Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Courses to take after class 10

As our young students bid farewell to school life after appearing for the class X SSC, CBSE and ICSE exam, a time of making life's first important decision awaits them. The stress faced by parents and students doesn't end with the last day of the exam. In fact many are readying for the tussle of getting the right college and most importantly, getting the right stream of choice. 

While a plethora of options are available, students and parents are confused about making the right choice. “I want to help in every possible way. My daughter wants to take up Fine Arts, but I want to guide her well and be sure that she is making the choices. Whether it is BA, BCom or BSc, or any vocational course, this decision will affect her education, job and thereon her life,”says Harshada Sahastrabudhe who's daughter just gave her CBSE exam. 

This dilemma is faced by many parents and students. Academicians and education experts explain that there is a lot of pressure on children to be successful in whatever field they choose. They feel that the three months post class X exam gives students a good amount of time to understand their true calling. According to career counsellor,  Anuradha Prabhudesai at Disha Counselling Centre, the time is just right to experience various courses so that after the two years of junior college, students are better prepared to decide on specialisations at graduate and post graduate level. 
“There are a host of technical and non-technical courses that students can pursue after giving their class X exam,” says Prabhudesai. She adds, “Over the past 10 years, students have begun to use these certificate/diploma courses to secure a lateral entry into degree courses”; The trend has been common among students who pursue engineering courses. “Engineering students quite often sign up for diploma courses and then transfer to a degree programme,” explains Prabhudesai. 

Many students along with their parents have already taken expert help. Students are seeking help from private counsellors to clear their confusion about the path ahead. “My parents want me to take up engineering and I have decided on fine arts”; states Palak Dhariwal, a class X student studying at a leading suburban school.

Courses in creative fields like music, painting etc do not admit students only marks, here it is the only requirement is the ability to perform in the area chosen. If you haven't already signed up for short term courses of various kind, DNA ACADEMY lists out some of the options that could interest you. 

Rhyme and Rhythm 

Music has always been a rage with students. Girls and boys carrying guitars is a common sight.  
For those who immerse themselves in Pt Ravi Shankar sitar, Zakir Husain tabla and Hariprasad Chaurasia's flute, the Mumbai University has been conducting a Bachelor of Music (BMs) course at its Churchgate campus for last few years. However, for our class X pass-outs the University conducts a two-year diploma course that is equivalent to the first two years of college. After completing this course students can also pursue post graduate courses like MMs and PhD in Music.

The Dancing Queen 

For those interested in Indian classical dance, the place to be is the Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya. The Mahavidyalaya has students from all across the world. The centre offers a five-year Bachelor in Fine Arts (Dance) after which a student can complete a Masters in Fine Arts (Dance) or a PhD in Dance.  Apart from the classical dance forms there is also a rising demand for contemporary dance forms. The city has many institutes  like Shaimak Davar Institute of Performing Arts, Danceworks and Expressions Modern Dance Company which trains students in modern dances, jazz, bollywood, hip hop, contemporary/classical ballet, salsa, ballroom, Argentine Tango and loads more. 

Joining the Glitterati 

Film-making and fashion is another field that has gained popularity. Students can opt for a number of industry-recognised diplomas that are being offered by several institutes. Here too percentage is not a criterion, students just need pass their SSC exam. All that is required is ability to work hard and creativity.  A new offshoot of film-making is the digital filmmaking course. This course trains students in a short span of one year on everything from conceptualising, scripting/story boarding, shooting, to casting, budgeting and editing. Some diplomas, like interior design, creative cinematography, 3D animation, fashion technology, basic and advanced editing, photography and ceramics and pottery are also becoming popular

Will it be da Vinci or Picasso? 

For students serious about the art of drawing and painting, the elementary and intermediate exams are a must. After clearing these exam, the option of a seat in JJ School of Art or SNDT University is open. However, students with class X certificate can only take a diploma as the Bachelors in Art and Painting requires one to hold a class XII certificate. So incase you haven't already decided what is the path you want to take, these three months is the best time for you to give yourself a chance and understand what is truly your calling.

Friday, June 20, 2014

The Japan-WCO Human Resource Development Programme (Scholarship Programme)

Applications are invited for Japan-WCO Human Resource Development Programme to undertake Master’s level studies at the Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU) in Tokyo, Japan. This scholarship is awarded to young customs officer of a developing member of the WCO with quality work experience of at least three years in the field of customs policy and administration in his/her home country. Scholarships holders under this programme will enroll for the Master’s Degree programme in Strategic Management and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) programme. This scholarship covers travel, subsistence, admission, tuition and other approved expenses.

