|
Opportunities
Courses in distant mode can help you move up in the career
The career of a typical Indian employee starts with the completion of a professional or bachelor’s degree. While most of them devote their career to the same stream, some pursue a parallel career. Still others resolve to shift their field of career after some time. Whichever is the case, the professional growth of an employee depends on the experience he gains, his performance and the credentials he acquires to complement the career path he chooses.
The required credentials can be acquired in many ways. The choice is based on the current credentials of the person and the requirements of the next level he is aiming for. For example a lawyer must learn about a new law related to his field by reading about it in newspapers, journals or on the Internet. A newly promoted manger must attend training sessions provided by his employer to hone his skills. A software engineer must update himself with the latest technology by taking up a short-term course. Some organisations encourage their employees to take a break and pursue a full-time course to prepare them for the next level. Some even sponsor it. Similarly there are options like weekend, part time and online courses to cater to the various needs of employees. Another option is distance mode education.
Distance education is a great option for employees desirous of pursuing higher studies. They can study while continuing with their job. The biggest advantage it offers is flexibility. Students are provided with printed study material. Sometimes it is accompanied by CDs and other aids like the Internet based training modules that can be accessed at any time. Thus, they are not compelled to devote a specific time or period for their studies. They can do it whenever they are free and in their own convenient way. Most institutes provide contact classes in evenings, weekends or holidays during which the students can seek clarifications for their doubts from the faculty. The student need not attend all these classes though a certain percentage of attendance is mandatory.
Most of the universities offering education in distance mode have their regional offices, study centres and test centres in all the major cities of the country. Thus students can opt for the nearest one. Another advantage is that the cost of pursuing a course is less compared to other modes of education.
However, the most important factor people should keep in mind while gearing up for a distance mode course is to ensure that the university they are approaching is a recognised one. Information on this can be obtained from the UGC.
Universities in India offer several courses in different disciplines in distance mode. These courses range from certificate to diploma, bachelor’s, PG diploma, master’s, professional degrees and even Ph.D. Employees looking to shift their career generally opt for PG diploma courses. Candidates in teaching profession generally prefer Ph.D. Those aiming for higher posts take up master’s degree. MBA is one such degree and is the most sought after these days.
There are certain disadvantages of opting for distance mode courses. The most obvious is that the student cannot avail the explanation, clarifications and additional inputs a teacher can provide. Another disadvantage is that these students do not find opportunities, at least initially, that students who completed regular courses might find. Many students cannot grasp the content of the course fully well by studying on their own and their standards are found to be low. Thus employers prefer regular students to those who did the same course in distance mode.
Studying while doing a job demands extra efforts. After all one is not compromising with the benefits of a job while getting ready for the next move.
To secure a good score and reap the complete benefits of the course, students must study regularly. They may have to compromise with their time to relax or enjoy. However, this can be taxing at times. Studying after eight hours of work will be demanding and even frustrate the person.
Discipline and focus are indispensable factors to succeed while studying and working at the same time.
faqs@cnkonline.com
NITYA SAI SOUMYA
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Opportunities
|
