Testimonials

Indo-German Training Centre welcomed the third group of 23 students from the Duale Hochschule Baden- Württemberg (DHBW), Karlsruhe for their well-established Intensive Study Programme “Business Environment India” from 3^rdto 15^th January 2015. The delegation was led by Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Schäfer, Head of Department – Management in Commerce, DHBW Karlsruhe and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Eric Zimmerman, Head of Department – Business Administration and Engineering, DHBW Karlsruhe.

Their 13 day schedule was meticulously planned to keep a varied mix of lectures, industrial visits and cultural sight-seeing.  The delegation was formally inaugurated at IGTC by Radhieka R Mehta, Director, IGTC who also gave the students an orientation of the city and what to expect in this city that never sleeps – Mumbai! Bernhard Steinruecke, Director General, IGCC welcomed the delegation of young students and took the opportunity to give them insights on economic ties between India and Germany and emphasised on the new initiative by the Prime Minister of India – Narendra Modi called ‘Make in India’.

The lectures at IGTC included an Overview of the Logistics Industry in India with a live demonstration of the famous Dabbawalla system in Mumbai; an Overview of the Economic, Political and Cultural Environment in India and an interactive lecture on the Retail Industry in India with a guided tour to the traditional, wholesale Crawford Market and the hi-end, retail Hi-Street Phoenix and Palladium Mall.

The industrial visits to German and Indian companies such as Tata Motors, Pune and Volkswagen, Pune was fascinating for the students as they could understand and compare how an Indian automobile organization functions as compared to the German organization. The visit to Siemens, Worli was interesting as the students learned about Siemens operations in India and their involvement tin Corporate Social Responsibility. Tech Mahindra– an IT Services company that provides end-to-end CRM solutions for the people in the UK, Ireland and Australia imparted the students with knowledge about the massive IT sector and their operations. At the upcoming, luxurious, residential project “The Park” of the Lodha Group, the students gained a first-hand experience of seeing Indian labourers working on a construction site. This was followed by a visit to the legendary ACC Cement House, which is an energy-efficient, environment-friendly building.

The cultural visits included a visit to Dharavi – Asia’s largest slumwherethe students were amazed to see the workshops of tanning of leather, the recycling of plastic containers, the making of garments, etc. which dispelled all notions of Dharavi being a place of misery. An excursion to Matheran, Asia’s only automobile-free hill stationgave the students a different aspect as compared to the traffic and constant buzz in the city. The travel to Alibag, a coastal town in Raigad District by ferry was spectacular with the sea gulls flying as close as possible.

After the 13 day programme, final presentations at IGTC were made by the students on topics such as Opportunities and risks for German companies in India in the field of Marketing – Distribution and Communication; Products, Brands and Quality; Human Resources – German employees and Indian employees and in the field of Logistics. Followed by a farewell dinner at The Village – an Indian themed restaurant, where the students danced to Indian songs and enjoyed their Indian meal.

This is what some German students had to say about their trip to India:

“The exchange programme enriched my personal as well as my professional life. Exchanging views with Indian students on culture, economy and business has widened my horizon. The programme gave us the opportunity to receive an insight into everyday life and to experience the business environment in India. Thanks to a varied programme, organized by IGTC and the Indian hospitality, our stay was a unique one.” – Anika Sedlacek, Landesbank Baden-Württemberg

“The programme is a great opportunity to learn a lot about the Indian culture, people and business in India. It gives a comprehensive overview in a short time and you will learn a lot during your time in India. Besides that you can meet a lot of new people and have a lot of fun with the other participants and the IGTC students.” – Paulina Kreutel, Witzenmann GmbH

On 9th January 2015, the Indo-German Training Centre achieved a new milestone by launching its One-Year Executive Business Management Programme in Pune.  The first batch comprises of 46 managers, nominated by leading German companies in Pune such as Bosch Chassis Systems India Ltd., Bosch Ltd., Brose India Automotive Systems Pvt. Ltd., Flux Pumps India Pvt. Ltd., Fristam Pumps (I) Pvt. Ltd., INA Bearings India Pvt. Ltd., KSB Pumps Ltd., Maharashtra Multi Distributors Ltd., Mercedes Benz India Pvt. Ltd., Terragni Consulting Pvt. Ltd., Vedic Pac Systems Pvt Ltd., Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd. and Wirtgen India Pvt. Ltd.