Study Subject(s): Scholarships holders under this programme will enroll for the Master’s Degree programme in Strategic Management and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) programme at the AGU.
Course Level: Scholarships are awarded to undertake Master’s level studies at the Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU) in Tokyo, Japan.
Scholarship Provider: The WCO established the Japan-WCO Human Resource Development Programme (Scholarship Programme), funded by Japan Customs.
Scholarship can be taken at: Japan

Eligibility:

  •    A candidate must be a customs officer of a developing member of the WCO with quality work experience of at least three years in the field of customs policy and administration in his/her home country.
  • Preference will be given to candidates who have experience in IPR border enforcement, and who are expected to work in the IPR-related section of their Customs administration after this Scholarship Programme.
  •  After the completion of the Programme, the candidates should continue to work in their home Customs administration for 3 years at least and, after 3 years, they should report to the university indicating the post they occupy in their home administration and how they have been utilizing the experience they acquired in Japan. -A candidate must be in good health and preferably under 40 years of age as of April 1, 2015.

Scholarship Open for Students of Following Countries: Citizens of Developing member of the WCO are eligible to apply. South America, North America, Central America and the Caribbean:  Europe:  East and Southern Africa: North of Africa, Near and Middle East: , East, South and South East Asia, Australasia and the Pacific Islands: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Korea, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Macau, China, Malaysia, Maldives ,Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Union of Myanmar, Vanuatu and Vietnam.

Scholarship Description: The Japan-WCO Human Resource Development Programme (Scholarship Programme) provides a grant covering travel, subsistence, admission, tuition and other approved expenses to enable promising young Customs managers from developing countries to undertake Master’s level studies at the Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU) in Tokyo, Japan.

Number of award(s): The maximum number of students for the SMIPRP course is approximately 10.

Duration of award (s): This scholarship is for one academic year starting from April. There will be a preparatory course in March 2014 for a few weeks before the start of the Programme. The Scholarship period cannot be extended.

What does it cover?

  • A monthly stipend covers accommodations, meals, transportation, and other expenses. It cannot be increased to cover family members if any. The amount of stipend is subject to change according to the decision of the Japanese Government.
  • Admission and tuition fees are paid by the Japan-WCO Human Resource Development Scholarship Program.
  • Round-trip economy-class air tickets between your home country and Japan is provided.- The current amount of monthly stipend is 147,000 yen (as of 2014).- The current amount of admission fee is 290,000 yen and annual tuition fee is 900,000 yen (as of 2014).
  • Selection Criteria:
  • Academic record and intellectual distinction;
  • Personal characteristics;
  • Motivation to study on the SMIPRP;
  • Evidence of leadership;
  • Potential for individual career development
  • Work experience

Notification: After reviewing applications, the Admissions Committee for the SMIPRP will request an interview for selected applicants (i.e. those applicants who have successfully passed the documentary examination). Those who are selected will receive the notification and scheduling information on the interview via email. Interviews are conducted via Skype. If you are invited for an interview, you should be online and prepared to receive our call at the day and time scheduled by the Admissions Committee.

How to Apply: The AGU requests online registration for admissions for the 2015-2016 Scholarship Programmes. ID and Password to download the application forms will be obtained by submitting the Registration Form on the Website by 21st August 2014. The original set of Application Forms with all supporting materials should be completed and returned by post with the envelope marked, “Application for the WCO Scholarship”.

Scholarship Application Deadline: Application deadline is 21st August, 2014 for getting an ID and password and last date for receipt of the Application Forms is 28th August 2014.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

CAREER WITH ARTS STREAM


Every year we see that there are more career opportunities and options available for students. When a child completes his tenth standard, it is often time for him/her to choose certain streams for which he/she has an aptitude towards, or which he/she is interested in.

However, many students make the mistake of letting their marks decide what stream they should take up. This leads to the thinking that if the student has scored between 80-90 % then he/she could opt for science. If the percentage is between 70-80 % then the commerce option is good and if the percentage scored is below than that the only option remains with them is Arts.

There is still another misconception about Arts stream. Most of the people feel that the stream of arts does not open up many career opportunities and the only option which is available for students is the teaching line and becoming a professor.

However, most of the times students follow a faulty method of arriving at or choosing career options. What they should do instead is first identify, broadly, what they want to do, and then they should find out what they need to study in order to get their dream job. If they do this the other way round, that means that they are being dictated by their circumstances.

Social sciences’ or ‘Humanities’ popularly termed as the Arts stream includes study of human beings, the society they live in, their interrelationships and behavioral patterns. The humanities stream offers a variety of subjects for study. Education, research, the development sectors, service sectors, government jobs, politics, administration & public affairs, law, mass media, defense, investigative and protective services offer an array of career openings.

