As one passes out of school – one is faced with the big question of what course to study and why. In the past there were few courses of study available and some of the popular courses such as engineering were offered by few colleges. This scenario restricted the options to all those but the very meritorious students. The rest had no option but to settle for a course which was available and financially affordable. This scenario has changed dramatically – with the advent of numerous private colleges and universities offering a whole host of courses and specializations. So much so that many engineering colleges are having a hard time filling up their seats year after year. Consequently, irrespective of merit – one can get admission to any course of choice if one is willing to pay the desired fees and also not concern with quality of education afforded by the college. The negative fall out of this scenario is that – a student may therefore choose a course for which one does not have the necessary ability or interest. In such a case the student may find it hard to learn the subjects - losing his or her self confidence in the process. Or after passing out one might either not be able to get a job or not enjoy doing the job offered to him. This is a large and well known problem with our educational sector – that we have such large percentage of graduates from every stream who are not having the desired skill to be employed.
Based on my own experience as a business executive and also as Founder of a very successful vocational training college - I believe that there is large number of jobs available in India - especially in the service economy. But employers are unable to find a suitable candidate that fits the requirement. Looking at it from a prospective employee perspective - no matter what the job profile – they can be satisfying and fulfilling for people with certain intrinsic qualities and attributes. Therefore, if a student follows the right academic path – and aims at the right career profile – it is possible for everyone to find suitable employment and fulfillment. The reasonable way to go about choosing your course of higher studies - is to undertake psychometric testing - that will reveal the intrinsic abilities, motivations and also personality disposition. With these parameters – one can find out the most suitable career and higher studies. Further, with appropriate counsel and guidance – you can ensure that your journey of pursuing your higher studies and subsequent commencing of a professional career will be an exciting and happy experience.