Think beyond Engineering

“Bada hokar mera beta doctor hi banega!”

“10^th mein itne acche marks aa gaye! Engineering hi karni chahiye”

How many times have you heard these statements? Whether it is within your family and friends, or in larger-than-life movies, it is obvious that we are a country obsessed with two streams – Medical and Engineering. For generations, this has been the norm – you score well in your exams and take up science and then pursue either of these streams based on what your parents or grandparents did. We have seen a doctor’s kid pick up medical just because the parents are doctors themselves.

There is a stigma around pursuing Commerce or Arts as a career and this has given Science an upper edge over the years. To some extent, these streams were looked down upon – meant to be pursued only by students who scored poorly and were not able to get through the ‘prestigious’ Science courses.

Well, look around you. The world economy wouldn’t be running if people did not study commerce and accounting. Without artists, we wouldn’t have had sculptures and intricately carved temples that we flock to witness when we’re on vacation. There are architects who design gravity-defying buildings. Without understanding how to run a business and lead a team, most successful companies today would have collapsed ages ago. Clearly, the world around you is made up of professionals who earn as much money and respect, if not more, than doctors and engineers.

So what do you do, if not medical or engineering? Well, there’s no straight answer. The education system has evolved significantly over the last few decades. The internet has brought interesting educational courses right at your fingertips, with classes that you can attend sitting comfortably at home. Books and research papers, brimming with knowledge are widely available. Let me remind you – Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, learned all about building space rockets by reading books!

Still confused about what needs to be done? Here are some tips:

1. Speak to someone you admire

Try and understand what you really like to do or pursue consistently in the near future. It helps to have a role model – somebody that you admire, someone whose footsteps you would like to follow in. It could be your parent, a relative, a family friend, a school senior, your teacher or your neighbour. If you really admire that person for what they do and want to pursue a similar career, speak to them. Understand how they went about learning and educating themselves for the kind of work that they do and the career opportunities available in that stream or field. Once you have enough information, you can take an informed decision on whether you want to pursue that particular field.

2. Do your own research

Use the internet well. Choose any topic that you wish to learn more about and I assure you, you will find some really interesting and relevant content on the Internet. Interested in public policy? Want to understand how can you be a part of the team that defines policies for your country? Read up on it, watch videos by respected personalities in the field, listen to speeches or podcasts from people with experience. Research that you do will ensure that you make an informed decision, and eventually the right one. But the internet comes with a small problem – it’s endless. Make sure that you do not get lost in it.

3. Speak to a counsellor

Say you’re still confused. You’ve spoken to someone you admire and you’ve done your research but you’re still unsure about what stream to pursue. No problem! Professional help is available in the form of counsellors. Counsellors not only have knowledge in the various domains that are available to be pursued but also years of experience, helping students like you in taking an informed decision. A good counsellor will hear you out, understand exactly what you’re trying to say and will help you structure your thoughts to take the right decision.

There you have it. The times where you are forced into engineering or medical are long gone. There are various options waiting for you to take up and the choice is only and only yours. All you need to do is spend some time introspecting, researching and understanding before you take a decision and set off on your professional journey.

Think Beyond Engineering

Many PCM students naturally drift towards engineering after 12^th, partially because they never actually stop to evaluate their options, and partially because they have been led by their parents/friends/the society to believe that engineering is the end-all, be-all of a PCM student. Now, what if you know that engineering is not the one for you, or were unable to clear the JEE and other engineering entrance exams? So Think Beyond Engineering:

1. ARCHITECTURE

Architects plan and create designs for the construction, alteration and redevelopment of different kinds of physical structures. They design their projects in such a way, so as to meet the budget constraints and fulfill the clients needs at the same time. They create their designs using hand drawings as well as computer designing applications. Architecture as career focuses highly on skill and requires expertise to be successful in this field. The most important skills a good architect needs to have are:

• Designing skills

• Analytical thinking skills

• Computer software knowledge

• Verbal communication skills

• Reasoning skills

• Mathematical skills

• Team player

• Attention for detail

• Creativity

Career Opportunities in Architecture: specialiszation in numerous sub-fields, such as:

• Urban Planning,

• Urban Design,

• Sustainable Architecture,

• Landscape Architecture,

• Architectural Conservation,

• Interior Design,

• Industrial Design, etc.

Some Top Colleges for Architecture: IIT Roorkee; Sir JJ College of Architecture; IIT Kharagpur; National Institute of Technology, Thiruchirapalli; School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi; Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT), Gujarat; Department of Architecture; NIT, Calicut.

2. CHEMISTRY

The remarkable thing about a career in Chemistry is its wide applicability, especially if you look forward to entering the field of research. But that is not to say that all Chemistry graduates end up wearing lab coats, as they can explore opportunities across Pharmaceuticals, Petroleum, Chemical, Healthcare, and Educational organizations.

Career Opportunities in Chemistry:

• University Lecturer

• Food and Drug Inspector

• Biomedical Chemist

• Laboratory Assistant

• Production Chemist

• Chemist

• Chemical Analyst

• Materials Technologist

• Quality Controller

• Analytical Chemists

• Healthcare Scientists

• Research and Development Manager

• Health and Environment Safety Specialist

Some Top Colleges for Chemistry: St. Stephen’s College, Delhi; Loyola College, Chennai; Hansraj College, Delhi; Fergusson College, Pune; Madras Christian College, Chennai; St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai; St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore; Christ University, Bangalore.