The inauguration was done by Mr. Tapan Singhel – President, Indo-German Chamber of Commerce and Managing Director and CEO, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Co in the presence of Mr. Michael Ott, Deputy Consul General, German Consulate General, Mr. Devdutta Chandavarkar, Vice President-After-Sales and Retail Training, Mercedes Benz India and Mr. Peter Raussendorf, Executive Director-Human Resources, Volkswagen India, who attended as Special Guests on the Dais.  Mr. Bernhard Steinruecke, Director General, IGCC, Mr. Zubin Kabraji, Regional Director, IGCC and Ms. Radhieka R Mehta, Director, IGTC hosted the event.  The audience comprised of the EBMP participants along with senior HR and Business Heads of all sponsoring companies and some faculty members.

As a special part of the agenda, Mr. Amit Rane, Head of Quality Assurance Components at Volkswagen India relived his past experience as an IGTC EBMP participant of Mumbai Batch 2010-2011 and shared his career growth thereof.  Dr. Harkant Mankad, Academic Faculty at IGTC also welcomed the incoming participants to the learning path.  It was a lovely evening filled with enthusiasm and aspirations for the year ahead.

Lectures on Managerial Economics began on the weekend of 10th and 11th January 2015.  The vibrant batch looks forward to their learning journey on the note, “The capacity to learn is a gift, the ability to learn is a skill, the willingness to learn is a choice!”

Partner University – Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg (DHBW) hosted the second group of 25 IGTC students from 5^th October 2014 to 17^th October 2014 in Karlsruhe, Germany. The 13 day programme was meticulously planned by DHBW faculty – Prof. Volker Ihle, Head of Department Business Administration and Engineering, International Coordinator; Prof. Peter J. Lehmeier, Head of Department Business Administration; Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Schäfer, Head of Department, Business Administration, Management in Commerce and Ms. Birgit Schlenker, University Communication, Events and Project.

This student exchange programme helped the IGTC students gain from diverse experiences, understand cultural boundaries and create memories and friendships that transcend the boundaries of distance and time.

Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Senior Project Manager at Siemens AG gave a lecture on Project Management that covered pros and cons of investment decision, external and internal factors, cost of project, crisis management, feasibility and more. He truly was an expert as he has successfully completed projects for Siemens in the most unique and toughest of conditions.  A discussion on Tata Interactive Systems was conducted by Mr. Saurabh Mittal, Managing Director Germany, Tata Interactive Systems in which he highlighted different aspects of acquisition and how to tackle and overcome differences in social and cultural practises. An interactive lecture on Internationalization and its need was facilitated by Mr. Ashutosh Kumar, Chief Business Consultant, SAP.

Beyond lectures, industry visits to the following world class German companies was on the agenda:

1. Mercedes Benz A and B Class factory, Rastatt – well known German automobile manufacturer
2. SAP AG, Walldorf – multinational software corporation that makes enterprise software to manage business operations and customer relations
3. Siemens AG – largest multinational engineering company
4. Klingel Mail Order Company, Pforzheim – Germany’s largest mail order company and a leader in logistics and warehousing
5. SEW Eurodrive, Graben-Neudorf – biggest manufacturers of belt and conveyor drives
6. Drogeriemart Zentrale – largest chain of retail stores headquartered that sells cosmetics, healthcare and household products, and health food

The students were mesmerized with the level of automation, logistics, production, employee-employer relationships which they witnessed at the industry visits. Dreams came true for many car lovers after their visit to the outstanding, state-of-the-art Mercedes Benz Museum, Stuttgart.

Meetings with eminent personalities were arranged who extended a warm welcome to our student delegation were:

1. Mr. Michael Obert, Mayor, Karlsruhe in charge of planning and building and real estate management
2. Dr. Udo Götschel, Director, Foreign Trade and Infrastructure and Ms. Ramona Lange, Consultant, International Economic Affairs, Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK)

Of course the trip was filled with cultural visits and sightseeing to some of the most beautiful and scenic places that takes ones breath away. The “wunderbar” city of Heidelberg, Schwarz Wald – the Black Forest – lush greenery, the antique cottages, those fairy tale paths in the woods and the live demonstration of the “Schwarzwaldkirschtorte” – black forest cake makes anyone fall in love with Germany.

The visit to Bruchsal Palace captured attention by its art, paintings and its beautiful décor.  The Museum of Musical Instruments gave an insight to German music from the 17^th to 20^th century. The Oktoberfest at Wasen, Stuttgart was truly an experience of a lifetime.  Trains at this time in Stuttgart were no less than the Mumbai locals but the atmosphere at the Oktoberfest was electrifying. There were people dressed in traditional Lederhosen and Drindls, giant steins of beer were seen everywhere.  The students were completely flabbergasted with the giant carnival! The highlight from the cultural visits was the adventure park called the Kletter Park where one can experience the woods by climbing challenging heights with the help of ropes and overcoming obstacles.

