Experiencing Engineering ... Students and a special Experience

On Friday, 9 Dec 2011, a few gentlemen belonging to the Final year batch arrived late to their classes. They were in a hurry as is everyone else to enter their classrooms. In this rush, they forgot to ensure that there were no flaws in their dress code. A few had trouble wearing the ties in a rush, while a few forgot to wear a collar button, or their sleeve buttons. They were stopped and asked to set these right before they moved to their classes. Having been late, the bell rang and they were detained - as they were deemed late to the classes. At this point I decided to make them work inside the campus and experience engineering.

Instead of observing standard operating procedure in dealing with latecomers and grooming defaulters to classes, they were requested to report to the "Estate Manager" for performing duties. All five Gentlemen, who, by now were neatly dressed, were reluctant to report. They were instructed that they would be performing Engineering work - related to maintenance.

They reported to the estate manager Mr.Ambrose and received their work detail with instructions to hold firm the rules of the college, and not let go of the grooming whilst they performed the work. By the end of the day, all of them, as a team, had worked on servicing two Electrical Motors within the campus -- which they later confessed was a wonderful learning experience. They had also worked on preparing mild steel for their junior batch's practical examinations.


They had also spent quite a lot of time replacing lights which had stopped working, and also a few mundane tasks in electrical maintenance. They had spent the entire day working and some, who were not sportsmen found it extremely tiresome. At the end of the day, at 6:00pm by which time they had completed all duties assigned to them by the Manager, they reported to my office.

They mentioned that they had learned many things, which they classified in two categories - one was the dignity of labour that each job they did held - and the satisfaction they received in completing them. The second was the learning they received in actually working on practical equipment that was in everyday use. They reported these two experiences, chiefly of learning both values and engineering without feeling unhappy about the same. I Lauded them for their spirit in carrying out the work that they had been assigned and their personal learning.

Their happiness for the day was diminished significantly by their physical tiredness. The ability to work in the field on actual engineering tasks, accomplish multiple things - that are deemed simple is never easy. No one can work on something without having respect for that work. I admire the positive spirit with which the gentlemen took to this form of learning - without perceiving punishment.

Thereafter, one of them stayed back with me to discuss his project for another hour and a half. His ideas had been kindled by the experiences he had through the day lending his idea innovative, practical and useful. At the end of our discussion I helped him shape the idea and create limits to ensure that he could complete it as his final year project. I admire the energy and positive spirit he had after a tiring day.

The rest, who were not used to spending energy, were all affected by fatigue and had to get back to their homes and hostel rooms to retire quickly. I am only hopeful that they will never forget the one day they spent learning within the campus with a series of work assigned to them.

The Dignity of Labour and the Satisfaction of Work can never be removed from Gentlemen with this spirit. No matter how the work is initiated, and how much work is done, they will always take the positive learning and understanding with them. Students of PITS have just shown me that they are already prepared to work on-site on various engineering tasks.

Three Cheers to the Gentlemen, who experienced learning, in a live environment!!!

Experience is the best teacher, no matter how the experience begins, it is up to us to feel positive and get the best out of it. These students actually had the opportunity and enthusiasm to perform what they were assigned, for without it they would have not participated. Having participated, learning was immediate and easy, for they had already learned the theory. There is no greater teacher than experience. There are no greater engineers than those who work in the field and never complain about the work assigned to them, but find satisfaction in what they do. Furthermore, engineers improvise and innovate when they are given such situations and gain the ability to exercise their creativity in their own field.

Teaching is the art of ensuring that both the enthusiastic and the less energetic are given opportunities and platforms to learn, without merely feeding them textual knowledge and pure theory. Discipline is the ability to follow oneself, and their own principles rather than wait for someone else to check and enforce them.

To contrast this behavior, I had just experienced recent resentment from some Laboratory technicians who refused to keep their own workplace clean, neat and tidy. They took leave and attempted to flee from their duties.

Students of PITS are undoubtedly the best - especially when it comes to attitude. It took just five (5) students of the 'Primrose' (2008-2012) batch to demonstrate this and witness this myself. Would I have to worry about getting them jobs as soon as they finish their engineering? True engineers seldom need additional help, for their skills define them and their actions highlight them.

( A special thanks to one student* - an engineer and an excellent gentleman - who gave everyone a cheerful environment whilst performing the work assigned -- for he is always sporting, cheerful and ready to learn and ready to serve. The gifts of this world are truly his, for no one can stem him from experiencing satisfaction and happiness. )