Life is full of learning, fun and experience. When an opportunity to learn presents itself, we should take advantage of it. We are blessed with a school where we can learn, play and improve our skill. The school I study in is the best school in the city. It provides many opportunities to excel in the present and in the future.
Let me talk about the Summer Internship programme which prepares the students to choose their subject or their career in future. Several students are not quite sure about what they want to pursue as a career and which stream they should opt for in Class XI. On the other hand, students of Classes XI and XII, having chosen a stream already, doubt if they have made the right choice.
Further at this stage, they are also not very clear about what a particular profession actually entails. They are lured by images of successful professionals with little idea of their journey towards the pinnacle.
It is with this in mind that the school announced an Internship programme of 2 weeks to give experience and clarity to the students. To ensure seriousness of purpose, the students were required to deposit a cheque of Rs 10000/- which would be returned if the student’s attendance in the internship was 100%. Else, the money would be donated in charity.
This opportunity was not only for gaining knowledge or for choosing a stream. It was also meant to ensure that students fruitfully utilize their summer vacations as well as to gain confidence to engage in a field which they think is their call.
My sister took up the internship for the Architecture programme. She went to Manish Kumat Design Cell under the mentorship of Mr. Manish Kumat, Architect. The duration of the internship was May 06 to May 20, 2025 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. A Google form had to be filled at the end of each day. Phones were allowed but kept on silent mode.
Here is a brief description of what happened each day:
1st day – An Interactive session with Manish sir followed by an office visit and explanation about green building, an Architecture brief including one on various softwares used. Students also gained knowledge about Architecture Colleges.
2nd day – The students were taught steps involved in designing based on the client requirement. The designing involves exploring the concept given by a client as per their wish and requirement. The students got to study various plans and site documentation. They even tried their hand at making a conceptual drawing.
3rd day – Students learnt about different styles of architecture like classical, modern, gothic, etc. A brief about sectional study of a building and also elevation planning was given. What students found most fascinating was looking at 3 D effect of a design/plan that is how a building looks from different angles.
4th day – Students were introduced to sustainable building that is the optimum use of technology and development to prevent harming the environment. This included recycling, green building and use of plants.
5th day – The students were given an insight into the concept of vastu. They learnt that direction, climate, surrounding plot are important factors for construction of any project whether commercial or residential. At the end, a drawing session was conducted testing team work and creativity of the teams.
Day 6 was a holiday.
7th day – The concept of row – column design in architecture was explained. The difference of architecture and interior designing in a room’s elevation planning was explained. An overview of the principle of ergonomics and ethonomics in interior designing was given.
8th day – Detailed information about structural design was given to the students. An overview of material used and also the importance of working plan while construction was explained. Along with learning how the dimensions of each segment of the project is determined, the students also got to learn about the use of AutoCAD programme.
9th day – The students got to interact with the Civil and site team. They got to understand how estimates are made and also saw material samples.
10th day – The students were given the task of creating a piece of sketching by converting any object around them into a new and different depiction. This activity tested their creativity and drawing skills to design a unique sketch.
11th day – A site that was under construction was visited.
12th day – The students visited a constructed site for understanding Interior Designing. They were shown three houses in which two were of different architecture plans as well as interior designing. They observed the planning of different rooms as per the client needs, vastu, ventilation and site area. They were told where the material was procured from. While some material came from Gujarat and Rajasthan, some was procured from China as well. Smart technology was also used in electrification and for operation of curtains.
On the last day another interactive session was held with Mr Manish Kumat. He gave the students an appraisal of the previous 12 days as well as certificates of participation. The students conveyed their thanks for the exceptional guidance and the knowledge about the work of an architecture professional.
This internship was a fantastic initiative by the school and has to be appreciated. The session was successful, memorable and a valuable learning experience for all students.
