Digitizing the Supply Chain for the Leader in Digital Transformations: An intriguing project for a fresh intern

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Written by Apoorva Agrahari, Senior Manager – Digital Innovation & Technology, Schneider Electric India

Nerves and butterflies in my stomach during the Internship Hiring season

September 11, 2019, holds a special place in memory. It was the day Schneider Electric added an important milestone in my Post-grad career. My Post-grad journey at NITIE, one of the premier B-Schools in India was nothing short of a roller coaster ride. Full of enthralling experiences, case study challenges, live projects, brainstorming group discussions, and most importantly, preparing for the interviews. I started the recruitment season with a commitment to learn and not let failures bog me down. Our campus was filled with faces that were either happy or pensive – celebrating or preparing for their upcoming interview. Though I was well prepared, I was nervous too since this was my second interview attempt. Looking back today, things could not have worked out better not only because I cracked the interview but also because that day set the ball rolling on a meaningful and fulfilling career with Schneider Electric.

A Virtual Onboarding in an unusual year.

After my selection as a Summer Intern, I was thrilled to join Schneider in Bangalore during the summer of 2020, but alas – there were other plans in store! With the entire world overcast with the fear of COVID, there was no choice but to move our internship to the virtual mode. They say, “Tough times show you what people around you are truly made of”. Schneider truly proved its mettle and resilience during these times. Schneider not only stuck to its commitment and onboarded me, but also provided me with a great learning curve and a platform that I can leverage to grow.

 A Leap forward: An opportunity to Learn, Deliver & Grow

4^th May 2020 – the day when I joined Schneider Electric as an intern and the day my learning journey began!

This day opened the door for endless opportunities & learning, with new challenges waiting for me! Here I was, on day 1 going through a virtual onboarding. With the constraints the pandemic brought in, it was a bit difficult to connect with people and understand the organization. To mitigate these challenges, we were given a proper formal welcome and induction by various teams to familiarize us with the organization and its culture. By the end of the day, we were introduced to our respective teams and were briefed about our departments and the projects we were assigned. I was going to be deep-diving into the project “Emerging Technologies for Schneider Supply Chain Digitization“.

Schneider Electric: The Leader in Digital Transformation

My project had me intrigued. An organization that is itself a leader in digital transformation had asked me to work on “Digitization of its Supply Chain”. The project demanded that I explore and work beyond boundaries, and that was perhaps the best part of the project. It was me who was asked to define the boundaries in the project, research emerging technologies, benchmark across industries and sectors. That’s how Schneider channels you to get deeper and more knowledgeable in your area. With #LearnEveryday as my guiding light, I fought my way to a grip on the scope and the deliverables of my project. Soon I was connecting with my peers, B-school alumni, and friends from different organizations to delve deeper and propose implementable solutions to management.

Schneider & its unique culture

Getting to know new people around me is always something I love. Schneider has imbedded networking & collaboration in its culture – something that is imperative for an organization to succeed. With minimal efforts, I was able to connect with #SEGreatPeople with relative ease, given the virtual barriers in place. I sincerely believe that the strength of an organization depends on how religiously they are true to its values! I was encouraged to Act Like an Owner – being responsible for the deliverables of my project. The onus of defining its boundaries and driving it till the end was entirely on me. This ownership not only helped me in bringing new technologies to the table but also enabled me to prepare a roadmap to integrate them with different supply chain verticals.

An Opportunity to Level Up

Soon, I started to build on my understanding of the project with the help of my stakeholders. During the weekly meetings with stakeholders I would calibrate my learnings and progress, so to keep me on track.

Getting to drive the project, gave me complete freedom to explore emerging technologies like,

• Blockchain
• Pick-to-light,
• Drones for supply chains
• Digital ecosystems for plant operations, warehouses & Distribution Centers while delivering improvement across performance metrics.

The network I built here along with the opportunities that came my way during the internship was truly immense.

I was also provided with a platform to present my work to the Global VP of Schneider Electric’s Supply Chain and delegates from different countries. Subsequently, I also presented my work to the Board of Directors of Schneider. Getting such a huge platform as an intern to present my work was a humbling & satisfying experience for me.

To more long-term, new beginnings!

When working with #SEGreatPeople all around you, what more could one ask for? You will pick up positivity all-around, positivity that powers your work.

Imagine my excitement when, a couple of months later, Schneider called me to offer me a full-time role with the same team!

I was super proud – and my parents were proud too. Here’s me raising a toast to a transformational year ahead full of learning with #SEGreatPeople!

Check out our open job opportunities at Schneider Electric here: www.se.com/careers