Tata Autocomp — Graduate Engineer Trainee
Name: Alakshendra Singh
Q. In which company have you been placed in? Please describe your job role.
>> I got a full time offer from Tata Autocomp Systems ltd. I am currently working as a graduate engineer trainee (GET) here. As a GET, I am required to go through training in the factory and depending on my performance in the training phase I would be assigned a role in a specific department.
Q. Which clubs and societies were you a part of and how did theyhelp you?
>> I was in EEESOC and Team Aveon Racing. I am the vice-captain of the ‘Team Aveon’. Working in Team Aveon Racing helped me gain hands-on experience. The practical knowledge I gained by working in the workshop, assisted me in tackling the interview rounds.
Q.What are the technical skills that are important for EEE graduates?
>> You should be good in coding with a minimal requirement of C/C++.One who is interested in core, should have good knowledge of hardware and should know to operate debugging tools such as multimeter,oscilloscope etc. Also some basic knowledge of arduino and microprocessors is needed.
Q. When and how did you decide between core and software job?Also mention the ideal time to choose according to you?
>> To choose between core and software is completely upon you and your interests. But I would suggest you to intensively research and explore both the domains before reaching any conclusion. By the end of second year, you should make an appropriate decision. In my case from the beginning itself I was not interested in the software domain as I did not want to just sit back and write codes. I wanted something moving that could actuate something in my life. That’s why I chose to go with core.
Q. How can one use time effectively and manage their time between academics, extracurricular activities (along with projects, learning job based skills) and social life?
>> The key is to prioritise your work in accordance with the academic calendar. If there is time between quizzes, one should concentrate on the project. Once the quizzes are a few days away, one should begin concentrating on academic studies but one must focus on classroom lecture.
Q. How much CGPA should one maintain in order to be allowed to sit in an interview for any core company?
>> To be eligible to participate in an interview with any core company, one must maintain an 8 CGPA. 8.5 is sufficient to be secure.
Q. Where did you pursue your internship? Is it necessary to have internships for good placement?
>> I attended NTPC for my vocational training. No, internships are not necessary for getting a good job. One can develop their abilities and some projects.
Q. What other activities, except academic studies, did you engage in during 4 years of B.tech (including projects) and how did they help in your placement and internship?
>> As a result of my work on numerous projects, including “S.O.N.A.R.” and my time spent at Aveon, I gained a great deal of knowledge about hardware debugging. This includes the ability to predict the types of challenges one might encounter when working with hardware and the ease and effectiveness with which one can overcome them.
Q. What was the selection procedure of your company? How did you prepare for it and what was the toughest part of the interview?
>> They first take an online or written test that includes standard aptitude and fundamental technical questions. Although some companies also use group discussions.
The next step is an interview. Your first interview may go poorly because you will unavoidably feel anxious, but you will be able to succeed later from this experience.
I didn’t spend much time preparing for the interview because, as the saying goes, “Let your work speak for you,” the amount of work you have completed over the past four years will be sufficient.
The interview’s HR round was the most challenging. Just as the technical round of the interview process came to an end, the HR round started, and they asked me some questions for which I was unprepared, such as “why did you choose Tata AutoComp and tell us something about our company.” I was unable to respond to the query. Here, I would like to advise everyone to at the very least have thorough knowledge of the vision and history of the company you are interviewing for. Additionally, if you don’t feel comfortable speaking English, switch immediately to Hindi.
Q. If we don’t get placed in the right company according to our aspirations, then what should we do?
>> Depending on your family’s financial situation, you should either accept the job that is being offered to you for the time being and try to apply somewhere else in the meantime, or you should not waste time on a job that you don’t want and work toward your goals instead if the situation is good (if you believe that you can follow your passion).
Q. What are the subjects from courses and outside the courses to pay attention to get into core (electrical/electronics) jobs?
>> Power electronics is very important. Entire EV is about power electronics. Other areas to focus are VLSI, digital and analogelectronics, BJTs, Mosfets, Op-amps and microcontrollers.
Q. Which firms solely hire EEE students, and what are they?
>> EEE students can expect a boom in the EV and solar sector in coming future. There is also scope in core electronics companies such as Siemens, NXP semiconductors, Synopsys etc.
Q. What are your future plans?
>> I intend to work for this company. I’ve been employed for a few years while working side by side at the startup Suavy Technologies, which I co-founded. With innovations and research in sustainable technology, clean energy generation and propagation, our startup is working toward a smart and environmentally friendly future. We intend to create various electrical systems, such as the SmartDome home automation system, an IoT smart grid, a battery management system, and infrastructure for EV charging, among others, and introduce these products to the market soon.
Q. What would be your message/advice for your juniors in different
years respectively?
>> My advice to the juniors would be to enjoy all four years of your college life but at the same time be serious in your academics and keep preparing for your internships and placements.