Lancaster MBA student Vishrut Singh has an engineering background, but is actively pursuing a role in management consulting. He had completed internship projects with wood recycling company Hadfield Wood Recyclers and augmented reality solutions firm WT InfoTech.
Now, he is completing an internship project in Manchester at the world’s leading chemical company, BASF. With more than 110,000 employees, BASF has a wide variety of opportunities for MBA graduates in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas. Here, Singh gives some insight into his own project and how he landed the opportunity at BASF!
What is your internship project at BASF all about?
The internship project at BASF is about estimating market potential of composite materials in the aerospace and mass transport sector. With changing times, composite materials are playing an important part in improving the efficiency; we are exploring more on this. At BASF, the project is still progressing. It’s quite hectic, and we have lots of small milestones. I have achieved a few of them, but we are still progressing towards a bigger one.
I got involved with BASF as per their arrangements with Lancaster University, under our module named 'Corporate Challenge' which requires us to give consultancy advice to big corporate organisations.
What has been a highlight of your experiences at Lancaster?
The experience at Lancaster has been very challenging, fast-paced and interesting at the same time. There are just so many interesting things to learn and so little time. A part of one of our modules was taught to us by the global CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi, Kevin Roberts. This was one of the most amazing learning experiences I have had here and it enabled me to understand the key skills and approaches required to tackle the uncertain business world directly from a person like him who does that daily.
What is your advice to other MBAs?
I would like to suggest to current and prospective MBAs that, while studying, form an objective. We all have experience in some field or are interested in others. Develop these fields and, at the same time, create secondary skills too. An MBA programme is a ‘safe place to fail’ so learn and do whatever you can. Make the most of it.