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| JOBS & CAREERS |
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Lead Fitness brigade
Insider’s Lens
Visual Appeal
Career Hotline
Study
Abroad
Food for thought
Outsmart your rivals
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Lead Fitness brigade
When not on their mobiles or Ipods, young people today are working out in gyms, health clubs, dance classes and the like. Being fit has never been so popular. It is not only the young people and fitness freaks pumping iron and working on their abs, but rotund middle aged mothers, too, can be seen taking up power yoga and dancing to the latest rock video. The adage — there is no wealth without health has spurred the growth of the fitness industry over the past couple of years. With the mushrooming of gyms, health clubs, aerobic and yoga centres, personal fitness trainers and a range of massage and spa therapies, the fitness industry is possibly among the fastest growing industries in the country.
This is not only because looking good is in fashion like never before, but also because being fit is a necessity too, as millions of people realise that they need to lose weight and get in shape if they want to lead healthy and productive lives. In the past couple of years there has been a shift from exercising to lose weight to the more holistic concept of wellness and healthy living. As a result there is greater awareness about nutrition and diet, organic foods and a general leaning towards professional help and training for staying healthy. This rapid growth in the fitness arena with the number of new spas and health clubs doubling every year, is driving the requirement for professionally qualified practitioners like aerobics instructors, personal and corporate trainers, spa therapists, masseurs and the like. And not just in India, there is an increasing growth of such services in many countries in Asia like China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, South Korea where the wellness industry is developing fast.
Great demand
Fitness specialists are in great demand today, from the gym instructor working at a gym or health club, to yoga teachers, aerobic instructors, spa therapists and masseurs, all working towards keeping people fit, productive and healthy. Fitness trainers work with clients to assess their level of physical fitness and help them set and reach fitness goals. They also plan and design specific programmes for different people — keeping in mind their age, lifestyle and health parameters. They instruct groups or individuals in various exercise routines such as aerobic exercises, weights, and flexibility training, and the correct use of various training apparatus and gadgets such as trampolines, weights, rowing machines, etc. Some fitness trainers also check and monitor BMI (body mass index) and cardiovascular level, and give their clients’ basic advice on health and nutrition. Fitness specialists are in great demand, especially as personal trainers who work with many sportspersons, film stars and celebrities as their own personal instructors, or for those suffering from a specific health problem. Many fitness specialists have established their own gymnasiums, too, or find jobs in gyms, fitness and health care centers Often gyms and health clubs offer a whole variety of exercise routines such as weightlifting, aerobics, karate, kickboxing, spin cycling, yoga, pilates or tai chi, and you can choose to specialise in the areas you are comfortable with. Aerobics is a popular exercise which involves stretching and muscle conditioning exercises through movement in a rhythmic fashion. Most aerobic programmes are group workout sessions performed to music. As more and more people look for holistic alternative cures and remedies that are natural and free from side effects, naturopathy and other holistic therapies are being offered at spas and health farms across the country. Here there are a number of natural treatments such as heat therapy, mud wraps and baths, salt exfoliation, body wraps, reflexology, aromatherapy as well as a number of massage techniques administered for curing diseases as well as for losing weight. Those who administer such treatments need to be trained in the therapy being offered, and be familiar with the basic physiology and anatomy of human body, as well as about the specific health conditions that can be rectified or healed. Yoga, too, is very popular today, because in yoga the emphasis is not just on exercises but on balanced diet as well. It has been a major healer in ancient India. Be it a physical ailment or mental — the cure for all these can be found in yoga. It is a complete disciplining routine, involving all kinds of physical and meditative exercises.
