The world of work is rapidly changing. In a dynamic economy like ours, developments in technology generate the need for new occupations. As a result old careers change and new careers develop. Hence individuals need to be self directed and adaptable. They must be able to find the best fit between their values, interests, needs, abilities and the economic opportunities that exist around them. In such a scenario, making decisions about the future can be a difficult task for anyone. Hence, Career Guidance is the need of the hour.
“Vocational training is not charity, it’s a compulsion in today’s changing world”. “There should be many entry points-after class X and XII. The system should be such that if anyone wants to opt out and go for a vocational course, he or she should have the opportunity”.
The concept of ‘lifetime employment’ ceases to exist today. As a consequence flexibility and job insecurity are seen as important features of the new work environment. It is important for a potential employee to identify jobs/careers that link to their interests and aptitudes.. A healthy career is one that continues to grow and helps to increase his/her level of competence.
Every individual has to become productive at some point of time, after a basic level of education is complete. The primary reason behind this is all individuals are driven by basic needs like food, shelter and clothing as well as security in life. All this is inextricably linked with economic and financial independence. Amidst this scenario, the desire to be successful follows as a natural corollary.
Globalization being the key feature today, the economy has witnessed significant changes. Consequently the market has become more competitive. There has been a transition in existing sectors and growth of new sectors. Along with the rise in global competition and breakthroughs in information technology, there have been a number of changes vis-à-vis job opportunities, organizational forms and employer-employee relationships. An individual must be well equipped to adjust himself/herself to such changes. He/she must learn/upgrade/acquire new skills throughout their career. Hence it is of utmost necessity that one’s career is based on one’s Interest and Aptitude.
“Vocational training is not charity, it’s a compulsion in today’s changing world”. “There should be many entry points-after class X and XII. The system should be such that if anyone wants to opt out and go for a vocational course, he or she should have the opportunity”.
The concept of ‘lifetime employment’ ceases to exist today. As a consequence flexibility and job insecurity are seen as important features of the new work environment. It is important for a potential employee to identify jobs/careers that link to their interests and aptitudes.. A healthy career is one that continues to grow and helps to increase his/her level of competence.
Every individual has to become productive at some point of time, after a basic level of education is complete. The primary reason behind this is all individuals are driven by basic needs like food, shelter and clothing as well as security in life. All this is inextricably linked with economic and financial independence. Amidst this scenario, the desire to be successful follows as a natural corollary.
Globalization being the key feature today, the economy has witnessed significant changes. Consequently the market has become more competitive. There has been a transition in existing sectors and growth of new sectors. Along with the rise in global competition and breakthroughs in information technology, there have been a number of changes vis-à-vis job opportunities, organizational forms and employer-employee relationships. An individual must be well equipped to adjust himself/herself to such changes. He/she must learn/upgrade/acquire new skills throughout their career. Hence it is of utmost necessity that one’s career is based on one’s Interest and Aptitude.
Higher education is more popular amongst the Indian middle-class society compared to the situation prevailing in developed countries. The root cause lies in our own social and family framework. In the West, a student beyond the teenage would dissociate himself from his parents and start earning his own living whereas our children prefer to stay with the family. We advice them to go for higher studies instead of remaining unemployed. It is this sense of security or you may say, lack of threat, which is pushing our students to higher education. As a result, higher education is being flooded with mediocre students along with meritorious ones, the later being a minority. Develop-ment of innovative value added system of education is required to reverse the situation while retaining our traditional values.
“Career” implies a state of development or engagement where we sell our services for better values. If our students do not have marketable skills, they will have no takers. Thus, education system needs to be polarized with the needs of Industry, which will be discussed soon.
Present Scenario:
“Career” implies a state of development or engagement where we sell our services for better values. If our students do not have marketable skills, they will have no takers. Thus, education system needs to be polarized with the needs of Industry, which will be discussed soon.
Present Scenario:
The experience of schooling systems of developed countries with adequate career guidance reveal the fact that the process is of utmost importance for tracking the right kind of person for the right kind of jobs. This increases the productivity of the individual, which in the long run acts as a catalyst for transition from a developing to a developed economy.
With an ever increasing population force and an abundance of talents, potentials within them, there arises a necessity to direct them towards desired ends. In any developing country education is primary, for the development of human capital in higher management.
Current Indian Scenario:
With an ever increasing population force and an abundance of talents, potentials within them, there arises a necessity to direct them towards desired ends. In any developing country education is primary, for the development of human capital in higher management.
Current Indian Scenario:
Suppose you choose in a career in software and enroll, for a computer course, three years hence you realized that this does not interest you and the only reason in enrolled was because in your best friend did so or your elder brother/sister made it big and you wanted to follow his/her footsteps. Now what would you do?
A craze for trendy careers: Once upon a time every student seemed to be headed for engineering – or medicine. Then came the era of MBA’s. Then everybody suddenly wanted to go after a career in Information Technology and learn programming languages. Biotech and bio-informatics seems to be the next big thing.