3. MATHEMATICS

Mathematics forms an excellent base for fields involving computation, numbers and data. Thus, a degree in mathematics can be a stepping stone for a wide range of careers.

Career Opportunities in Mathematics: Mathematics graduates can look forward to careers in the domains of Actuarial Science, Data Science, Banking, Insurance, Finance, Meteorology, Stock Market, etc. They can be hired for various roles, including Market Research, Project Development, Numerical Analysis, Research Operations, and Financial Analyst, to name a few.

Some Top Colleges for Mathematics: Indian Statistical Institute (Multiple Locations); IIT Bombay; IIT Kharagpur; IIT Guwahati; IISc, Bangalore; IISER (Multiple Locations); Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai; St. Stephen’s College, Delhi; NISER, Odisha; Delhi Technological University (DTU), Delhi.

4. STATISTICS

Statistics is yet another go-to field for those with a penchant for numbers and data. While a course in Mathematics deals more with theories and principles, Statistics aims to apply them in practice to analyse trends and make predictions. Statisticians blend their knowledge of Statistics and Maths to build data models for solving problems.

Career Opportunities in Statistics: A statistics graduate can expect to hold various roles such as Market Researcher, Data Analyst, Insurance Underwriter, Social Scientist, Financial Analyst, Algorithm Designer, etc.

Some Top Colleges for Statistics: Indian Statistical Institute (Multiple Locations); Hindu College, Delhi; Ramjas College, Delhi; Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi; St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai; IIT Kanpur; IIT Bombay; Fergusson College, Pune; St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata.

5. INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Just like art, Industrial Design is also an amalgamation of different domains coming together as one. The course for Industrial Design is available in different forms and specialisations. Candidates can pick the course which suits them the most. Here is a list of different graduate and undergraduate programs and majors under industrial designing course that you can choose from:

Industrial Design Courses

• Bachelors of Fine arts in Transportation Design

• Industrial Design for Architecture

• Bachelors of Sciences in Environmental and industrial design

• Bachelor and Masters in Product Designing

• Interior and Furniture Design

• Bachelors degree in Product Designing

Career Opportunities in Industrial Design: Opportunities for Automobile Designers are in abundance in the R&D departments of various automotive firms, such as General Motors, Honda, Tata Motors, etc.

Some Top Colleges for Industrial Design: IIT Bombay; IIT Guwahati; IIITDM, Jabalpur; National Institute of Design (Multiple Locations); Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore; Indian School of Design & Innovation, Mumbai; Symbiosis Institute of Design, Pune

6. FORENSIC SCIENCE

This program is more application based and involves core practical experiments and studies. Usually, the duration of the course will be around 3 years in which you will be thoroughly equipped with knowledge related to understanding human anatomy and physiology. Being a student of BSc Forensic Science, you will also get familiar with skills related to Document Verification, Handwriting Analysis, Criminal Photography, etc which will come handy in solving crimes.

Career Opportunities in Forensic Science: Obtaining an undergraduate degree in the field will give you an opportunity to explore a variety of employment opportunities in the leading organizations. As a BSc Forensic Degree will only impart foundational knowledge of the field, most of the work profiles available will be entry-level. You can also opt to pursue MSc Forensic Science or any among the courses after BSc. Here are some job profiles you can work in after this course:

• Private Investigator

• Forensic Serologist

• Forensic Toxicologist

• Crime Laboratory Analyst

• Forensic Consultant

• Private Investigator

• Drug Analyst

Some Top Colleges for Forensic Science*: Delhi University; Gujarat Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar; Panjab University, Chandigarh; Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan National Institute of Criminology & Forensic Science, Delhi; University of Madras, Chennai; Osmania University, Hyderabad.

7. FASHION TECHNOLOGY

People in this career, thus, work on the design and development of fabrics, and the manufacturing process to ensure quality and efficiency of fabrics and garments. During your course, you learn about textile fibres, fabrics, garment manufacture, and garment design through Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software.

Career Opportunities in Fashion Technology: Here are some of the sought-after jobs in fashion technology:

• Textile Designer

• Apparel Designer

• Retail Merchandiser

• Production Manager

• Fashion Blogger

• Personal Buyer

Some Top Colleges for Fashion Technology: National Institute of Fashion Technology (Multiple Locations)

8. ANIMATION & GRAPHICS

The resulting demand for talented and competent professionals in the field of Animation & Graphics has resulted in a rise in popularity for this career. Professionals in this field are knowledgeable about 3D Animation, Digital Film-Making, Animation, VFX, Multimedia Production, Graphic Design, etc.

Career Opportunities in Animation & Graphics: There is a vast range of opportunities available, including, Graphic Design, Game Design, Digital Art, Web Design, 3D Modelling, Flash Design, Storyboarding, Texturing, Cartoon Design, VFX, Composition & Story Writing, Character Animation etc.

Some Top Colleges for Animation & Graphics: National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad; IIT Bombay; Indian Institute of Digital Arts and Animation, Kolkata; Birla Institute of Technology, Noida; Arena Animation (Multiple Locations); Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics (MAAC), Multiple Locations; Whistling Woods International, Mumbai.