Getting In
Anyone who wants to get into this field has to not only be fit but also love to exercise. You must be energetic and athletic, have a good physique, and enjoy fitness training. You will also need to have a good knowledge of the human anatomy, diet, nutrition and other health and fitness related matters and keep abreast of the latest developments in health science — every day there is new information about fitness and a range of new equipment to stretch the body to its limits. If you are managing a gym or health club, you must also have good communication skills as you will be handling people of all age groups and walks of life and need to keep motivating them to stick to the fitness programme. This also requires you to be innovative and creative in preparing the exercise routine. You can learn the basics from a professional training programme but it is important to do your own self study and be prepared to keep exercising and experimenting with new movements and techniques. There are short courses run by private gyms and health clubs like Talwalkar’s in Mumbai to train fitness experts. Companies like Reebok and Nike also offer professional courses in some major
cities. The Nike Aerobics Course and the Reebok Instructor Certification programme cover theory and practical sessions for two-three months, after which you qualify with a training certification. You can do a Bachelors in Physical Education (B.PEd.) as a three-year course after Plus II, or I year after graduation. You can even opt for a Bachelor’s Degree in Yoga and Naturopathy (5½ yrs) or a one-year Diploma in Yoga and Naturopathy (DYN) which is approved by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. You could also train in any of the martial arts (Judo, Kung Fu, Karate), from a certified trainer/expert. A professional course in spa therapies is being offered at Ananda Spa Institute, Hyderabad, one of the few institutes that offers courses in this field with an international certification, where students learn about the various types of massage and spa therapies, how to treat cellulite, how to administer heat therapy, body wraps, mud wraps, body polishes and salt exfoliation and so on. Here one can also learn Swedish massage techniques, reflexology, muscle stimulation, remedial exercises and different techniques of massage, aromatherapy.
Job scope
With training in any of the fitness programmes one can work in gyms, big hotels, health clubs, fitness centres, spas, tourist resorts and even cruiseliners. Fitness professionals are today employed in a big way, also with schools, colleges, sports authorities, corporate offices and other recreational institutions. After gaining some experience one could even choose to run one’s own fitness centre, or conduct fitness programmes for executives of companies, many of which realise how important it is for their personnel to be phyiscially fit. Yoga and naturopathy experts work in yoga or fitness institutes and in hospitals as consultants or instructors. You could also become a personal trainer to a sportsperson, film star or a top businessman or executive, handling specific fitness and health needs of the celebrity. Some fitness trainers have even made a name for themselves conducting fitness programmes on TV. With the increasing stresses of the modern lifestyle there is also a growing awareness about the need to stay fit and healthy with the subsequent demand for qualified instructors going up sharply. Moreover, the value of the global spa and wellness industry has touched US$ 255 billion, making it one of the fastest growing industries in the world. So whether it is aerobics, yoga, naturopathy, ayurveda, or even holistic health, you can tune in to people’s needs and fit yourself into a powerful career!
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Insider’s Lens
Age is actually not a defining criteria when we talk of the fitness industry. If 58-year-old Malhotra is a novice taking tips, then 28-year-old instructor Anil Juneja is a veteran in the field of fitness in Chandigarh. Yoga has been his passion ever since the age of 15, when he started his career as an instructor. Juneja took to teaching yoga as a hobby, and over the past 13 years he has come a long way to have a fitness studio of his own. His ‘Fitness and Yoga’ studio in Panchkula is based on a purely western concept of holistic fitness, and “is the first of its kind in the tricity”, claims Juneja. Different from a standard gym with its cardio and weight training equipment, the fitness studio has classes in aerobics, kick boxing, power yoga, body balancing and dance routines to keep body in perfect shape and health.
