Plan the roadmap for a smooth ride into your future.

 Hello everyone!

I have been travelling on a very interesting project, you will find it soon here.. In the meanwhile I share with you all my column that was published on 30th May 2015  in the Navi Mumbai City Line, a supplement with the Newspaper here.

It’s the results time, 10^th standard students have just received theirs. Some are rejoicing and some must be wondering what happened?

Result is a result that’s the outcome of any activity that had a desired goal. Certainly it doesn’t call for all the hype around it. It only indicates the options that an individual can consider following this exercise. After 10^th standard there are a lot of options that a student can think of.

The first one and most common is studying 11^th standard in any of the traditional streams such as Science, Arts or Commerce. A student can choose to join either a junior college or continue in his or her school if it offers 10 + 2.

Second option is a bit adventurous where a student can choose a job oriented diploma programme, there are so many on offer from various universities. The programmes can be 2 years or 3 years and some have the option of then upgrading to degree programmes. The courses can range from hospitality studies, hotel management, engineering, journalism, architecture, nursing and agriculture to name a few. ITI courses also have their eligibility as 10^th standard pass.

Infact students these days look for summer internships. A lot of them utilize the 3 months of vacation for getting hands on experience. Survey, sales and marketing jobs are a hit with youngsters. Some take up work with Quick Service Restaurants such as the McDonalds, Dominos, Smokin Joes etc. Even media offers summer internships. Some take up jobs at the call centers. Depending on an individual’s liking or industry preference there’s a lot one can explore and learn about. Sometimes these things help students make career decisions and choose the courses that they’d like to study specially the new courses that the universities offer besides the traditional ones.

This time should also be utilized to do a good homework and thorough study about the courses of one’s choice. Finding the best universities and colleges offering those programmes and preparing for the same, as one has about two years time to hop on. Students these days use the internet extensively; doing some desk research is definitely a good idea. A few colleges can be shortlisted and then contacted through phone or even pay a visit to learn more about them. This is making an informed decision about ones area of specialization and career. This will keep a check on drop outs, I do see and meet people who have joined a course or a college with half baked knowledge, find that it’s not what they intended to do and drop out of the course. This leads to the loss of money, time and one’s self confidence.

My advice to the youngsters, the 10^th graders is to do some introspection, find out about the course that you wish to pursue and match it with your larger goal. Sit with your parents; plan the roadmap for the next couple of years. Something that’s going to direct the way your professional and personal life moves needs a bit of planning. This is the mis en place for the bigger goal. Planning takes time, once the framework is made execution is easier.

If only great grades in the 10^th or the 12^th standard could decide one’s future and success then there would’ve been different types of success stories around us. Unfortunately grades don’t decide your future but a good plan pertaining to your area of study and life does.

Will leave you with these thought! Cheers 

Pic Courtesy google with due credits.