Building a better world

Among the niche postgraduate programmes, MBA in Infrastructure Development and Management (MBA IDM) is gaining major traction among students. This programme not only covers traditional management subjects but also offers specialised domain knowledge about infrastructure and allied sectors.

Career prospects

The MBA programme helps students build five core infrastructure project competencies namely, project development, project execution, risk analysis, contract management, financial feasibility and financial structuring. These skills can land them rewarding job opportunities with infrastructure developers, financial institutions, legal or environmental consulting firms and research think tanks or semi-public developmental agencies.

They can also get jobs in sectors such as real estate (residential and commercial), energy, water, aviation, agriculture, roads, railways and seaports, Telecom and defence.

Some of the key job profiles that MBA IDM students can consider are: project manager, construction manager, real estate manager, risk analyst,
financial strategist, legal advisor, corporate social responsibility manager, business developer, quality and process controllers, policymakers, urban planners, sustainable environment planners, technical advisor and sales and marketing manager.

Scope

The infrastructure sector is so vast and closely associated with other sectors that the job roles can be varied and specialised depending on the need of the industry.

It is projected that our country will become the third-largest construction market globally by 2022. These statistics clearly spell the level at which the government has planned infrastructure expansion plans.

At the same time, a number of private organisations and start-ups are also driving the infrastructure sector by leveraging modern technologies to provide innovative and smart solutions.

They are also working on developing data and analytics solutions to bring professional governance, operational efficiency and data-driven insights in the infrastructure sector. So, MBA IDM students with engineering, technology and analytics background will remain high in demand.

There are also bright career prospects for MBA IDM professionals who can lead financial innovations and models in the infrastructure sector. There is a strong focus on channelling funds from the domestic private sector and foreign direct investment.

Public-private partnerships, private equity and venture capital investments, and mergers and acquisitions are likely to continue to be at the front and centre of infrastructure projects. The sector will witness a surge in the hiring of candidates who can understand the financial angle of an infrastructure project from close quarters.

Green and sustainable infrastructure is another area which is being perceived as a way forward. An increasing number of stakeholders in infrastructure development are shifting toward projects that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. There will be demand for infrastructure management professionals who can challenge the conventional infrastructure practices and lead by sustainability-first outlook.

The coming years will also witness an increase in the cross-border mega-projects that will connect one city or country to another. This emerging infrastructure trend will also translate into lucrative job opportunities for MBA IDM students.

Infrastructure sector is poised for exponential growth. There is significant hiring on the cards, and there couldn’t be a better time to pursue infrastructure development management career.

(The writer is with Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development, Pune)