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During the pandemic which started around March 2020 in Malaysia, I was left imagining the worst – especially for my internship which I saw as a crucial steppingstone before starting my career. Everything was grayish, especially the education system which was caught in a crossfire on whether to go online or continue as per usual.
In the end, we were granted a few weeks of holiday, which then extended to one long year and counting. Thankfully, this break gave me a breathing space to settle down and wondered what I wanted to ‘actually’ do upon graduation. After joining a start-up challenge as a business strategist with my best friend, I figured that even though I’m from an engineering background, I enjoyed the commercial side of things. Hence, I decided to embark on an internship that could help me explore this possibility further. This was how my journey with Schneider Electric started as a Field Services and Tendering Intern.
As a Field Services and Tendering Intern, I was empowered to manage VIP clients’ accounts by assisting their inquiries. On top of that, I worked together with Schneider’s partners to update service contracts for hundreds of pipelines. When I first started, I was wondering what made “Life Is On” special to Schneider as an organization. Believe me when I say these words empowered me significantly and my life took a positive turn during my tenure with Schneider Electric. Through this internship, I gained many insights into the industry and would like to share some of my enjoyable moments.
Empowering Culture
Have you ever heard your friends or seniors complaining that they were given zero opportunities, zero trust, and zero responsibilities during their internship? To my surprise, this has never happened throughout my time here. My supervisor trusted me from the get-go, giving me the support and confidence to conquer whatever work came to me. She treated me like a fellow colleague, a full-time one no less. She empowered me by giving me abundant important tasks and responsibilities from day 1 which supplemented my growth perfectly.
During meetings, my opinions were celebrated, making me feel valued and included. I never had to worry about any bias regarding gender, race, experience, etc. The environment was very diverse and inclusive – everyone in the company celebrated International Women’s Day like it’s Hari Raya.
More Than A Well-Established Support System
Here at Schneider, there is a proper buddy system in place. I was assigned to a buddy to support me throughout my internship. She never hesitated to mentor, assist, or even buy me food although she is super busy. Aside from this, my manager also regularly checked on me to ensure that I was not facing any major problems. She was also very kind to offer advice on how I can improve my performance. This was very helpful as I was able to identify my weaknesses and ways to improve them.
I was very fortunate to have the support from my entire department and Schneider, allowing me to reach greater heights. Once a month, we have an “Employee Communication Session”, where employees gather and discuss the company performance, get updated on the pandemic and newcomers in Malaysia. Here comes the most interesting support system (email thread), that I’m always excited to receive. In the thread, colleagues will reply to each other through email, with motivation and positive messages/tips to share.
Malaysia And Beyond!
If you love to engage with people around the world, Schneider Electric can give you that opportunity. Every week, I was invited to attend trainings and webinars with colleagues from all around the world. I was also given the chance to ask questions and engage with the participants.
On top of this, my team has regular meetings with colleagues from the Philippines and Singapore to brainstorm how we can improve our performance collectively. This experience widened my horizon and I learned how different people from different cultures think and work. The experience and tips I gained throughout these encounters will surely benefit me in the future.
Hardest Goodbye
July 2021 marks the end of my internship. I must say my experience with Schneider Electric was great and one I will forever be thankful for. This internship really allowed me to grow and explore my interest. Thank you to my manager and my colleagues who were there for me and supported me starting from day 1, till the end of my internship. This is the hardest goodbye so far. I wish everyone all the best.
For those reading this, there are many choices in life, and experiencing “Life Is On” at Schneider Electric should no doubt be one of them. I encourage you to grab this opportunity if it ever comes your way. Explore potential opportunities on our career site: https://www.se.com/sg/en/about-us/careers/students-young-professionals.jsp
About The Author
Nur Amirah Aseri graduated with a Bachelor’s in Engineering Technology of Electronics at University Kuala Lumpur British Malaysian Institute. She worked as a Field Services and Tendering Intern for the last 7 months in Schneider Electric It Sdn. Bhd. Back in her university, she was a Deputy President for Student Representative Council UniKL and was listed as a Top 12 finalist for Alibaba Get Global Challenge Competition. During her ample time, she loves to read books and learn about the philosophy behind human thinking and behavior. Her ambition is to become a successful businesswoman one day.