The trip culminated with presentations by the IGTC students about their learning’s and impressions about Germany. A special Indian dance was performed by the students to the German audience which was enjoyed and appreciated by all.

This is what the students had to say after their Germany visit:

“Germany showed me that no matter how serious and factual you get, you always have time to observe beauty and create it.  Art seems to be such an integral part of Germany; it was a pleasure to notice it everywhere we went.”

– Ajita Shringapure, PGPBA Batch 2014 – 2016

“Scenic, beautiful, well-planned and peaceful yet lively would be the words I would use for the city of Karlsruhe that I miss dearly after completing our stay there. My first glimpse into Germany reaffirmed the love for technology and engineering that Germans are famous for. The visits to Mercedes-Benz Plant – Rastatt, Klingelmail, Siemens and many more got me to witness all the concepts learnt in our classroom training. Our share of fun at the Oktoberfest, Mercedes-Benz Museum, Kletter park was unparalleled. But what would drive me to go back to this amazing country would be the warmth of the Germans, the unique culture and the rich history that blends beautifully with modern technology.”

– Anushree Pednekar, PGPBA Batch 2013 – 2015

“Never ever have I felt I would fall in love with a city other than Mumbai. Never did I feel I would have a sense of belonging in any other place. My trip with IGTC to DHBW, Kahlsruhe changed my perceptions. The sheer beauty of the place took away my breath. I loved the people I was with and loved the people I met there.”

– Anisha Masur, PGPBA Batch 2014 – 2016

“With my stolen heart in Germany I can say: ‘Business Environment Germany’ is a programme that consists of lectures, industrial visits, sightseeing, city tours, culture and interaction with German students. I appreciate IGTC and DHBW for designing such a valuable program and giving us this opportunity to learn and understand our German counterparts better.”

– Amit Kanyan, EBMP Batch 2013 – 2014

As an Inventor Company, Bayer understands that young talent is fundamental for long term sustainable growth. Since several years Bayer conducts the Bayer Scholarship Program called “Championing Success” which is an effort to recognize and appreciate meritorious students across various institutions as well as business programmes such as IGTC.

The rigorous and exhaustive selection process consists of an initial short listing based on Academic Performance and an Online Assessment Test.  The students then qualify for the most interesting and challenging round where in the students have to demonstrate real life situations consisting of the values demonstrated with respect to the Bayer L.I.F.E Values. Since competition was tough, a last surprise round was announced, which consisted of an group interview in which the students had to voice a statement that they deeply believe in and in turn convince the others to also believe in his/her statement. This proved to be the decisive round for the selection of the finalists.

Alok Badamikar, Neha Kuriakose and Ruchika Natarajan – PGPBA Batch 2013 – 2015 were announced as the three extremely deserving and highly meritorious winners of the Bayer Scholarship Program.  Here is their feedback on the process:

“The scholarship process made us sit down and think about our day to day behaviour and its alignment with the L.I.F.E. values. Creativity, innovation, presence of mind, self confidence, analytical skills, general knowledge and communication skills were put to test throughout the process of assessment. The constructive feedback provided by the panel members was the best take away for all of us. I sincerely thank Bayer for undertaking this initiative. I am and will be a proud Bayer Scholar”

Alok Badamikar, Batch 2013 – 2015
“Bayer Scholarship to me is a form of recognition and appreciation for my hard work and things that I truly believe in. It is a source of motivation for the numerous forthcoming challenges that await me.

Bayer is a world renowned brand and one of the world’s leading chemical and pharmaceutical company, known for its innovation. Hence to be awarded as a ’Bayer Scholar’ will hold abundant value in the industry. The experience was highly enriching in terms of the interactions and exposure with experienced professionals, which has helped boost my confidence. The selection process was unique especially the last round, it was a blend of a debate, group discussion and just pure exchange of thoughts on various subjects. The procedure was a holistic assessment of marks, qualification, work experience, communication, creativity, cognitive ability, conceptual clarity and most importantly values. This overall assessment increases the significance of the award and will help me stand out as a performer in all my future endeavours.”