A fitness instructor has many roles to play in his day-to-day routine. Expertise in his/her chosen field, people skills, knowing the pulse of changing trends etc are some of the basic requirements for those getting ready to step into this field, believes Juneja who has an MPhil. in yoga and is going to complete his Ph.D soon. He shares his experience with J&C: What changes have you seen in this field over the past few years? I have seen the industry grow immensely over the past decade. Earlier the struggle was more as the growth opportunites were very few, but those joining the industry or desirous of becoming a part of it now have a whole lot of choice and avenues as it is now a lucrative career. A large number of gyms and fitness centres have opened up in the region. Even if we take the example of Chandigarh, there has been a tremendous growth in this industry. Even international fitness chains have opened outlets here. So the scope for those wanting to join the industry is immense. There is demand for instructors, aerobics experts, and kickboxing and yoga experts apart from personal trainers. What is the work routine and remuneration like in this career? One has to put in a lot of hard work initially and work hours can be long, but the returns are excellent. A fitness trainer should understand the concept of fitness as a whole. Four things are required for fitness. These include flexibility, strength training stability and stamina, and one has to work on all these. Along with this comes the diet and nutrition aspect. Now there is good recognition for trainers and instructors and financial stability is also more. Apart from this, one gets great satisfaction to see the way training changes the lives of people. How has growing awareness changed the perception about fitness? While earlier all the stress was on losing weight, now more and more people are aware of the importance of overall fitness. It is more than just losing a few kilos. Fitness now has become a part of the daily routine of life. Along with that celebrities like Kareena Kapoor, Shilpa Shetty, Bipasha Basu have started new trends of different types of programmes and exercise routines, adding a touch of glamour to the profession and professionals. There are several corporates like Infosys, Dell, IBM etc that have in-house gyms. Physical trainers, who deal only with corporates are also in great demand. Is it important to specialise? It is a field like medicine, and just as there are doctors with different specialisations, there are trainers who are experts in different aspects of fitness. Specialisation in a particular field, be it yoga, pilates, dance forms, kickboxing or any other, surely gives an edge to one’s career. Thus, it is good for the youngsters planning to enter this field to go in for specialisation . How is the experience of having your own venture? It is an exciting experience, and for me it was sort of a goal towards which I had worked hard for so many years. But at the same time it is the beginning of a new journey as I plan to go much further from here, and as the industry is growing by leaps and bounds, I see no hassle in future. Managing a fitness studio of your own requires a lot of additional skills than just the knowledge of this profession, and one learns the ropes as one goes along.
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Visual Appeal
Visual merchandising is an emerging career field in today’s world. It includes a wide spectrum of innovative ideas applied in the creative presentation of a particular item or service or place. It is the art of presentation, which puts the merchandise in focus. It educates the customers, creates desire and finally augments the selling process. This is an area where the Indian retail industry, particularly, the small retailers lack adequate knowledge and expertise. This inadequacy is best reflected in poor presentation or display and communication in various retail formats.
This includes combining products, environments, and spaces into a stimulating and engaging display to encourage the sale of a product or service. It has become such an important element in retailing that a team effort involving the senior management, architects, merchandising managers, buyers, the visual merchandising director, designers, and staff is needed. Visual merchandising starts with the store building itself. The management then decides on the store design to reflect the products the store is going to sell and how to create a warm, friendly, and approachable atmosphere for its potential customers. Many elements can be used by visual merchandisers in creating displays, including colour, lighting, space, product information, sensory inputs such as smell, touch, and sound as well as technologies such as digital displays and interactive installations. Visual merchandising is more of an art than science; there are no absolute rules. It is more like an art in the sense that there are implicit rules but that these also exist to be broken to achieve striking effects. It is one of the final stages in trying to set out a store in a way that customers will find attractive and appealing and it should follow and reflect the principles that underline the store’s image. Visual merchandising is the way one displays ‘goods for sale’ in the most attractive manner with the end purpose of making a sale. “If it does not sell, it is not visual merchandising.” Visual merchandising is the art of implementing effective design ideas to increase store traffic and sales volume. It is an art and science of displaying merchandise to enable maximum sale. It is a tool to achieve sales and targets, a tool to enhance merchandise on the floor, and a mechanism to communicate to a customer and influence his decision to buy. It uses season based displays to introduce new arrivals to customers, and thus increase conversions through a planned and systematic approach by displaying stocks available.
