From Certificates to Careers

 There has been a huge rush and high demand for government employment. Even after completing a UG degree program, there is a group of unemployed youth who confidently admit that they are preparing for Public Service Commission examinations. There are times we wonder why this phenomenon persists despite the tremendous opportunities available in the private sector. When you probe for details, you will stop wondering!

 While working in a self-financing college years ago, a colleague of mine was taken aback one day when she found a new face seated in her chair, claiming it was hers! She was left with no option but to leave the place, embarrassed. (I wish I knew where she is now!). This was an isolated case then! Recently, with colleges struggling for students and students fleeing to new lands to explore, this vanishing of posts has become common. It is ironic to consider such a serious issue 'common,' since such a displaced candidate is anyone working under a private roof.

 While interacting with a senior teacher who is a facilitator at a similar institution, I learned about the uncertainty of existence and the possibility of losing one's role. Once upon a time, such institutions served as havens for those who loved teaching as their only skill and enjoyed the rhythm of those cozy comfort places of work.

With the FYUGP at the threshold, even government-funded institutions struggle to fill the allocated seats, wiping off older faces and replacing them with new ones. The novelty doesn’t pertain to their youthfulness but their readiness to be flexible. As it is difficult to unlearn and relearn traditional practices, experienced hands holding the chalk are not willing to give way to students and make the classes more student-centered.

 While taking admission, the icing on the cake is the add-on courses! When UG program enrollees are asked about the program they are opting for, they often seem unaware of the UG program itself, focusing instead on the add-ons they have selected! One of my students informed me that she dropped the plan of joining a reputable college for her PG; instead, she picked a certificate course that guarantees a job.

A time when degrees remained within certificates and certificates went mossy in old files has now given way to certificates for job's sake. Students nowadays are aware of the scope of their courses and have fixed their destinations. One girl who joined BCA with AI and Machine Learning as her add-on course aims for a job at Microsoft, which will be established in Dubai in 2030! Another boy wants to know if, after completing her ACCA in 9 months, she can manage the internship component of ACCA along with her B.Com Majors! Yet another student was keen about the skills he would possess once he is out in the job market. On one hand, students look for serious colleges that offer degree programs guaranteeing quality education; on the other hand, a group looks for colleges that provide them with ‘campus life.’

 Let us hope that the FYUGP will bring with it a variety of skills, values, abilities, and more that will fill the gaps created by the system in the years gone by. Let the students be ready enough to grab the required things from the buffet they are feasted on!

Saritha. K, Vice Principal & Assistant Professor of English, Al Shifa College of Arts & Science, Kizhattoor, Perinthalmanna