“If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.”
While there is no dispute about the value of teaching a person a skill, the manner in which it is taught makes the difference. Imagine getting a person into a classroom and teaching him about: the technicalities of the fishing rod, the bait, what to do once the fish bites, how to reel it in, etc. How much do you think this person will learn sitting in a classroom?
This brings us to another quote that is more relevant and effective:
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn”
– Benjamin Franklin
Involvement in learning that Benjamin Franklin referred to is the hands-on opportunities students have to apply theory, to discover for themselves, to fail, to try again, and to learn from mistakes. This investigative and exploratory way of learning is what is known as ‘Experiential Learning’.
Experiential learning is one of the cornerstones of the SRM AP experience. Across all our programs, faculty encourage students to make use of the well-equipped labs to enhance their understanding of the theory taught in class. Students get to experiment under guided supervision in a way that not only deepens learning but prepares them for creating and implementing solutions in their careers.
Internships are another source of experiential learning for our students. All students across all programs have access to these opportunities, which in most cases are their first exposure to job roles and which prepare them for their careers. These structured, short-term, supervised placements are usually focused around particular tasks or projects with timescales defined by the organisation hiring for the internship. These internships are mutually beneficial for both the student and organisation – for students these are educational and career development opportunities, providing practical experience in their chosen field. For organisations, there are two benefits:
- – internships are a chance to free up their regular workforce from tasks that can be handled by interns;
- – the internship period can serve as a means to evaluate potential hires. Little wonder that most internships turn into what is known as PPOs, or pre-placement offers for regular employment.
Coupled with the all-round development that our students undergo, experiential learning gets them industry-ready in their time at SRM University – AP. This enhances their employability, prepares them to add value from the start, and provides a lasting career advantage.