Careerscope
In today’s challenging economy, people may avoid designers or visual merchandisers because they fear unmanageable costs. But in reality, visual merchandisers can help economies by avoiding costly visual mistakes. With the guidance of a professional, a retailer can eliminate errors, saving time and money. It is important to understand that the visual merchandiser is there, not to impose ideas, but to help clients articulate their own personal style. There is great scope to innovate the ideas in presenting a particular object or rendering service in merchandising context. Visual merchandising course can be adapted only by professionals who have the passion to absorb unchangeable art while presenting, showing and at the same time trying to draw customers’ attention in the retail shapes, exhibitions in fashion boutiques. It is also very helpful in providing experience in retailing any thing successfully relating to fashion designs like interior design, lighting music etc. After the successful completion of a course in visual merchandising, one may very easily get appointment as a Visual Merchandiser, Visual Merchandising Assistant, Visual Merchandising Director, Visual Merchandising Coordinator in shopping malls, boutiques, small and big stores etc. They are also welcome in fashion industry to organise international exhibitions. There are limitless employment opportunities for visual merchandiser. They can also work individually. Those who want to work on part time basis and self-employed this course can be very advantageous. Even after getting some experience one can also work as freelancer.
Job prospects
The concept of visual merchandising in India is still in its infancy. Opportunities for employment are opening up in shopping malls, boutiques, exhibitions, set designing of theaters, organisation of theme-based parties, window designing of shops, elite boutiques, and hotel lounges. The textile industry of India also recruits visual merchandisers to enhance the aesthetic appeal of textiles and organise International textile exhibitions with the help of visual merchandisers. Companies like Benetton, Future Group, Ebony, Titan, Tanishq, Pantaloons and Westside provide job opportunities in India. During festivals like Diwali, Durga Puja, there is a spurt of consumers who are ready to splurge in the retail stores, jewelry shops, fashion boutiques. The challenge of a visual merchandiser is to add that extra zing to the shops, boutiques to attract customers by virtue of their creative designs in graphics, interior decoration, lighting, window displays. Even theme based visual merchandisers are in great demand to organise parties during weddings, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, etc. There are a number of companies abroad like British Display Society, CVUK, Konnekt, Michael Page Retail, Pzazz, Seven Hr, HL-Display, H&M, Hammer & Sohne, Ebel Beluga Jewelry which provide job opportunities for visual merchandisers in the UK, USA, Dubai, Italy, Germany, etc. The job responsibilities include supervising the visual merchandising implementation in shops, implementation of attractive shop window designs, coordinating with the sales team and change the decoration to woo customers, constantly innovate ways and means to change the manikins, display, music and lighting of the retail store, emporium, boutiques.
Duration of courses
Courses in visual merchandising can be pursued at the undergraduate level as well as at post-graduate level. Apart from the undergraduate and post graduate courses, some institutes also offer certificate/diploma courses.
Eligibility
Many colleges, institutes and universities in India offer degree, diploma and certificate courses in visual merchandising, and for this minimum eligibility criteria is Plus II in any stream. Premier institutes like Indian Retail School, Pearl Academy of Fashion, NIFT regularly organise workshops, seminars on various subjects related to visual merchandising. People who work in this field are highly benefited through these workshops and seminars from time to time.
Pay package
Visual merchandising is a highly remunerative career option. Remuneration in visual merchandising industry is decided by personal skills and abilities of the person concerned. The normal pay packages of fresh graduates in this industry are Rs 25,000 to 30,000 per month. With some years of experience and extraordinary talent one can easily reach up to Rs 40,000-50,000 per month. The writer is the CEO of Indian Retail School (IRS)
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Q. I have just entered Class XI in science stream (non-med). What is the job of a flight engineer? Can girls pursue this field?
— Tanvir Jasbir Singh You can further specialise in aerodynamics, thermodynamics, propulsion, structures, celestial machines, acoustics and guidance and control systems.