Neha Kuriakose, Batch 2013 – 2015
“I feel thrilled and humbled at the same time to have won the Bayer Scholarship 2014. This Scholarship appreciates sincerity and encourages healthy competition. The biggest contribution of this whole process was the newfound confidence it has given me to speak about myself and my beliefs. I am thankful to all the people who have supported me throughout the process, because at the end of the challenge I realized that we win not just for ourselves but also for friends and family. Bayer’s L.I.F.E. values are reflected strongly within the organization and I am grateful to the team for being very supportive throughout the process.”

Ruchika Natarajan, Batch 2013 – 2015

On 24^th September, 2014 the entire PGPBA Batch 2014 – 2016 of IGTC Mumbai witnessed its first formal, suave and prim event – the 58^th Annual General Meeting of the Indo German Chamber of Commerce. This extravagant extravaganza gave us a platform to realize the importance of being a part of the educational institution, the Indo-German Training Centre (IGTC).

Hotel Trident was lined up with stalls set up by different German company sponsors to showcase their niche products and by many high profile managers who were present to attend the event. The event was a perfect amalgamation of knowledge, experience and perfection, which are a few out of a list of many of the qualities that makes Germany the “Land of Ideas”.  Amidst this exclusive gathering, the IGTC students stood apart from the crowd with their enthusiasm and euphoria, adorned in their striking white and blue IGTC T-shirts.

The entire hallway was lit up and the murmurs softened as the Chief Guest Honorable Dr. Raghuram Rajan, Governor, Reserve Bank of India walked towards the dais accompanied by H.E. Ambassador Michael Steiner, German Ambassador to India and Dr. Armin Bruck, President of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce and other dignitaries.

Dr. Bruck welcomed all the dignitaries and surprised everyone by greeting them in Hindi.  Dr. Rajan addressed the audience with his calm demeanor and left them with a wonderful after-thought saying that for progress, a conducive environment is needed, only then can opportunities be created and sustained. He also stressed on the need for vocational training in India, and complemented the Germans for their Dual Education System.  Mr. Ronnie Screwvala encouraged the need for sports as a unifying factor amongst the youth in the country. Dr. Santosh Mehrotra shared his ground-breaking research findings and highlighted how Indians have a very low inclination towards training and skill development. As a remedy to this problem, Dr. Mehrotra proposed that companies should establish a sinking fund, which would be used to train employees and help plough back profits for the companies.

Ambassador Steiner quoted, “For us (The Embassy) here in India, the Modi election campaign was stunning. This government had a perfect start and has made some good progress towards good governance. The first budget was not the reinvention of the wheel; it was realistic and has sent the right signals.” He emphasized that Indians must maintain a good image of their country, in front of the potential investors.

Mr. Steinruecke then announced the IGCC Award for Outstanding Contribution towards the Promotion of Indo-German Economic Relations to TATA Consultancy Services Ltd. and to Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd.  The Award for Outstanding Export Performance by an Indo-German joint venture was given to TFL Quinn India Pvt. Ltd. and Trelleborg Vibracoustic (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Lastly, the most awaited Dr. Günter Krüger Awards for Excellence was presented to the most outstanding student of the Indo-German Training Centre.  Mr. Gokul Kannan from IGTC Bangalore, Ms. Renuka Rukmani from IGTC Chennai, Mr. Shashank Chandrasekharan from IGTC Kolkata and Mr. Amol Lokegaonkar from IGTC Mumbai were felicitated by Dr. Raghuram Rajan; a moment that the trainees will cherish for the rest of their lives.  A special plaque was also presented to Mr. A. Krishna from Bosch Ltd. for his guidance and direction to the Indo-German HR Partner Forum.  Mr. Ramesh Shankar from Siemens Ltd. joined the presentation ceremony as the new President of the Indo-German HR Partner Forum.

What one could not miss out was the special mention and appreciation attained by IGTC for imparting the German Dual Education System in India. Germany being the role-model for such training is the world leader in skill development. This is no coincidence that we, at IGTC, follow a modernized version of this almost 500 year old German tradition of vocational training.

We, IGTCians, were swelled with pride when Mr. Steinruecke addressed the IGTCians as the future of the country. The entire event imbibed in us, the need to live up to the expectations of the Chamber, and the great heights which we, as IGTC students, need to achieve.  We learnt that to make a difference, it is not only the thought that is important but also the action plan, discipline and dedication to actualize it.  But what is most critical is a deep belief in ourselves and the Dual Education System that we are a part of.  We are now aware that we represent the future of a changing education system, that we are its Brand Ambassadors.  While this instilled an immense pride, it also reminded us of the great responsibility that we now shoulder.

