How to choose your course – degree, diploma or vocational studies?
By Siddarth Bharwani
There is always a hike in the number of calls career counsellors receive post the announcement of HSC results. The most common query that the counsellors receive is how one should determine which field he must pursue. Many a time students chose a career by the sheer influence of the success stories of their friends, relatives or parents. However, one needs to realize a fish cannot fly and a bird cannot swim. A student must shortlist the field depending on his own strengths and weaknesses. While some can study 6-7 hours a day at a stretch which is required in the field of engineering or medical science some may be just good at translating creativity into different forms like creative writing, photography and film making.
It is wise to pursue a degree in a subject which interests you. Also, one should be able to manage their expectations. Not everyone can manage to get an admission at a premier institute. However this doesn’t mean there is no other possibility worth considering. These days there are multiple alternatives to every course. The question is whether you are even aware of them. If your passion lies outside your regular undergraduate study, see how you can make it work safely.
For example, undergraduate students who are interested to start earning at an earlier stage take up a short term skilling course which enables them to gain employment first and then continue with their higher education simultaneously. It is also important to consider the availability of the courses/ institutes and the affordability in the long run while choosing a field.
Another most common query that career counselors receive is whether a student should pursue graduation, diploma or a vocational course. While bright students manage to pursue all of it at different points in time or simultaneously, employers question their purpose of education during interviews. Whether studying was for knowledge, degrees, employment or if it didn’t have a sense of purpose at all.
While a graduation course provides in depth knowledge; a diploma should not be undermined because a well-designed diploma also helps in developing the skill-sets of an individual. It can also serve as a value addition to one's qualification. Diploma has a curriculum that gives you quick exposure to all the skills in the syllabus. This helps the candidate to come out of his comfort zone and explore the subjects. A candidate pursuing a diploma course will be exposed to the job market sooner. However, one doesn’t get any leisure leave and the package offered is not as lucrative as a graduate. There are in-depth additional subjects. But you can catch up in the time you save that would have spent in class-room by growing in your career as a professional.
Graduation is the first step you take if you want to pursue subjects of interest in depth and when you want to opt for further studies such as a master’s program. However, many a times students with multiple degrees fail to gain employment and vocational training helps bridge the skill gap with courses mapped to the industry requirement. Hence, after graduation students take up a vocational training course which gives them hands on knowledge to gain employment.
Most importantly one needs to understand the job roles one would like to see themselves in the long term and the educational qualifications required to land that particular job. At the end it’s all about matching your education with your expectations.
About the author:
Mr. Siddarth Bharwani is the Vice President at Jetking Infotrain Limited. He completed his studies from Bond University, Australia and has 8 years of experience in the field of Marketing and Management. Mr. Bharwani takes key interest in the vocational skill development and education scenario in India.