Interdisciplinary choice
Q. I have completed my B.Tech (ECE) this year but my heart was never in it, and I did it because of family pressure. I have always been attracted to the field of medicine since childhood. Please tell me if there is any medical field I can enter which involves or can be combined with engineering? — Varun Sharma
A. Yes there is! Biomedical Science and Technology is an interdisciplinary field that bridges life sciences and engineering. It includes the study of biology, chemistry, physics, calculus, biotechnology, principles of design, materials science, biomechanics and biological sciences. Much of the work in biomedical engineering consists of research and development, spanning a broad array of subfields that include biomedical engineering, clinical engineering, medical engineering, bone marrow therapy, biomechanisms and biomaterials. More recently, it has widened its ambit to include genetic engineering and tissue engineering. Prominent applications of biomedical engineering include designing and developing prosthetic and orthotic devices e.g. artificial limbs, joints and organs, biocompatible prostheses, diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices ranging from clinical equipment to micro-implants, diagnostic aids, life-support systems, common imaging equipment such as MRIs and EEGs, biotechnologies such as regenerative tissue growth, and pharmaceutical drugs and biopharmaceuticals. As a biomedical engineer you will apply mathematical and scientific principles to design, develop and evaluate biological and healthcare delivery and medical information systems and products. There is an acute need for locally relevant R&D in the field of healthcare, which is increasingly becoming technology dependent. It’s rather unfortunate that physical and biological sciences are separated in our country, much to each other’s detriment. Good engineering is all about using sophisticated technology that is appropriate, economical and efficient. It should not be complex, complicated or out of reach. For instance, lakhs of knee and hip joints are replaced in India each year. Bio-medical engineers are needed to develop longer-lasting and better functioning artificial joints. While over 1 lakh amputations take place every year in India, barely a hundred-odd “Bombay-Vellore artificial hands” are used because they aren’t easily accessible. To take another example, Heisenberg harnessed the metal used as a technological device at ISRO to develop the stent, which has proved to be a veritable boon for heart patients, apart from reducing the cost of surgery from Rs 80,000 to as little as Rs 10,000. At present opportunities for bio-medical engineers or bioengineers as they’re sometimes called, essentially lie in the field of research and development. You could opt for pure research in institutes like the Department of Biotechnology, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Development of Education, Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram or the Department of Bioengineering, Christian Medical College, Vellore Medical advances and increasing health consciousness have spurred the demand for better and more sophisticated medical devices. This, in turn, drives the companies to hire qualified engineers to research and develop sophisticated, cost-effective medical equipment. Medical and pharmaceutical companies that design and manufacture surgical instruments, artificial organs, dental and cosmetics implants (e.g. artificial eyes, breast implants, etc) constantly work at innovating and upgrading the quality of their products. Medical labs and research organisations, government regulatory agencies involved in testing and certifying medical instruments, as well as those involved in setting safety standards need qualified bioengineers. Besides working as faculty in the biomedical department of a college, you could also work with hospitals, where you could guide the selection and use of medical equipment besides supervising their performance, testing and maintenance. Once you gain relevant experience, you can go on to assume a managerial position or function as a technical advisor or consultant to manufacturing companies.
Is entrance for Ph.D mandatory?
Q. I have completed my MPhil while teaching as an ad hoc lecturer in a private college. I am now thinking of going in for Ph.D. Is it mandatory to give an entrance exam for admission to Ph.D programmes in all universities? — Tushar Virmani
A.
If your admission to an M.Phil. programme was through an entrance exam and you have completed the prescribed course work, you are not required to take an entrance exam for admission to the Ph.D programme in the same university (as you will be considered to have complied with the UGC (Minimum standards and procedure for award M.Phil / Ph.D Degree) Regulation, 2009 (subject to the specific compliance of other requirements of the Regulation and particularly the provisions as contained in Regulations 9, 13 to 18). If you have done your M.Phil. from one university and want to move to another university for Ph.D, the new university may give you some credit and exempt you for the coursework done in your previous university. However, you will have to take the entrance test as applicable to a fresh candidate directly joining Ph.D. If you are not NET qualified (as I presume), then you will now get a time period of two years (i.e. four attempts at NET) to qualify in the NET/SLET. What’s more, during these two years, your college or university will not fill the teaching post presently held by you, be it on ad hoc or regular basis. To access the detailed UGC notification to this effect, go to:
www.ugc.ac.in/notices/gazette280809.pdf
Scholarship for management course
Q. I am a commerce graduate working in my father’s shop. I am very keen to pursue a course in business management through distance learning. But my economic condition doesn’t allow me to study further. Is there any scholarship in management for students like us who cannot afford such expensive courses? — Ravi Bhatia
A. Don’t lose heart. There’s always a way out. For instance, the All India Management Association (AIMA) has announced 30 scholarships for underprivileged students. Students who clear AIMA’s Management Aptitude Test [MAT], and qualify for AIMA’s Post Graduate Diploma in Management [PGDM] or the Post Graduate Diploma in Information Technology and Management [PGDITM] through the distance learning mode are eligible for these scholarships. Both courses comprise four modules. The total cost of the programmes is Rs 76,000 and Rs 1.20 lakh, respectively, which is divided into equal parts per module. You are eligible for these scholarships if your parents earn less than Rs 2 lakh p.a.