By the end of the event, industrialists and executives were curious about us and wanted to know us better. IGTCians were spotted socializing with high profile managers and German delegates throughout the event. Pride, honour and recognition. These emotions ran through every IGTC student and the IGTC Director, Faculty and Managers.  The glorious evening of 24^th September, 2014 will always remind us to perform better and beyond.

Contributed by Aakanksha, Abbas, Surbhi, PGPBA Batch 2014 – 2016

On 19th July 2014, the Indo-German Training Centre, Mumbai inaugurated the 5^th Batch of the One-Year Executive Business Management Programme. 22 middle managers from various German and IGCC Member companies such as Alkem Laboratories, Aroma Ogranics, Baerlocher India Additives, BASF India, Batliboi International, Batliboi Limited, Bosch Limited, Enzal Chemical India, Evolute Solutions, Germanischer Lloyd SE, Jungheinrich Lift Truck India, N J Insurance Brokers, Siemens Limited, Sungard Global Services, Symphony Teleca India, Volkswagen Group Sales India and Volkswagen India have embarked on this journey of knowledge.  The high performing managers come from diverse functional areas such as Textile Machinery, Corporate Communications, Product Management, Engineering Services, Exports, Fossil Power Generation, General Administration, Machine Tools Trading, Marketing, Sales and Marketing, Security Finance and Warranty, and possess diverse work experience ranging from 3 years to 30 years.

Ms. Radhieka R Mehta, Director IGTC along with Dr. Suhas Rane, Mr. S. M. Fakih, and Mr. Sagar Narsian, faculty at IGTC welcomed the participants and commended them on their decision to pursue the learning path, despite their hectic work schedules and setting aside personal and family time, for the next one year. Past EBMP participants spoke about how this programme has helped them evolve into better professionals.  The 22 participants introduced themselves and highlighted their expectations from the programme.

Following the brief inaugural ceremony, the course commenced with a 2-day immersion and induction on the Principles of Management conducted by Mr. Sydney Prabhu, one of the most experienced faculty at IGTC.

On 15^th July, 2014, the Indo-German HR Partner Forum celebratedthree years of insightful interaction, mutual collaboration and growing friendship amongst the group. Bayer Group of Companies hosted this anniversary meet at their landmark new office – The Bayer House.

Senior HR Partners from A.T.E. Group, BASF Group, Bosch Group, Brose India Automotive Systems, Clariant Chemicals India Ltd., Evonik India, Häfele India, HDFC Ergo General Insurance, KSB Pumps, Lanxess India, Mercedes-Benz India, Schaeffler Group, Siemens Ltd., TÜV India, Volkswagen India, Wacker Metroark Chemicals and Wacker Chemie India were a part of this milestone meet.

The day started with a planned tour of the Bayer House, through three floors of the nine storied, open-office.  HR Partners walked through the MD’s Open Office and Open Workstations of Senior Colleagues to witness a completely different work culture with a tremendous amount of silence and positive energy flowing on every floor.  On another floor, they saw the most state-of-the-art Conference facilities and Refuge area, followed by the Cafeteria and Life Café, based on Bayer’s LIFE Values.

Following a short Corporate Film on the Elements of Fascination, Mr. Richard Van-der-Merwe, Senior Bayer Representative welcomed the HR Partners.  He probed the Senior HR Partners for solutions to three challenges faced by German companies – Talent Management, Diversity and Change Management.  When asked some interesting questions, he shared his views on his perception of the Indian economy, on how they retain talent through Global Diversity Workshops, and on how to make the Indian youth employable.  Here, he complimented the role of the Indo-German Training Centre and the German System of Dual Education as the solution to training young talent. Lastly, he also shared that his personal objective was to work on the cause of safety and cleanliness in India.

Mr. K. S. Harish, Vice-President HR, Bayer Group presented the ‘Change Management’ with the live example of movement from the Iconic Bayer House in Powai to the New Bayer House in Thane, and its effect on Bayer colleagues.  He explained the ADKAR Model by ProSci and how Bayer had implemented it.  He shared the various challenges faced during the transition and the steps taken to get the support and buy-in from the employees during this process.  He used the Bayer’s recruitment song, ‘It’s Gotta be a Good Day’ to continuously reinforce his passion and belief in the change process.

Post lunch, the forum moved on to its chosen topic of discussion, ‘Policy for Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace’. The Siemens Internal Complaint Committee set up for this cause – including Ms. Shirley Burla (Presiding Officer), Dr. G. K. Kulkarni and Ms. Smita Narwane – made a detailed presentation on the current law and the implementation of the policy at Siemens Ltd.  They shared examples of cases encountered, how they have dealt with it and what are the measures to take to create more awareness and reduce such occurrences.