But the market has also seen the ups and downs of jobs in the IT sector. Given this confusion and uncertainty, what will a student do next? More importantly, how can parents, teachers and schools help students prepare for the complex, competitive world out there?
It would observed that majority students take a career decision influenced by market trends, peer pressure, parental choices, academic results and so on. But market requirement changes. If today there is a demand for IT. Biotechnology can be the most prospective tomorrow. So who guides the students? Is it not better to pursue a profession backed by interest as well as potential? Net Result – The individual can be better placed in life. The chances of him adapting to the changing job requirements and skills are higher.
Need for Professional career guidance: (a) It aids in identification of potential and competence in students. Who is suited for what? Once the potential is deciphered it is mapped with the vocations that require the same skills. (b) There is an abundance of both old and new vocations. Therefore individuals need to be self directed and adaptable. Career guidance aids in this process. It would also facilitate in developing the school curriculum on these lines. (c) It would also assist in providing a framework and guidelines vis-à-vis the role of teachers. Hence this would aid to increase and refine the resources of the teachers.
Therefore professional guidance assists the student in striking a balance between his personal resources, skills and the demand of his environment.
Problem of Career Development:
A craze for trendy careers: Once upon a time every student seemed to be headed for engineering – or medicine. Then came the era of MBA’s. Then everybody suddenly wanted to go after a career in Information Technology and learn programming languages. Biotech and bio-informatics seems to be the next big thing.
But the market has also seen the ups and downs of jobs in the IT sector. Given this confusion and uncertainty, what will a student do next? More importantly, how can parents, teachers and schools help students prepare for the complex, competitive world out there?
It would observed that majority students take a career decision influenced by market trends, peer pressure, parental choices, academic results and so on. But market requirement changes. If today there is a demand for IT. Biotechnology can be the most prospective tomorrow. So who guides the students? Is it not better to pursue a profession backed by interest as well as potential? Net Result – The individual can be better placed in life. The chances of him adapting to the changing job requirements and skills are higher.
Need for Professional career guidance: (a) It aids in identification of potential and competence in students. Who is suited for what? Once the potential is deciphered it is mapped with the vocations that require the same skills. (b) There is an abundance of both old and new vocations. Therefore individuals need to be self directed and adaptable. Career guidance aids in this process. It would also facilitate in developing the school curriculum on these lines. (c) It would also assist in providing a framework and guidelines vis-à-vis the role of teachers. Hence this would aid to increase and refine the resources of the teachers.
Therefore professional guidance assists the student in striking a balance between his personal resources, skills and the demand of his environment.
Problem of Career Development:
British Raj introduced English language education in order to develop clerical strength for their administration. Later, Science and engineering subjects became popular since it had employment potential in the education and industrial sectors. Now the situation has changed. Routine clerical activity has been taken over by the Computer Systems. Re-training, development of multi-skills and re-deployment are the buzzwords in the Industry. After liberalization, Government has also realized that they have no business to be in business. As a result, government is slowly getting out of the non-core sector business.
In view of the above, the prospect of general education for career development seems to be bleak. There exists a strong case for review of the resources associated with general education in our country.
Things are, however, looking up and new degree level courses are being introduced. Subjects like, Mass-communication and Journalism, BBA, BHM, B.Sc.(IT), M.Sc(IT), MCA, B.Tech., Microbiology, Hotel Management, Hospital Management, Tourism,. Foreign Trade, Business Law are now being taught in some of the colleges with reasonable success. Thus, the non-government education sector has started to realign itself with the market requirements. Such changes are inevitable and it must be managed judiciously with focus on increased employability of students pursuing up-to-date general education, as per the needs of the industry.
Engineering Education:
In view of the above, the prospect of general education for career development seems to be bleak. There exists a strong case for review of the resources associated with general education in our country.
Things are, however, looking up and new degree level courses are being introduced. Subjects like, Mass-communication and Journalism, BBA, BHM, B.Sc.(IT), M.Sc(IT), MCA, B.Tech., Microbiology, Hotel Management, Hospital Management, Tourism,. Foreign Trade, Business Law are now being taught in some of the colleges with reasonable success. Thus, the non-government education sector has started to realign itself with the market requirements. Such changes are inevitable and it must be managed judiciously with focus on increased employability of students pursuing up-to-date general education, as per the needs of the industry.
Engineering Education:
Over the years, we have developed a 3-tier system of technical education namely, degree, diploma and ITI level for core subjects like Mechanical Engg., Electrical Engg., Civil Engg., Chemical Engg., etc. We are not considering postgraduate studies and research intentionally. This system has proved its worth in the economic development of our country. Degree level engineers are particularly experts in design, development, operation and technology transfer areas. ITI level provided hands-on skill for the production system while the diploma engineers provided their mettle in supervisory capacities. It was a well conceived system and may continue.
