ஐம்பது வருட இடைவெளிக்குப் பிறகு, பி.எஸ்.ஜி பொறியியற் கல்லூரியில் சேர்ந்து படித்த, பழைய மாணவர்கள் மறுபடி சந்திக்கும் சந்தர்ப்பம் வருகிறது.
இந்தப்பொன் விழா வரும் ஜூலை மாதத்தில் கோயம்பத்தூரில் எங்கள்
கல்லூரி வளாகத்தில் நடை பெற இருக்கிறது. அதை ஒட்டி வெளியிடஇருக்கும்
விழா மலரில் ஒவ்வொருவரும் ஒரு பக்கத்தில் தாம் ஈடுபட்ட தொழில்துறை அனுபவங்களை பகிர்ந்து கொள்ளும் கட்டுரை இது........
“Learning knows no end and it takes many forms. “
Mine was a career in automobile manufacturing sector from 1962 to 1996 - my initial period of passive learning being in planning office of ‘Hindustan Motors, Calcutta
“Passive learning “is one of learning more by observation than by participation
However, an opportunity came my way for constructive learning in a crisis situation.
It was a crash program, to develop on war footing, indigenous sources for imported parts.
New comers like me were pressed into service for this import-substitution project.
Equipped with part drawings and a car at my disposal, I had to go every day on factory visits to suppliers who quoted, study their infra-structure facilities, hold discussions on their methodology to produce parts / sub-assemblies that meets our quality standards.
My job ended with reporting back my assessment of their capacity and capability.
Thus I learnt quite a bit including the routes to remote corners of Calcutta
“Active learning” is one of learning by doing.
This is when one gets responsibilities to act and is accountable for results.
That was the next stage of my learning when I joined Enfield India
Here, I had independent responsibilities to organize and manage the process planning and jig and tool design section that included looking after tool room and tool tryout jobs.
In due course, I got additional responsibilities of production control activities.
Job rotations helped me gain work shop experience, management of stores and inventory control and in the learning of organizational aspects of Labour management.
“Accidental learning” in my case was one of learning by losing.
This happened when I was tempted to investing in an automobile ancillary unit.
Incurring loss without knowing why and how, brought me the wisdom to know that there is more to learn than technical aspects for a profit making venture and that one needs to know how to look at things in terms of costs, prices and profits, in businesslike manner.
“Analytical learning” was my next stage of learning when I decided to switch over to a new area of cost engineering and join the finance division of Ashok Leyland at Ennore. The company was then undergoing reorganization for planned expansion and introducing computer systems. The usefulness of ‘product cost engineering’ was such that our section was transferred and attached to the divisional head of material management division. Engrossed in the work of cost estimation, cost analysis, cost control and price fixing activities of a confidential nature, I continued with this job till retirement.
“Incidental learning” is unconscious learning that varies from person to person.
One understands it better as one ponders over the past at leisure, at the end of a career.
“Experience” is a great teacher; lessons learnt being our acquired wisdom, both at our work place and on our home front.
“Forced learning “is choice less learning that I experienced after retirement.
Happy with the freedom from the time-bound activities and relaxing with books of my choice ranging from Vedanta to Meta physics to Tamil literature, I started my retired life. But the internet-age grand children of mine, sensing my ignorance, decided to force-feed me with computer education and also made me read Harry Potter books along with them.
Thus I have entered my second child-hood with continuing education……..
From,
R.Rajagopal. BE (mech) – PSG – 1961 batch. Bangalore
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