(Mr. S.S. Motwani, Founder-Director of RBCS Group, is an HRD consultant, trainer, career planning expert and education system innovator with more than 5 decades of expertise. Over 200000 aspirants have launched their careers at RBCS Group through effective power learning methods, specialized curriculum and training.)

A good career, growing into a great one, is everyone's concern- be it an aspiring young one or his parents. Even the people already working deserve to grow and go higher. A new clan of career seekers is retired persons who want to be active; so are the housewives whose children are grown up as they want to resume or start afresh some activity. This is because pursuit of career not only helps self-reliance but also it gives one a sense of self-esteem, dignity and satisfaction of utilizing one's talent.

Whether fresher or refresher or even those who want to make a mid-career turnaround for change, need “sound” career education. However, the career education be it through university affiliated institutes or autonomous or private level institutes are plagued with several anomalies and even discrepancies and irregularities. To review career education today, an open house was organised at IMC under the chairmanship of well-known IT expert and educationist, Mr. Vijay Mukhi who also chairs IT Committee - IMC.

Lots of brainstorming took place highlighting the present problems such as Govt. policies, inadequate curriculum, inappropriate teaching, insufficient campus facilities, total lack of pragmatic industry need-based approach, exploitation of ambitious unwary youth by corporate style institutes lacking know-how of career education, fake foreign qualifications et al. After knowing the manifold problems and understanding the state of affairs at the present juncture, consensus was that now it is the time to work towards solutions. Here we list a few candid observations with simple solutions.

The problem begins with ignorance or incomplete knowledge about careers among our youth. It further aggravates when instead of making right choice they depend on hearsay. They are ignorant enough to get carried away by advice of so-called counsellors at institutes who are out and out to make a fast buck by exploiting the glamour struck gullible youngsters. Most youngsters also get tempted to go abroad especially on being offered readily available educational loans.
The important point to note is that the number of seats and admission criteria of 90% or more for elite careers in Engineering, Medicine, C.A., M.B.A., I.T. and Law can be met by a very small percentage, say 3% to 5%, of the total career aspirants. So what happens to remaining 95% aspirants? They too want to join the elite career club. As an alternative to elite careers and being attracted by promises of hi-fly careers, they join any course to earn a fat salary. But does joining these courses land them in a cushy job? This is a million dollar point of concern to be taken into account before plunging in.

Out of those who opt for so-called hi-fly options, barring 2% to 5% who would have made anyhow on their merit, the rest are left in the lurch as they drop out or cannot develop competence for promised cushy future. But they never share their malady or bad experience. So every time a new crop of unwary aspirants falls prey and in turn they not only put a big hole in their pocket but also lose their precious time. Everyday a new sucker is born making such courses cash crop for institutes. Convenient bank loans and promises of foreign trips become added bait. Hence, the glamour struck youngster can be as easily led away as an ambitious village girl who comes to tinsel town with promise of stardom.

Thinking of solutions, a big question mark to get answered is 'What are the options for average students who are reasonably good and score 45% to 65% but not bright enough to pursue elite careers?' The silver lining is that Globalised environment has created a great demand for capable manpower at operational level. So youth should opt for operational-skill oriented vocational courses which are available at affordable fees from reputed institutes of standing with ethical approach to career education. They help, enrol and train you to get matching international qualifications at affordable fees. Even Universities can collaborate with them to modify and usher in “real” functional skill training instead of 90% academic knowledge-oriented curriculum with random project work thrown in as an apology to skill development.

The great advantage of this pragmatic curriculum and skill oriented training is that after 5 to 6 months of learning in a practical way, there are jobs waiting for them for they have developed competence. Besides these jobs have scope for growth and promotion to higher position. There is a facility of continuous learning for higher qualifications along with work experience. The added advantage is such jobs can also be a good training ground to branch out as an independent professional or entrepreneur after a few years of experience by learning the essentials during the job. Corporates and educational organisations as well as NGOs interested in HRD activities for helping people with skills for job, entrepreneurship or home-based business can approach for guidance and project consultancy.

The series will continue enlightening about topics crucial for career viz. (1) Role of counsellor and how to get right counselling (2) How to get a job and grow (3) The ideal training procedure for successful career (4) Career plan v/s career counselling (5) How to select the right institute (6) Learning and earning for income and experience & many more...

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