Some vocational programmes have been introduced that were earlier not a part of the academic stream of Indian education. They aim to empower the students with skills applicable and easily marketable in jobs.
Have you completed B.Com. and are working in a firm in the accounts sector but want to resume your education for a better pay package or want to pursue a career in sales and marketing without the usual MBA as you cannot leave your current job for the degree?
Now some Indian states offer various options where you can know about marketing, banking, healthcare, arts, insurance, finance analysis, retail industry, hospitality industry, radio services or the real estate market, all in a span of few months!
Where on the one hand, some undergraduate programmes have an extended duration from three to four years now, especially in Delhi University (DU) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), we have short-term diploma courses in several institutes and colleges that you can pursue along with your jobs or even if you are undergoing a financial crunch at present.
These diplomas are available both at UG and PG levels and will make you both knowledgeable and skilled in the respective areas.
You will be better suited for entry-level positions after your graduation or schooling with these diploma courses, especially as there are very few job-oriented programmes at the graduate level.
The CBSE board had earlier introduced financial Market Management and Mass Media courses in 2010-11 but since these electives in certain affiliated schools have not been accepted in prime colleges and universities such as DU, students find the situation dismaying and unfortunate. However, now that professional studies and job-oriented courses are coming up in the market and subjects such as Visual Communication, TV News Reading, Radio Jockeying, Retail Management, Hospitality, et al are being pursued as certified courses, varied job opportunities have opened up and the job market is growing exponentially day by day.
Some of the vocational programmes that were earlier not a part of the academic stream of Indian education and empower the students with skills applicable and easily marketable in jobs are listed below:
Diploma in Marketing Management/Banking and Finance by We School, Welingkar Education
DMKM: This is a marketing programme that is a specialized course on market management, focusing on the market place realities, consumer behaviour, market research and fundamentals of marketing and sales management. The one-year academic programme caters to the needs of both the fresher and the working professional.
Type I option requires you to pay Rs. 25,000 for the course, the lectures for which take place at Podar/Ruia college, Mumbai while Type II classes take place each Sunday there. Type III is limited to prescheduled personal contact programmes that are held from time to time in Borivali, Matunga, Dombivli and Pune.
The first semester teaches you Principles of Management, Marketing Management, Consumer Buyer Behaviour, Market Research and Business Communication while the second semester is based on Information Technology for Management, Sales Force Management, Advertising and Sales Promotion, Sales Force Management, Strategic Management and International Marketing.
Banking Diploma: This six- months diploma course is designed to provide you with video lectures, e-learning toolkits, industry visits, movie learning sessions and one-day workshops and requires you to have a graduation degree from a recognized university or having a full-time work experience for two years after 12th. Diploma holders from recognized universities are equally eligible for this course.
The first Trimester gives lessons on banking fundamentals, customer-centric organization, negotiable instruments and retail banking while Trimester II is all about Corporate Banking, Foreign Exchange Management, Trade Finance and Marketing of Financial Services. Study material is given to students for all subjects right at the beginning of the programme. Video lectures are uploaded on the website as a supplementary to the course material, power point presentations and practice tests are also a part of the curriculum and trimester exams are conducted in between for which the study material is sent to the correspondence address. The game-based learning workshops held during weekends at the institute and the one day workshops on Business Simulation, Sales Management, Presentation Skills, et al are additional privileges with the course.
Yuvodaya course offered by Met Life Insurance and Delhi University
DU has tied up with Met Life India Insurance for more employment opportunities in Insurance sector. The nine-week programme costing Rs. 5000, followed by one month of on-the-job training will train you in insurance sales practices, legal matters and insurance products and services. The eligibility criterion is for you to either be a graduate in any field or an Insurance agent. Not only will you be groomed according to the corporate industry needs and win a joint DU-MetLife certificate after successfully completing the course, but students who are evaluated at the end of the course and found to have performed well may even get placed with MetLife.
Acharya Narendra Dev College is currently the only college that offers this course module.
Finance and Accounts Certification by NIIT Uniqua in Association with Genpact
This is a 4-week programme with a tuition fee of Rupees 10,150 and the simple eligibility criteria of B.Com. and lets students have an integrated knowledge of business processes, basic voice training, with a specialization in advanced voice training and basic finance. At the end of the course, students are provided with a certification in Finance and Accounting. (CFA)
If you want to understand the terminologies, nitty-gritties and the functioning of finance and accounts outsourced services, this is just the right course for you. The lectures will be given by an Instructor who will enable you to understand the specific requirements and tools for the whole process of financing. Application-based demos, ERP simulations, practice and exercise sessions will help you bag a specialization in finance and accounts, making you more suitable for the job requirements.
Diploma in Education Technology (DET)/Chemo Informatics (PGDCI) by Bhoj University, Madhya Pradesh
DET: In this era of advancing technology, even teachers and professors need to be better equipped with multimedia and other information technologies and should know how to integrate them in teaching practices.
