“Chase what you love, chase excellence”

Experts' advice to students at The Hindu Education Plus Career Fair

Parental and peer pressure had compelled H. Sushmitha to forego her passion for computer sciences and consider pursuing Electronics and Communication Engineering. “But after listening to so many experts speak at The Hindu Education Plus Career Fair 2011 today, I have enough reasons to substantiate my decision,” she says.

The fair was an eye-opener for students who are on the threshold of making the crucial decision of choosing a career that can either make or break their future.

“Pick a choice that suits your aptitude and, and if that cannot be attained, accept the best course that comes your way and it will soon become your fortified area,” said Mayil Vahanan Natarajan, Vice-Chancellor, The Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University.

On careers in the medical and allied health areas, Dr. Natarajan said medicine should not be considered the end of the road. “There are many more interesting career options beyond medicine,” he said.

Choose mainstream streams courses over specialised courses at the undergraduate level, emphasised experts at the career fair. “If you choose a specialised stream for your undergraduation, then the choices available to you in the future will narrow down,” said A.N. Brijesh Nair, associate professor, VIT University, who spoke in the session on Core Engineering. He threw light on the various options in available in the various streams and how to make informed choices before jumping to conclusions.

On the nuances of deciding the right engineering course, Jayaprakash Gandhi, educational consultant, said, the primary criterion to be taken into consideration is the quality of the college, which is followed by the specialisation.

“Information Technology, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, and Civil Engineering will have tremendous job opportunities in the coming years. Do not go by the present trends, but make the choice based on a careful study of sectors that have growth prospects. The shift in interest towards conventional energy is expected to open up plenty of opportunities for students,” said Mr. Gandhi.

The IT sector will not encounter any long-term problems, said Santanu Paul, CEO and Managing Director, Talent Sprint, in the session ‘IT Edge'. “There is a rapid domestic expansion within the country, rapid global outsourcing and an attrition rate that will require companies to continuously replace its employees,” Mr. Paul said. He also stressed on the numerous research specialisations available.

For a successful career in the IT industry, Vidya Murali, director, Kubos, advised students to continuously focus on building what they want in their resume from the initial years of their undergraduation course.

MBBS, BDS, Indian Medicine and homeopathy, and allied health sciences are the options available to medical students, said Sudha Seshayyan, Registrar, The Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University. “Realising the need for professionals in the allied sciences, three-year degree and two-year diploma courses have been introduced in the University,” she said. Before choosing self-financing colleges for medical courses, she advised students to be scrupulous and to look for approval of the college from the Medical Council of India for that particular year.

“Hard work and relentless practice is the success mantra,” said G. V. Sampath, Vice-President, VIT, which is the principle sponsor for the event.

‘Chase what you love, chase excellence!' was the word of advice from all the experts.

On Saturday, ‘Media Edge,' a session on careers in Media and Film Makin and ‘Off-beat options,' a session for on unconventional courses will be organised. Edserv, P.B. College of Engineering, Apollo Engineering College and Alpha Group of Institutions are seminar sponsors. Co-sponsors for the event are Bodhi, Roshan Bag Malls, Q Bites, Derby, Repute, I ads and events, NDTV-Hindu and Chennailive. 

source-The Hindu