How Should Your Post-Engineering Life Be Like? Don’t be Fooled By Myths

It is now again the time of the year when the fresh engineering community at large, along with their parents, are abuzz with the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question which is “What next after engineering?” Answers to this priceless question are many, and generally tend to create confusion within the minds of both budding engineers as well as their parents.

Before we get down to business, there is one piece of advice which is “Do not get carried away by what Bollywood movies depict”.

I am paranoid, what should be my mindset as soon as my engineering exams are over?

Career counsellors possessing decades of experience in guiding students towards the right career path feel that the mindset of fresh graduates/about-to-graduate students plays a vital role in taking people towards the right career path. This logic holds good for engineering as well.

Firstly, remember that times have changed and a mere admission to an engineering college and acquiring an engineering degree are no longer considered a passport to a cushy job. Now, what this also means is that the genuinely talented engineers have enhanced opportunities to look at. Therefore, it will do no harm to evaluate the skills you have managed to acquire during your engineering course.

“Engineers also need to have the vision to look at their long-term prospects.  Today’s generation will probably retire at 75 to 80 years of age, hence after graduation they must plan for more than 50 years of their working life.”, stated Dr Ali Khwaja; Founder and Chairman of Bangalore-based Banjara Academy that is doing its bit in empowering the youth to make the right career moves.

Now, once you have the right mindset and think that you have made the right plans, work on a goal that should let you completely utilise your academic skills. This holds good for both higher studies as well as work life. Do not ever think that your graduation skills are a waste in case you opt for higher studies. Remember that these are the building blocks of your life.

In case you prefer to start your working career immediately after your engineering graduation, the most basic step is to acquire industry awareness and job readiness. Skills required for being job-ready can also be sharpened during higher studies as most of the courses are aimed at training students for the best

Go by the rule book – It works most of the times

Dr Ali has also advised fresh engineers to ‘go by the rule book’,  which is sticking to your area of expertise. Here, remember that you are the complete owner of your expertise; these should be formulated and evaluated even before you choose your engineering specialisation.

Also, keep an eye on the expected future developments. This is especially true in the case of technology engineers. The current trends, as per experts, are the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, and data analytics. So, researching these trends along with their future enhancement prediction would only add value to existing skills.

With this being said, it is vital that you do not get confused with the innumerable options that are available to your after you are done with engineering.

Keep in mind that computer science and  Information Technology Enabled Services (ITes) engineers are comparatively ahead in the race towards jobs. However, it has also been proven that engineers find it easier to take over management and administrative roles, many are doing exceedingly well in fields as diverse as finance, communication, Human Resources (HR), civil and military services, and even in design-related jobs.

“In case you feel that you need to refine your job skills to remain in tune with latest trends, go for courses such as HADOOP, NoSQL, Data Mining, and related aspects.”, states Rajesh R who works as a Senior Technology Solutions Manager while doubling up as a counsellor to students in the South Karnataka region.

I know what I am doing; tell me what are my practical options to begin my career

Firstly, remember that the dawn of the new millennium intensively exposed us to Computer Science (CS), and Information Science (IS) branches of engineering. Even Electronics also joined this fray. This trend developed so much that even students graduating from other engineering streams moved on to IT companies to work jobs that they considered offered attractive salaries.

However, now we are staring at changing times where startups have become the in-thing. Plenty of these companies are mushrooming in cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Cochin, and Delhi. Some are also located in the rural geographies. Founders of most these firms have been IT engineers.

Now, what you need to remember is; your good old passion. If you have a thing for Electronics and IT; look for companies that are currently offering jobs in this domain. However, you can consider yourself clucky in case you have gotten yourself placed, in campus recruitments, with reputed IT/Electronics firms.

Do not get crestfallen in case you have not managed to crack placements. There are companies that conduct direct recruitments, and you can apply to these immediately after you graduate.

Straight from the horse’s mouth

A career in IoT research/development of smart solutions to solve everyday problems is the in-thing now, stated a Human Resources Manager at a reputed Multinational firm, on the condition of anonymity.

Even experts seem to second this thought. IoT + Big Data is being viewed as a great career option. You should also not worry much if you have managed to graduate from a reputed engineering college with a good academic record. Remember that companies are constantly hunting or candidates; but the trick here is self-evaluation (of your skill-sets), and to resist from the temptation of getting carried away by latest trends. Remember that addiction can be fatal!

I need to study further, MBA vs M.Tech vs MS?

Experts have termed this obvious question as sensitive. However, they do not desist from suggesting the right attitude to inculcate whenever you are confused between MBA, M.Tech, and MS.

This totally depends on what skills the individual has acquired during Engineering, plus long-term interests.

In modern times, we find a lot of people opting for an MBA after Engineering; remember that this option should be given priority only if you think that you want a jumpstart in Management-related career roles. In Management studies, you have options such as Product Development, Technical Sales and Marketing.

If you think that you should be researching more on the subject of your Engineering specialisation, you can opt for an M. Tech or MS.  This for the research-obsessed. An MS post-graduation in the United States is the in-thing now for many engineers.

Both are equally important in a flourishing society

“I would say that both the MBA and M. Tech/MS courses have equal importance. In fact, when the IIMs were established, majority of the intake for MBA courses was from engineering graduates. Subsequently when IIITs, BITS, NITs came up the number of seats expanded.”, adds Dr Ali.

It is vital that you choose your next step of study wisely; for best results, consider your academic track record, the acquired skill-sets, and sustainability (in the long run) before applying. Remember that your target should be learning and not blind money-making.

Finally, push your passion and forget the rest

Even psychologists are baffled with the fact that India is amongst the top countries where engineers are forced into taking up the course by parents. Remember that there are other always other fields (that are even more lucrative than engineering) in case you feel that working in an engineering job is not your cup of tea.

There are areas such as music; if you research more, you will find that most of our playback singers are top-notch engineers having quit their academic fields to pursue their heart. Even a career in Technical/Technology journalism also offers lot of scope for improvisation whilst utilising your engineering skills/talents.

Always keep in mind that engineering also exists beyond IT, and Electronics. Domains such as Mechanical, Civil, and Electrical Sciences are considered as ‘evergreen’ by the experienced engineers’ category of people. Opportunities in Government/PSU sectors are numerous in these branches.

In summary, it is advised that you refrain from comparing your life with that of others. Do not be held back by popular beliefs; step-out and enjoy your post-engineering life.

In case you are still in doubt and have queries, do shoot them to us at our comments section below.

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