At the end of the interesting discussions, it was time to have a small farewell for Mr. A. Krishna, Senior Vice-President, Bosch Group who presided over the Indo-German HR Partner Forum for the past three years.  On behalf of the HR Partner Forum, Ms. Radhieka R Mehta presented a silver plaque and flowers to Mr. A. Krishna and extended her deepest gratitude to him for his direction and support to the forum.  Mr. Ramesh Shankar, Vice President – Human Resources, Siemens Ltd. was announced as his successor.

The day ended with a Vote of Thanks and a group photograph to cherish this 3^rd anniversary of the Indo-German HR Partner Forum.

IGTC saw a significant increase in the number of applicants with an aspiration to be a part of the flagship, unique Post Graduation Programme in Business Administration (PGPBA) based on the German Dual System of Education, and with a desire to make a sustainable career with German organizations.

As a part of Stage I, the IGTC Written Test and Group Discussion was conducted for all the applicants on 3^rd and 4^th May, 2014.  Based on their Written Test, Group Discussion, Past Academic Performance and Work Experience, applicants were then shortlisted to Stage II to meet and interview with Collaborating Training Companies.

An Information Session was held on 4^th June, 2014 at IGTC for the shortlisted applicants and their parents to give them a clear understanding of the 18 month PGPBA, to give them guidance of how to prepare for the Personal Interviews and to solve their doubts and answer their questions.  Five collaborating companies – Bayer Group, Evonik India, Groz-Beckert Asia, Häfele India and Hirschvogel Components India – made presentations to the applicants on the proposed career path as well as highlighted their expectations and requirements of a trainee/intern.

The Trainee Selection Process (Personal Interviews) with Collaborating Training Companies was conducted over two days – 10^th and 11^th June 2014. Twenty-nine renowned Indo-German member organizations participated in the process including  B.Braun Medical India, Bajaj Allianz, BASF Group, Bayer Group, Bharat Forge, Bosch Automotive Electronics India, Bosch Limited, Claas India, Clariant Chemicals, DBOI, Dr. Oetker, Epcos India, Evonik India, Extentia Technologies, Groz-Beckert Asia, Häfele India, HDFC Ergo, Hirschvogel Components India, Knorr-Bremse Technology Center, KSB Pumps Ltd, Laxmi Precision Screws, Lanxess India, Mercedes-Benz, Rittal India, Schaefer Systems, Schaeffler Group, Schott Glass India, Siemens Financial Services, Siemens Limited, Steinbach & Partner, TUV India and Wacker Chemie India.

After intense interviews, the companies made their selections and gave their nominations to IGTC.  Within a few days, the most deserving 57 students were offered admission to IGTC with full knowledge and information about their respective training companies before they paid their fees.  The programme for this meritoriously selected Batch 2014 – 2016 will begin on 5^th August 2014 at IGTC Mumbai.

Some of the students share their experience of this unique Trainee Selection Process:

• “I was thrilled with the hospitality received with not only the management staff but also with the current students as well. They held us together in our thoughts and conviction to go and produce our best results. IGTC made everybody feel a potential leader and it is important to put your best step forward in order to succeed. During the interview process, I was amazed to see the welcome and complete professionalism throughout the process. Mrs. Radhieka Mehta, Director – IGTC made sure that every student was given opportunities to prove their mettle. I feel honoured and more importantly positive to be a part of such a family which holds the emotional connect stronger than the academic details of a student.”
  – Harsh Sanghavi, Selected as a trainee with Mercedes-Benz
• “My interaction with the IGTC management from the primary stage was extremely warm and friendly.  All information I sought regarding the structure of the IGTC selection process and related issues was promptly provided to me. I do believe that the IGTC PGPBA is one of the best as it enhances theoretical knowledge, through practical application of the same, through the duration of the program itself.
  I sincerely thank IGTC for the wonderful experience through the entire selection process and look forward to my experience with the Post Graduation Programme in Business Administration.”
  – Tasanya D’lima, selected as a trainee with Bosch Limited
• “IGTC is known to stand out from other institutes in terms of pedagogy, curriculum, corporate experience and its admission process. I had the opportunity to participate in this challenging process. It surely isn’t a piece of cake to get so many leading German Companies under one roof. IGTC has created the perfect platform for students to get recognized and I am glad I could be a part of it. Kudos to the IGTC team!”
  – Surbhi Parekh, selected as a trainee with DBOI Global Services
• “Admission Process at IGTC is a very unique process as it gets the best out of you and also provides a very good platform for the Collaborating Companies to pick the best. The whole process of Written Test, Group Discussion and Personal Interviews with companies is monitored and managed extremely well by the institute. I am extremely thankful for this opportunity.”
  – Ashwini Mishra, selected as a trainee with Bharat Forge 