The writer is a noted career expert and director, Career Guidance India (CARING). Please send in your queries with your full name, complete address
and academic qualifications to: The Editor, Jobs and Careers, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030, or at careers
@tribunemail.com
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Study Abroad Cradle of fliers Yuri Gorokhovskyi
Ukrainian aviation universities are also famous for discoveries and inventions by their academicians and graduates. For example the first satellite in the world was launched and designed by a graduate of Kiev Polytechnic Institute in 1957, Sergey Korolyev. He also designed a space ship to send first man to space. Ukrainian engineers have designed and constructed world’s biggest planes – Antonov planes. Ukrainian scientists were the first to calculate the optimal trajectory for reaching the moon, which was later used by the Americans in their APOLLO Moon programme. Those are just few examples. Over the years, Ukraine, owing to its world-class education system, infrastructure and universities has emerged as one among the top 10 countries that attract the maximum number of international students. Ukraine is a part of the Bologna process (European Higher Education Area) which stands for uniform academic degree standards and quality assurance standards with 46 participating countries. Therefore, Ukrainian degrees are recognized globally (even by UNESCO, European Association of Universities and European Union) and accepted as equal with degrees of other participating countries. Indian students can choose English as their medium of instruction. The process for admission is very simple and entails only an interview, no entrance exam is required. Besides, there are hundreds of student exchange programmes available as well which allow them to opt for any European university while completing their education. Besides, Ukrainian universities often invite professors from Canada, USA and Great Britain to deliver lectures, thus giving students a chance to gain knowledge from both local and foreign specialists. Tuition fee starts from Rs 15,000 per month for studying aviation. This is highly affordable in comparison to tuition fee for similar courses in other international study destinations, especially Western Europe. Even the cost of living is highly reasonable and ranges between Rs 4,400 to Rs 17,600 per month. Ukrainian State Centre of International Education under the aegis of Ministry of Education and Science, Government of Ukraine – the authority which regulates and coordinates enrolment of international students into higher educational institutions, has now appointed Proactive Group, an active member of International Chamber of Commerce and partner of 30 leading Ukrainian universities with offices in Kyiv and New Delhi managed and run by Ukrainian nationals, as their official and licensed educational consultancy to assist Indian students. The number of Indian students studying in Ukraine today stands at 3,500. However, this number is poised to grow significantly in the days to come. Till now, Indian students opting for education programmes in Ukraine were assisted by independent agents who offered limited services like document preparation only. Buoyed by the huge potential that the Indian students have come to represent, the Government of Ukraine issued an initiative to appoint an officially licensed and authorised consultancy which shall assist Indian students willing to study in Ukraine on a turnkey basis. The writer is the Chief Executive Officer, Proactive Group
Indian Advantage
Why is Ukraine interested in Indian students?
