JOIN USStudies that are relevant to life
Every youngster enters college with a strong will to accomplish something in life. That’s why scores of dreamy-eyed youth work hard to make it to the best institutions the society has to offer. But how applicable are the offerings of these institutions in reality? In simpler words, when people take up jobs, do they find what they have studied in schools and college useful?
Gregory Sonny, a process executive in Deutsche Bank, has studied commerce and deals with investment banking. “When I was in college, many of my seniors were into simple data interpretation jobs where they did not deal directly with the clients. But since I have started working, I feel my academics have really helped me. They have helped me carve a niche for myself and had I not studied commerce, I probably wouldn’t have understood the work that I do.” He adds, “But there are many things that working has taught me as well. For instance, I understand the markets of Europe and Asia Pacific better, thanks to my work.”
Indrajit has been an architect for 11 years. “Architecture is not only about art or how good-looking a building is. One also has to understand a building’s anatomy, and its technical aspects like plumbing and electrification. So in such cases, studies really help,” he says. “Studies lay a foundation and teach you at least 50 per cent of a particular field. The other 50 per cent is learnt once you start working.”
He laments about the irrelevance of short-term courses that have sprung up. “A short-term course cannot teach you much, especially in a field like architecture.” He gives an example to compare education and work experience. “Education teaches you the ingredients of a particular dish. But the preparation of the dish can be learnt only by working.”
Young couple Asha and Ananth are both engineers. Though both have studied electronics and communication engineering, Asha works as an IT Analyst in the field of software while Ananth is into electronics and communication engineering. “Since I studied electronics but am into software, I can’t say education helped me much. In fact, during my college days, I hadn’t even heard of the software that I am working on at present,” says Asha. So what made her opt for software? “People tend to shift towards wherever the boom is,” she answers. “Besides, most engineers opt for software as it pays them well.”
Asha feels that the mathematics that she learnt during her engineering days has helped her to a large extent. “But most things that are taught to us during engineering are not applicable always. Engineering students should come out of their classrooms and textbooks and get more exposure.”
While her husband Ananth, has been in the field of electronics and communication for three and a half years, and even did his bachelors and masters in the same. “I have been fortunate enough to get into the field that I wished for. Whatever I have studied, especially during my masters, has been completely applicable in my job. I feel there are so many opportunities today, one just shouldn’t give up.”