Completed your 12th grade?
Are you planning to take up engineering or medicine?
Don’t even think of any other career, it will never pay off!
This is the most common conversation in every Indian household, even in 2020! The two professions that are regarded as the highest and best in all aspects of life are Engineering and Medicine. This is a deeply ingrained mentality in both parents and students that has grown over the years.
Why are these two professions put on a pedestal?
When did this start?
Many decades ago. If you are parent born in the 1940s to the 1970s, you have probably seen some very tough times with immigrant family members, independence and much more. Having to sustain yourself required a lot of money, which was only found in families that had doctors or engineers. Your concerns are not misplaced, just outdated.
Times have changed. The world has been seeing a steady growth in all sorts of professions, be it digital marketing, programming, entertainment, professional sports, psychology or any other. Young adults are paving their path and finding their niche based on their talent, interest and skillset. It’s imperative to move with the times.
Forcing your child to pursue a certain career path is almost a social crime. What the world needs today is a skilled professional, even more than one with a prestigious degree. Glassdoor had published a report earlier this year stating that some of the biggest firms in the world like Apple and Google have senior-level jobs that do not even require a degree. As long as the applicant has the required skillset, a graduation certificate is optional.
What do we learn from this?
As parents, what is the guidance that you can give your child?
Simple! Ask them what they are interested in and motivate them to follow their passion with complete dedication and commitment. At the tender age when they are pressured to decide the right career path for themselves, they don’t need extra pressure from you. They need support and encouragement.
Recently, Kota’s District Collector Ravi Kumar shared that he read the suicide notes of 20-25 young students who took their lives because of being unable to deal with the pressure. His letter to the parents mentioned that these students were bright, beautiful and young but submerged under stress so much so that they found death to be a better option. Most of them had been forced to take up science and couldn’t handle it. This is the gravity of the situation in India.
As parents, what can you do to be supportive? Here are three simple tips to help you.
What they need is someone who will listen to them, hear them out, know their dreams, aspirations, insecurities, etc. They need someone who they can trust and depend on.
Every child has a certain talent. Find out what it is. What does your son/daughter do in his/her free time? What are the career options that fit that skillset? These are the questions to ask yourself and your child.
With more worldly knowledge than your child, take up the responsibility to help them research on career options and industries that can help them channelize their talent. Sometimes, they know what they want but they don’t know how to get there. Help them chart out a path.
Apart from engineering careers, there are a host of other paths that can be right for your child. Here are some of them.
After reading this list, you may wonder whether these are stable job options and will help your precious one build and sustain a successful career. The answer is YES. Each of these professions have been growing exponentially, with the demand for specialists increasing.
Name any big firms, be it Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Netflix, or any other, they all need creative minds who can help the company grow from strength.
Allow your children to explore their interests, develop their skills, work and interact with professionals, intern at organisations and find their mojo. Being unique and committed is what will set them apart.
What are the other career opportunities to explore? Tell us in the comments below.
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