The avenues available are vast in the field of Arts with specialization in the English literature, Marathi literature, foreign languages, psychology, political science, philosophy, sociology, politics, economics, history, geography, mathematics, statistics and so forth. As the student completes the HSC, they have to choose their specialization along with other optional subjects and the duration of the course is 3 years.

Following are the avenues open for students who specialize in any of these subjects:

ECONOMICS
Economics is the study of production and distribution processes, which encompasses the most effective means of utilizing available resources in every sector. Ability to deal with numbers, good analytical mind and good communication skills are important aspects of this field. Some of the specializations in economics are agricultural economics, international economics, industrial economics and so forth.

HISTORY
History deals with preparing a chronological record of events dealing with some phase of human activity, either individuals or social, ethnic, political or geographical. Archeology, museology, conservation and heritage management, numismatics are some of the specializations   of this field. Persistent and determined approach along with methodical and well organized attitude is important. A bachelor’s or master’s degree in history is excellent preparation for a career in law, teaching, library and information science, in publishing, civil services, in administration, human resources management, in films and television etc. Local authorities, art galleries, museums, travel and tourism organizations, the Archaeological Survey of India, historical/cultural research institutions are also some of the places which would provide job opportunities for students. They may also serve as researchers, writers, editors, and educators. They may work on programmes for the History Channel, on historical films, in history-related web site creation and production of CD-ROMS, etc.

SOCIOLOGY
Sociology is the systematic study of relationships among people. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts. Skills in analyzing and interpreting information, planning and organizational ability, and an eye for detail are imperative. sociologists may join as faculty in colleges and universities, teaching and advising students, conducting research, and publishing their work. Other than academics and research, they may enter the corporate world, on-profit organizations, and the government in market research, policy analysis, as consultants, and in administration. The job opportunities could also be in qualitative market research and analysis, survey research, work in urban planning, community development, criminology, in demographics and in politics.

    PHILOSOPHY
Philosophy is the study of seeking knowledge and wisdom in understanding the nature of the universe, man, ethics, art, love, purpose, and so on. Analytical and critical thinking skills along with precision and creativity are most important in the field of philosophy.

POLITICAL SCIENCE
Political science is the study of politics, which involves the study of structure and process in government that attempts to assure safety, fairness, and closure across a broad range of risks and access to a broad range of commons for its human charges. Independent thinking, good written and oral communication skills are important in this field. post graduation in this filed could fetch you opportunities in research, teaching, civil services, Public affairs, Social work, Law and so froth.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSES
The study of any foreign language involves learning the grammar, syntax and other subtle language nuances in depth.  Foreign languages help prepare you to work in many types of jobs. Foreign languages offer opportunities in teaching, film subtitling, archiving, interpreting, copy editing and so forth. One can also major in a foreign language. Good verbal ability, patience and the ability to withstand strain are the essential abilities for this field. German, French, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Persian are some of the languages which do have a demand in the market. Translation (General & Technical). The job opportunities in the field of foreign languages could be plenty such as Technical Translator, Research and Documentation, Interpretation, Transcription, Teaching, Hotel industry, Aviation industry, banking and so forth.
REGIONAL LANGUAGE MAJORS
The study of any regional language involves learning the grammar, syntax and other subtle language nuances in depth. Regional languages offer opportunities in teaching, film subtitling, archiving, copy editing, copy writing, journalism, and so forth. One can also major in a regional language. Good verbal ability, patience and the ability to withstand strain are the essential abilities for this field. Hindi, English Literature, Marathi Literature, Sanskrit are some of the languages taught under this section.

STATISTICS
Statistics is the scientific application of mathematical principles to the collection, analysis, and presentation of numerical data. One needs to have a liking towards working with numbers along with good analytical ability and interpretation skills.

GEOGRAPHY
Geography provides accurate, orderly, and rational description and interpretation of the variable character of the earth’s surface. Good observation skills, precision, and perseverance are some of the aptitudes necessary in this field. Urban and regional planning, economic geography, political geography, physical geography, cartography, and geographic information systems are some of the specializations in the field of geography.

PSYCHOLOGY
Psychology is a science, which adopts a systematic approach to the understanding of people and their behavior. Good communication skills, patience, analytical ability are some of the skills necessary for this field. counseling psychology, statistics, abnormal psychology are some of the subjects taught at the graduation. A student can later specialize in Clinical Psychology, Industrial Psychology, Counseling Psychology, Social Psychology and so forth.

Anuradha Prabhudesai
Counseling Psychologist



Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Help Desk : one to one career counseling with our trained team of counselors

Career Talks and one to one Counseling at HT Campus Calling 2014



Join us for an interactive session on 6th June 2014 at Prabodhan Thakare Sabhagrih Borivali – 10 am to 1 pm and Kalidas Auditorium - Mulund - 4 pm to 7 pm for X-XII Students