You will be introduced to integrating multimedia in educational settings in this 1-year course costing Rs. 6,900 that includes MS-Office suite training, lessons on how to use Multimedia and Graphic tools so that communication technologies can be used to impart education. This course will also involve a project work for a time span of minimum one year and maximum three years.
PGDCI: Knowledge and skills in both Chemistry and Computer Technology is much required if you want to pursue a career in Agrochemical, Pharmachemical and Biotechnology industry. The one-year programme costing Rs. 11000 will teach you basics of Chemo-Informatics, Chemo-Informatics Database Design and Management and Data Sequencing, only if you are a graduate in Bio or Maths. You will not only get study notes in print format, but also audio and video files on study material, written assignments, library consultation and contact classes. Though the course spans around a year, you can complete the programme in three years after registration.
PG Diploma in Instructional Design (PGDID)/ Diploma in teaching English (DTE) from Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning
PGDID: This one year programme with a fee of Rs. 18000 provides with professional qualification in designing, delivering and assessing courseware. The course entails studying e-learning modules and practical applications and reading theories of Instructional Design including management principles, educational psychology and effective communication skills. It also includes a project work and you are eligible for this course if you are a graduate in any discipline.
DTE: This programme was launched by the Faculty of Education in Symbiosis in July 2011 and aims at making people proficient in teaching English at primary and secondary school levels. It develops reading and writing skills as well as instruction methods for English language and teaching English at primary, secondary, higher secondary and undergraduate levels.The fee for this course is Rs. 7000 and the course duration is for a year.
Retail Management Programme offered by IIJT, Kolkata
If you have passed class 12th with 60%, and want to work in the supply chain or retail finance, etc. This one year course costing Rs. 35000 will train you in retail store operation concepts, retail finance, logistics, soft skills and customer interface positions and back-end operations. IIJT started this programme in Retail Management for preparing for human resources in one of the largest emerging retail sectors.
Diploma in Food and Beverage Services Management from Maharshi Dayanand University
The one-year course in Rohtak is for those of you who have passed class 12th and are looking to know more about food services, this course is a great deal for you. You will be trained on Food and Beverage services, equipment for the same, training on personal grooming, practical techniques on how to work with the equipment, food service methods and the terminologies therein.
The marks secured in class 12th (at least 45% marks), a group discussion and interview sessions respectively weighing 70%, 20% and 10% is what will make your selection for this course and the fee for this course is Rs. 21,900.
Course in Radio Jockeying and TV News Reading from R.K. Films and Media Academy
Delhi University has partnered with R.K. Films and Media Academy for a part-time certificate course in Radio Jockeying and TV News Reading for DU students. The trainers are from the radio and TV industry who give practical insights on the real day-to-day working in these fields. With the media industry on the rise globally, this vocational course is much of an added benefit as it gives a first-hand exposure apart from the theoretical knowledge. The fee is Rs. 15000 and the eligibility is passing class 12th exam.
Real Estate Practices and Principles from Indian Institute of Real Estate
The three-month course costing Rs. 12,500 teaches the practices and principles of real estate and can be pursued either online or through distance education by both working professionals and fresh graduates. Economic concepts that are applicable in the real estate decision-making process and management ideas are also taught to the students. The course is outlined over 7 modules. After each module, a case study or test takes place that requires a minimum of 65% passing grade for the student to get to the next module. Some brokerage houses, finance companies and developers can employ you if you complete the course successfully.
PG Diploma in Preventive and Promotive Healthcare from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University
This course is the solution to all modern-day stress related diseases such as obesity, cardiac arrests, depression and cancer and qualifies doctors and health professionals to be employed in clinics and hospitals for lifestyle modification programmes.
The programme entails Health and Disease Management, Cardiac Care, Cancer Risk Factors Management, Health, Psychology and Stress Management, Nutrition and Dietetics, Exercise Health and Lifestyle Assessment. You are eligible for this course if you are a graduate in any of these fields, viz. medicine, psychology, bio-sciences, nutrition, alternative medicine or physiotherapy.
As several students are looking forward to pursue skill-based and practical vocational courses not only for getting an entry-level job with certification, but also for understanding their field of interest. The education scenario in India is definitely changing with the introduction of some job-oriented degree courses such as Bachelor in co-operative management, B.Sc. in Networking and Digital Communication and Master of Science in Counselling and Family Therapy. Certification courses in Power distribution Management, systematic training and education, archives keeping, creating handicrafts and modern garments, et al have also emerged as courses that can fetch you a good job as well as train you in a specialized field.
So figure out your interests and take up a diploma course in any of these fields to secure that high paying job! Do tell us if you have been able to land a better job profile or higher pay package with any of these diploma courses.