According to the “Education Act” of Ukraine all applicants entering higher educational institutions have equal rights irrespective of their gender, race, nationality, social status, activity status, ideology, religion, etc. There are more than 50,000 international students from 120 countries, who study in Ukraine today. Indian students are considered among the most talented and hard working. Most of them come with a strong desire to obtain knowledge, learn new profession and develop themselves as globally demanded specialists. Because Indian students want to study, Ukrainian academicians and officials are more eager to give them opportunities and comfortable conditions to impart this knowledge. Indian graduates also have an opportunity to start their own business ventures in Ukraine. There are more than 100 Indian companies in Ukraine, most of them work in the field of pharmacy and computer science. How many students are studying at Ukraine from India, and how many of these are from Punjab? There are more than 3,500 students from India studying in Ukraine today. Approximately 4,000 Indians (not students) work in Ukraine. So Indian community makes about 7500 people. With relatively small number of people, this is one of the most influential international communities in Ukraine. As for Punjab there is no precise statistics. But taking into consideration the fact that a lot of students from Punjab go abroad for studying, than there should be quite a few of them in Ukraine as well. Most of Indian students study Medicine or Engineering in Ukraine. Ukrainian universities also know that many students from Punjab go to study abroad, that is why they support an idea to have country representative office in this region as well. This is why very soon the official representative of Ukraine in India will open representative office in Punjab region as well. What is plan for 2010-2012 in respect of admission of students from India? Approximately 300–400 students from India go to Ukraine to study every year. As right now Ukrainian Government is making more efforts to attract Indian students, this number should go higher. In 2012 Ukraine will host major European football championship EURO 2012, this will give a boost to the hospitality industry, as well as civil engineering, computer technologies, tourism, aviation and other fields. The demand for trained specialists, who know foreign languages will also grow, so Indian student have even better chances to get job in these sectors.
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Food for thought
According to Healthcare Status nearly 24 per cent of corporate employees sleep less than six hours in a day due to high stress levels that arise out of tough targets set for themselves by employers. This also leads to diseases like hypertension, sugar etc. Loss of sleep has also wide ranging effects, including daytime fatigue, physical discomfort, psychological stress, performance deterioration, low pain threshold and even increase absenteeism,
Assocham findings, however, further reveal that 21 per cent of respondents say that they feel fatigue on a regular basis due to sleep disorders, and close to 17 per cent of participants in the survey admitted that they suffered from regular headache. Sleep disorders caused depression among 13 per cent of respondents. In terms of physical fitness, about 30 per cent of corporate employees say that they hardly exercise against 25 per cent who physically exercise but for less than one hour a week. Almost 24 per cent of employees exercised for one to three hours a week against nine per cent of employees who exercised for three to six hours a week and merely five per cent stay fit by exercising for more than six hours a week. 16 per cent of sample population of the report claimed that they suffered from obesity. It is found that obesity alone can modify occupational morbidity, mortality and injury risk that can further affect workplace absence, disability, productivity and healthcare costs. Almost 11 per cent of the sample corporate employees were found to be suffering from lifestyle diseases. High blood pressure and diabetes are the other diseases affilictinf the corporate employees with a share of 9 and 8 per cent, respectively. Spondolysis (5.5 per cent), heart disease (4 per cent), cervical (3.0 per cent), asthma (2.5 per cent), slip disk (2 per cent) and arthritis (1 per cent) are the diseases that are mostly suffered by corporate employees. Depression, fatigue and sleeping disorder are conditions or risks that are often associated with chronic diseases and have the largest impact on productivity. It is observed in the report that corporate employees tend to ignore treatment for these chronic conditions. The report has recommended that under Section 17 of Income Tax Act, medical reimbursement to corporate employees should be exempted from tax in respect up to Rs 50,000 per annum and expenditure incurred in approved hospitals should also be fully reimbursed by employers considering increase in cost inflow index.
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Outsmart your rivals
If you want to outsmart others in the race then you can’t remain on the sidelines. You have to be in the thick of the battle. The following simple strategies can carry you far in the race to succeed: Decision-making ability: If you are unable to take a firm decision, waver like a weather-vane, you remain on the periphery — an also-ran in the career race. Dependability: Show it. Rise to the occasion in times of crisis. Stand by your organisation. Collaboration:
Have an effective working relationship with your employers. They have to coordinate their efforts well and communicate harmoniously. You should be on the same wave-length with them. Special
skills: You should know more about your organisation or institution than others. Something special and extra of which even many others insiders don’t have an inkling. Willing to shoulder extra responsibility and work load beyond your normal routine work. Add value to work by going beyond your job description. Surprise boss by undertaking a big, bold project which brings applause to the institution. People ask: whose brain-child is this? Keep yourself in the background: Focus limelight on the boss. Give him credit rather than take it for yourself. Be punctual: Your boss looks forward to your presence. When you are by his elbow, you boost his ego. Be regular: You may be punctual, and yet irregular. For example, you come to office at 9 a.m. without fail. You are being punctual. But if you miss two days a fortnight, you are irregular. The boss frowns upon this. People who advance are different from slow-trackers: they get on road to success despite handicaps. They display initiative which gives wings to fly to sky of success. In short, they outgrow the confines of their job. They
identify problem-areas, try to find solutions and do more than what is expected of them. They flash leadership qualities. While they are good followers of policies, rules and disciplines, they are good leaders to their subordinates. Their reputation spreads. Reputation is what others think of you. A fresh idea astonishes everyone and brings appreciation which marks you for promotion. An idea can change your life! Add to your utility to the organisation. Think of your weaknesses and overcome them. A plus personality is the hallmark of success.
