Industry readiness can be inculcated over time & at MIT WPU this process begins from Day 1, says Head of School

In a conversation with Shiksha.com, Dr Sandip Chavan, Head of Mechanical School at MIT WPU - World Peace University, Pune talks in detail about the continuous process of helping students become industry-ready. He informs that it involves industry visits, mandatory internships, soft-skills training, guest lectures facilitated by experts and live projects. He also elaborates on the various factors that make MIT WPU a step-ahead of it its competition.

Read the excerpts of the interview below:

Q: What are the three things that MIT World Peace University is doing that enable it to differentiate itself from other Universities? 

A: Our way of imparting quality education to students is different. Its a mix of theoretical sessions and hands-on training that aims at the holistic development of the student. We bring opportunities, such as:

• Rural Immersion Programme, National & International Study Tour and Peace Studies for holistic development 
• Mandatory internship for all students
• We have identified the evolving need of Robotics and Automation professionals and hence two, in 2018, we launched a new specialisation to BTech Mechanical programme i.e., Robotics and Automation with an idea to fulfil the emerging need of Robotics professionals in the industry

Q: What are the top three initiatives undertaken by MIT World Peace University that are helping your students become more industry-ready?

A: Industry readiness is a skill that can be inculcated over time. This process starts from day one and continues until the end of the curriculum. It includes:

• Developing entrepreneurial skills in students. MIT WPU has two Centers of Excellence in collaboration with Tata Technologies Ltd that are responsible for training students to be ready for Industry 4.0
• Offering choices to choose from various professional electives options, open electives and MOOC courses in the curriculum
• Employability enhancement course to all the students in the third year which includes personality development workshops, mock interview sessions, etc

Q: What are the key attributes that a student should have in order to qualify for MIT WPU and perform well in curriculum?

A: To qualify in the admission process, students must have a passion for Engineering, ability to learn and change and smartness with a positive attitude. These are the aspects on which a student is evaluated

But to perform well in the curriculum, a student must learn and practise ethical behaviour, be punctual and be consistent in the classroom.

Our classroom sessions are interactive and engaging. Being attentive in class solves most of the doubts but we still insist students practice after the class so they can come up with more logical doubts that can also help peer group to understand the concept well

Q: Which Programmes/Specialisations according to you are your best? What is it that helps your institution differentiate itself for this programme? 

A: Though all the prorgammes offered at the university have their own unique points and USPs, I feel that the Mechanical Engineering programme brings out the best in a student. They realise their true potential and also show interest in practising the concepts.

This programme has a legacy of more than 35 years and is one of the most preferred programmes in self-financed institutes. MIT WPU has great corporate relationships and hence, offers a unique sandwich programme where students spend some time in the institute and some time practising their concepts in the industry

Q: What are you doing to improve/drive better campus placements for your current students and alumni? What kind of jobs routinely come to campus? What would you say are the key recruitment trends for your college (observed over the past five years)?

A: We are known for our track record of quality placements. That has been possible because of our continuous efforts and a great alumni network. We,

• Focus on improving domain knowledge of students and making it relevant to current industry demands by quality teaching-learning practices
• Soft skill training
• Connecting with major industries through internships, industry expert lectures, industry-sponsored projects
• Networking with industry professionals through various conferences and social media
• Improve the brand through social media
• Over 40 per cent of students are recruited in software companies in the last five years. Remaining students are recruited by core manufacturing companies.