The level of excitement and fun at Indo-German Training Centre, Mumbai just doesn’t end until the last moment. After the completion of the Phase II exams, probably the most power packed and rigorous phase, IGTC Management decided to reward the students for their hard work by organizing an Industrial Visit. The students were brimming with excitement when they learnt that they would be visiting the two giants of the automotive industry – Mercedes-Benz India and Volkswagen India – which deliver and portray exceptional German quality standards.  Here is a review of the visit from the perspective of the IGTC students:

“The very first sight of the Volkswagen plant, which is spread over an area which is almost equivalent to 7 football fields, gave us an idea of how exciting and interesting the next few hours are going to be. Mr. Chaitanya Halbe from the Corporate Communications department of Volkswagen India welcomed us and gave us a briefing on the agenda of the Industrial tour. To start with, we were shown videos of the Volkswagen manufacturing facility and their manufacturing technologies. We were told some interesting facts during the briefing session that the plant is constructed in a record period of 17 months and also that currently the plant works for two shifts and the third shift is used for maintenance. This reminded us of our lecture in Operations Management by Moradian Sir in which he had mentioned about the Japanese production system and the concept of Cost of Quality. Also, we couldn’t help relating to the lecture in Financial Management by Fakih Sir when we tried to understand how Volkswagen would have done the exercise of capital budgeting for this manufacturing facility having state-of-the-art technology.

After the briefing, we were taken into the manufacturing plant. We were shown the working of a robot which was designed and manufactured by Kuka Robots for Volkswagen. This robot was used for making the sub-assembly of car doors.  Along the assembly lines were bins in which the material was being fed by the line feeding team. Also, we were informed that the materials are classified into different categories based on their value and properties and most of them are procured on the basis of a Just-In-Time philosophy.  Dr. Suhas Rane had recently taught us Materials Management in which we had learnt in detail about the techniques of categorisation and storing of materials.  Also the fact that Logistics functionality is outsourced by Volkswagen to Mahindra Logistics related to what we had learnt in Strategic Management by Dr. Macario Fernandes. We learnt that companies should focus on the core competency and should not invest much on the non-core competency activities. It also very well connected with the concept of 3^rd party logistics which we learnt in Supply Chain Management.  After the factory visit, Mr. Chaitanya Halbe patiently answered all our diverse questions regarding the marketing initiatives by the company, quality policy of the company, manpower management and future plans of the company, etc.

After visiting Volkswagen, we were even more excited to visit the world’s most admired luxury car brand, Mercedes-Benz. We were asked to be seated in the Excellence Centre of Mercedes-Benz, India.  It is a luxurious auditorium, where the company conducts corporate, media and promotional events, and where 5 Mercedes-Benz cars such as S 350, SLK, ML Class, etc. are kept for the purpose of display on podiums.  We were welcomed by Ms. Colleen D’Souza and Mr. Thomson Xavier from the Human Resource team at Mercedes-Benz. The interaction started with the history of the company and its existing business across the globe.

We were split in groups and were sent on the shop floor, wherein we saw similar processes being followed in terms of line feeding and inventory management. In addition to that we saw a few charts, and particularly one of them caught our attention.  The heading was Flexibility Matrix. This chart contained information on the operator that is assigned to a particular type of job on a particular line. This immediately reminded us of the Assignment Problem, which we had recently learnt to solve in Operations Research, taught to us by Ms. Chitra Chandrashekhar.  In addition to the regular processes, we also saw the different quality audit processes and quality control systems being followed at Mercedes-Benz. This plant is a completely knocked down (CKD) and semi knocked down type of manufacturing plant. There are also suppliers around the company who also procure parts in the form of CKD from Daimler AG and assemble it and supply the sub-assemblies to Mercedes-Benz India. We got an opportunity to see the real time usage of SAP – the ERP package implemented in Mercedes-Benz. Finally, to add to our excitement we were shown the working of a convertible SLK Car and the floor was left open to all of us to experience and click our dream photographs with the cars.

Overall, the Industrial visit gave us an opportunity to actually see and experience for ourselves the application of the theory which we study in the classroom. This is what makes IGTC – a training centre with a remarkable difference!”