The situation has been different for sunrise disciplines like Computer Science and Information Technology. Institutionally it is available only at the degree level. Computer/IT engineers should ideally be engaged in system development work. The requirement of programmers and data entry operators should have been met by lower tiers of education. However, in absence of such facilities, we have seen mushrooming of computer education agencies in the private sector. They are also tying up with various universities for offering requisite degrees. This area needs a serious review in respect of standardization of syllabi and establishment of equivalence as a second tier of technical education in Computer IT and Biotechnology sectors.
Technical Education as a Career option:
The situation has been different for sunrise disciplines like Computer Science and Information Technology. Institutionally it is available only at the degree level. Computer/IT engineers should ideally be engaged in system development work. The requirement of programmers and data entry operators should have been met by lower tiers of education. However, in absence of such facilities, we have seen mushrooming of computer education agencies in the private sector. They are also tying up with various universities for offering requisite degrees. This area needs a serious review in respect of standardization of syllabi and establishment of equivalence as a second tier of technical education in Computer IT and Biotechnology sectors.
Technical Education as a Career option:
While the ancient India gave a lot of importance to arts, philosophy, medicine and engineering in the form of Vastusastra (architecture) and artisan training, the early twentieth century saw the practice of law and engineering disciplines flourishing. The latter three quarters of the century has seen the era of engineering education with the information technology enjoying the highest popularity till the turn of the new millennium.
An Engineer has been viewed as an innovator, planner, designer, executive and a producer. An engineer emerged as a most sought after professional and became a natural choice even for a non-technical, but a high profile job like a corporate executive. It may not be out of place to mention that even a large percentage of civil services cadre and intake at business schools turn out to be engineers. Thus an engineer can take up career in product design and development, entrepreneurship, engineering education, management, planning, production etc.
Today’s technical education offers a large number of disciplines and areas such as mechanical, civil, aerospace, naval architecture, marine, electronic systems, communication systems, information technology, software, chemical, materials also metallurgy, mining, power and electrical, textiles, biotechnology, medical technology, etc., which offer a wide variety of sub-areas for further specialization. Many of these areas have a very high level of industrial relevance and offer a lot of opportunities for specialists. Some of the specialization’s like communication systems, biotechnology, materials engineering and information technology are enjoying a lot of demand from the industry and are gaining a high level of popularity. In some of these areas, the market is very dynamic and the products are undergoing rapid changes even before the technology is matured.
An engineering student can be a good entrepreneur. There is a large number of enterprises, which are established by engineers. Although the percentage is high, it is not as good as it should have been. An engineer with some soft skills developed through a post-graduate management program is found to be the best choice as an executive in many industries, today. This has to the situation, where we find engineers to the tune of 70 to 80 percentage of the intake in business schools as well.
In view of the above-mentioned career opportunities and demand, there has been a phenomenal growth in the number of institutions offering engineering education. India became the third largest producer of technical manpower in the world.
Conclusion :
An Engineer has been viewed as an innovator, planner, designer, executive and a producer. An engineer emerged as a most sought after professional and became a natural choice even for a non-technical, but a high profile job like a corporate executive. It may not be out of place to mention that even a large percentage of civil services cadre and intake at business schools turn out to be engineers. Thus an engineer can take up career in product design and development, entrepreneurship, engineering education, management, planning, production etc.
Today’s technical education offers a large number of disciplines and areas such as mechanical, civil, aerospace, naval architecture, marine, electronic systems, communication systems, information technology, software, chemical, materials also metallurgy, mining, power and electrical, textiles, biotechnology, medical technology, etc., which offer a wide variety of sub-areas for further specialization. Many of these areas have a very high level of industrial relevance and offer a lot of opportunities for specialists. Some of the specialization’s like communication systems, biotechnology, materials engineering and information technology are enjoying a lot of demand from the industry and are gaining a high level of popularity. In some of these areas, the market is very dynamic and the products are undergoing rapid changes even before the technology is matured.
An engineering student can be a good entrepreneur. There is a large number of enterprises, which are established by engineers. Although the percentage is high, it is not as good as it should have been. An engineer with some soft skills developed through a post-graduate management program is found to be the best choice as an executive in many industries, today. This has to the situation, where we find engineers to the tune of 70 to 80 percentage of the intake in business schools as well.
In view of the above-mentioned career opportunities and demand, there has been a phenomenal growth in the number of institutions offering engineering education. India became the third largest producer of technical manpower in the world.
Conclusion :
At present, the whole world economy is going through a situation, where we talk of the globalization of market. This has thrown open challenges and opportunities to the society at large and the industry in particular, in many fronts. The only effective option left for the industry is to place an increased responsibility on an engineer to innovate and develop technologies. As a result, today, there is a wide variety of career options in multiple disciplines available for an engineer. While our country has geared up to meet the demand for technical human resources, there are several problem areas, which need to be addressed seriously by both the technical education system as well as the industry which have been discussed already.
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