The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Soft skills key to success: experts

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Thursday, Jun 05, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Soft skills key to success: experts

B.V.S. Bhaskar and V. Raghavendra

T.I.M.E is the main sponsor of the event
Participants given books

Photo: K.R. Deepak

Clearing fundas: A participant asking experts a question. –

Rajahmundry: It was an enriching experience for the EAMCET qualified students and their parents in choosing the right course. Their confusion on career prospects of a particular subject were cleared as they interacted for more than six hours at The Hindu Education Plus Career Guidance Workshop held at Aahvanam Function Hall here on Wednesday. The T.I.M.E was the main sponsor of the event, while Rajamahendri Institute of Engineering and Technology was the regional sponsor.

Experts from reputed institutions explained the prevailing trends and how the right combinations of subjects will help in shaping their careers.

They advised the students to take the right decision after clearing the air of uncertainty so that they need not look back after they set out on the crucial journey of their lives.

The students came across some candid talk by the academicians that selecting the in-demand subjects will not guarantee them plum jobs without good communication skills.

Knowledge in subjects alone would not help them climb the career ladder, if they lacked in soft skills. “Superficial knowledge will not lead the students anywhere even if they chose courses like bio-informatics, computer science or the time-tested civil engineering, if they lacked in soft skills.”

Tips as to what the students should do to keep themselves abreast of the developments in their areas of specialisation, proved to be useful as most of the participants seemed to be under the belief that a good rank in the EAMCET will take them places.

Besides, counselling on admissions was given to help the students in obtaining hassle-free entry into the colleges of their choice.

Participating as the chief guest, K. Nirupa Rani, Vice-Chancellor of Adikavi Nannayya University, said: “ranks obtained in examinations like the EAMCET did not reflect the aptitude of students as their efforts put in two years are tested in two hours, rather than knowledge of the fundamentals of the respective subjects of interest. Success will solely depend not only on the quality of education, but also on the extent and upgradation of skills.”

V-C’s advice

She advised students not to be influenced by peer group interaction as there was no guarantee that they would succeed just as their classmates might have in their own areas of specialisation.

She observed that out of about a lakh engineering graduates passing out every year, only 15 per cent get good employment as the remaining students completely neglected communication skills which were a prerequisite for success these days.

All branches of engineering were good, what one required was sustained efforts to not just succeed but excel, she added. She asked students not to confine their aspirations to computer science which was one of several branches as other courses like civil, mechanical and even bio-technology have tremendous potential nowadays due to the boom in Indian economy.

Integrated courses

All State universities were now offering five-year integrated courses that give the students ‘cross-specialisations’, thus an edge over the students who might stick to conventional courses some of which were devoid of convergence of technologies. Aeronautical sciences were one bright area of engineering that have immense potential all over the world. The students could even look at polytechnic courses, she said. The underlying message is that whatever might be the subject, constant upgrading of knowledge and good communications skills will only fetch handsome rewards.

The event was organised in two sessions -- engineering and medicine streams and related courses. The resource persons were J.V. Ramana Murthy, Head of Department of Computer Science and Engineering, JNTU Engineering College, Kakinada, P. Subba Rao, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering, JNTU Engineering College, Kakinada, V.V. Krishna of Chaitanya Institute of Technology, Kakinada and Prof. John Rex, Professor of Bio-Technology, Godavari Institute of Engineering and Technology, Rajahmundry. The students were provided books on career prospects in engineering, medical and medical related professions, published by The Hindu Education Plus. They were also advised to send their queries to collegian@thehindu.co.in for the necessary clarifications later.

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