The “Trained in Germany” job fair will remain a memorable one for not only all the participants who attended it but also the organizers, i.e.  Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, who managed to put such an event together at the elite Trident Hotel in Mumbai.

Only a privileged few had access to the high-profile event, which saw the participation of 20+ German Companies, ranging from Siemens, Bayer, Mercedes-Benz, BASF, Bosch, Deutsche Bank to name just a few.  GIZ, Alumniportal Deutschland, Make-it-in-Germany, DAAD and the Goethe Institut represented the cultural, educational and social aspects of Germany and facilitated the exhibitors with information regarding life in Germany. These organizations highlighted Germany’s world class and affordable vocational education and training system, which created a buzz of interest amongst the participants.

The job fair received an amazing response from enthusiasts who had arrived at the venue from across India to explore their career opportunities with the German giants participating in this grand “matchmaking” affair, as quoted by the IGCC Director-General, Mr. Bernhard Steinruecke.

An experienced panel consisting of Mr. Prasad Chandran, Former Chairman BASF Companies in India and Head South Asia; Mr. Frank Koenig, Managing Director, Illies Engineering (India) Pvt. Ltd.; Mr. N. Bhogilal, Chairman & Managing Director, Batliboi Ltd.; and Mr. Frank Hoffmann, Senior Manager-Inbound Services, IGCC outlined the very essence of the German organizations.  Efficiency, diligence, respect for time, open mindedness and process orientation – Germans are globally known for portraying these values and the job fair truly reflected this spirit of Germany.

The company presentations also managed to capture the essence of Deutschland and its disciplined professional culture. The participating companies encouraged exhibitors to be more practical oriented and to think of life beyond a degree education. What they are looking for are not just engineers or researchers or mathematicians or managers. They need the youth that can think logically, have a rational approach towards life and communicate effectively.

Truly the matchmaking affair was a highly successful one, and such a platform was welcomed by the exhibitors as well as the participants as it helps to select the best possible employee at the right place and the right time. Kudos to the Indo German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) for organizing and managing the job fair so efficiently!

Contributed by Abbas, Venugopal and Surbhi, PGPBA Batch 2014 – 2016

Just imagine the enthralling pace of Miroslav Klose scoring a goal, we experienced a similar adrenaline rush. It was a close call with every match and every player giving their 100% in the game to win. The seniors were the pillars to handle the game and played a pivotal role in involving every member to play the game, strategize and motivate the juniors and peers. Every junior came with a determination to play and they proved themselves by their enthusiasm. Everyone played like true champions.  Boys and girls together made a mark by showing how much they enjoyed being a part of the team. Students who didn’t participate cheered for all and kept the momentum high. We play to win and win to play again. IGTCians learnt their first lesson, team spirit.

Missed opportunity is a lost opportunity. That is definitely not what football is all about. When you play, you stand up to the spirit of the game, lend a hand when a player falls, congratulate your opponent when you leave the ground and pat your players when you know they put their best foot forward. These could be all small things but it becomes a memorable experience when you share positivity both on and off the field. There is always room for criticisms but, remember; there is greater room for alacrity. And this captures the true spirit of IGTC.

We scored and enjoyed every minute of the game but when we now look back, we know what we truly learned.  When your Director encourages and sits in the crowd to cheer her students, you learn the true meaning of leadership and the qualities of a good leader. A team can only perform with the leader in its place.

Contributed by Harsh Sanghavi, PGPBA Batch 2014 – 2016

Mr. Sarjak Parekh, IGTC Mumbai and Mr. Shashank Chandrasekharan, IGTC Kolkata were overwhelmed to know that they were selected for the Post Graduate Traineeship Programme.

The project is called ‘Make it in Germany’ which is an initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) in cooperation with the Federal Ministry for Employment and Social Affairs (BMAS) and the Federal Employment Agency (BA) implemented in India by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

The programme is an employment oriented training programme which addresses qualified and motivated young post graduate students from the disciplines of engineering sciences from Indian Universities, who are about to begin a professional career and wish to enhance their skills and prepare themselves for a career in Germany. The aim of the traineeship programme is to provide trainees with an understanding of German work culture along with an opportunity to enhance their German language skills, acquire practical knowledge and professional experience.

They, along with 8 other students from India, will undertake a four-month language and intercultural preparation course, of which three months will be spent in New Delhi, India and one month in Germany. After completing the language course, they will be ready for placement as trainees with companies in Germany. At the completion of four months of successful traineeship with a German Enterprise, they will be eligible for permanent employment in Germany according to the provisions of the EU Blue Card.

We wish them all the very best!