Hi my name is Jean-Andre--DAVY GUIDICELLI I’m French and I live in the south of France in Marseille all my youth, but then I moved to Switzerland, in the city of Lausanne to study at the University.
What Do I Study
I study Environmental Sciences and Engineering (SIE) at the Polytechnique Federal School of Lausanne (EPFL). Before the internship I completed my Bachelor, and next year I will start the Master in the same field, but specialized in Management of the Technologies and Entrepreneurship (Minor MTE). I want to work in the Cooperation and Development between Global North and Global South.
I am maybe interested in doing another master like the Master of Development Practice (MDP) in Berkeley, or a PhD in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management. My internship at su-re.co was 2 month and 2 weeks long. From the 1st of April to the 13th of July.
The Tasks
I was in the Do Tank on the engineering project of the Biogas Digester, but I also helped in the human resources to manage interns applications, and participate to some green business activities since no specialized intern was there to do it. My tasks were:
Human resources: 1)Manage internship applications through email conversation 2)Participate to interns’ interview 3)Updated intern board every week 4)Improve interview log with questions guidelines 5)Edit a guideline for the management of the next interns’ applications.
Engineering: 1)Improve the actual design of the biogas digester 2)Write a report on how prepare the pipes 3)Construct biogas digester & install it on the field 4)Do several public presentation 5)Shoot and Edit DIY video tutorial for the biogas digester 6)Create a new design
Green business: 1)Print and Distribute Newsletter 2)Grind and Package Coffee at Hungry Bird 3)Participate to Montessori morning coffee sells
Reasons to Join su-re.co
Why I chose to do an internship
After having obtained my bachelor degree, I wanted to stop learning theoretical knowledge and finally have a concrete and practical experience on the field. I want to work in the Cooperation and Development sector, but I knew that in Global South the working culture is very different from the Global North. So I wanted several working experiences in South America, Africa and South East Asia to discover the reality of the field, and know more about economics, social, and cultural aspects each country I’ve been.
Why I chose to do it in Bali
I wanted to do an internship in South East Asian, then a friend of me told me about su-re.co, so I didn’t really choose to do it Bali, I chose to do it in su-re.co. I wanted it to be in South East Asia because I did 2 previous internships in South America (Colombia) and Africa (Senegal) so I was wondering about the working culture differences between these 3 regions of the world.
Why su-re.co ?
I chose su-re.co because it allowed me to do a practical project with the biogas digester and to be in contact with local farmers. Allows I found interesting that they had a very specific working culture, with a Think-Do-Be tank of build a really sustainable culture.
Positive and negative aspects
What I like working at su-re.co
I liked being with other interns from all over the world, it provides a nice inter-cultural working space. I liked the inner organization that lets you define your own tasks and propose yourself the schedule to achieve them. Then constructing and installing the biogas digester with local farmers was exactly the practical work I was looking for. Also the fact that I could work on other fields like the Green Business Projects and Human Resources sector was very rewarding.
What su-re.co can improve
In the beginning of the internship, this is difficult for the interns to understand was are the activities of the company, especially on the researches of the Think-tank. There is information online on the company’s drive, they are quite scattered, and it can it’s be really difficult to find the information we want.
Why
I think this point should be improve because in the beginning the intern can feel lost, feel apart from the rest of the team, and he can start to be really efficient only after this transition state when he feels fully integrated in the company.
What I learned at su-re.co
This internship gave me the knowledge about biogas technologies, aerobic and anaerobic digestion, but also the practical skills to construct a simple prototype. Also su-re.co offer to the intern a great network for the sustainability field.
How did su-re.co helped me to achieve the goals that I pursue
The global functioning of the company helps me to understand how to concertize a project. Thanks to all the transversal skills that are inherent to an engineering project in the global south, research, intercultural communication, management, economy, marketing, entrepreneurship etc.. now I can more clearly see how to build a project from the idea. The Think-Do-Be organization seems very efficient for that.
What I learned being in Indonesia
Working in Indonesia helped me to understand the cultural differences between Global North and Global South, how to manage relations with public institution or international organization in a context of cultural differences.
Changes between before and after the internship
This internship helped me to organize myself in order to work efficiently. Then, meeting local farmer and being aware of the incredible work they do in such conditions was a humbleness lesson. The context of Bali is a great experience to live, that makes us aware of the ecstatic beauty of fragile ecosystems surrounded by massive human’s activities.
For those who would like to take the leap
I will say that the engineering internship will give the knowledge about the hard skills of engineers, but a lot and transversal soft skills in a complete immersive experience. And I will recommend this internship if the person is flexible, take initiatives and ready to discovers a new culture.
Why should they do it or not ?
They should do it to understand the issues of climate change in the global south and how they can contribute to fight against it by creating local solutions. Again, the adaptation in the specific working culture of su-re.co is personal, but the opportunity it offers definitely worth it.
Would you do it again ? Why ?
If I had to do it again, I will. But in the future, after this internship, I would be me interested on the research position that su-re.co offers.
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