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Course watch
Admission to the one-year diploma course in professional photography at the Academy for Photography Excellence (APEX), New Delhi is on. The last date for submitting application forms is July 22. The course is designed to inform the students about the medium’s history and equip them with the latest technical knowledge and conceptual rigor to take it up as a career, or a serious pursuit. Applicants should have either cleared their Plus II or graduation in any discipline. Apart from this course the academy also runs other courses in photography for students. These include three-month intensive foundation programme in photography, and one-month-long fast track foundation programme in photography.
BBA in Industry Integrated
JK Business School (JKBS) has announced the admission to its three-year BBA in Industry Integrated at its campus located at Damdama Lake Road, Bhondsi, Gurgaon (Haryana) for the session 2010-2013. The Industry Integrated programme is more application oriented and will give practical exposure to the students along with the classroom theoretical knowledge of business and industry. Students who have passed Plus II exams or equivalent examination from CBSE/Board of School Education, Haryana, or any other recognised board or three-year diploma from the board of Technical Education, Haryana, or its equivalent are eligible for this course. The last date for submission of application forms is July 15.
— TNS
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Happiness @ work
Risking his life, freedom fighter ‘Bagha’ Jatin Mukherji, in February 1915, returned to Manindra Chakravarty’s place near Kantipada to thank him for giving him shelter. Instead of being angry with Kaikeyi, Guha, the hunter king, thanked her for banishing Rama. “Only because of you could we not only meet Rama but were also of service to him,” he said. He had taken the exiled trio across the Ganga on his boat. To thank Mathoor, a common thief who was his cellmate in prison, for nursing him to health in jail, ‘Deshbandhu’ Chittaranjan Das employed him, after his release, as a domestic help at his home in Kolkata. As Ravana lay waiting for death, Rama told Lakshman, “He is a master of statecraft. Go and learn from him.” Lakshman respectfully approached the fallen hero and gained from his immense wisdom. In contrast, when Angad arrived at Ravana’s court just before the war to deliver Rama’s message of conciliation, Ravana didn’t even offer him a chair. Vaali’s son manufactured a seat as high as Ravana with his tail. A heated argument followed with Angad challenging the Asura warriors to lift his foot from the floor. All but Ravana made the attempt and failed. Showing no respect for the old monkey that lay in his path, Bhima broke his sleep with a roar. “Move my tail from the track and go ahead,” the monkey advised. When the mighty Pandava couldn’t move it using all his strength, he realized that the simian was none other than Hanuman. Pride humbled, he fell at his elder brother’s feet. Chhatrapati Shivaji gave due respect even to those he vanquished or captured. He not only sent the daughter-in-law of Mulla Ahmed, an official of Kalyan, back to her people but also restored the sovereignty of the Queen of Belavadi Savitribai whom his forces defeated in 1677. A ‘thank you’ costs nothing but can pay rich
dividends. — Sai R. Vaidyanathan |
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When not on their mobiles or Ipods, young people today are working out in gyms, health clubs, dance classes and the like. Being fit has never been so popular. It is not only the young people and fitness freaks pumping iron and working on their abs, but rotund middle aged mothers, too, can be seen taking up power yoga and dancing to the latest rock video. The adage — there is no wealth without health has spurred the growth of the fitness industry over the past couple of years.
Age is actually not a defining criteria when we talk of the fitness industry. If 58-year-old Malhotra is a novice taking tips, then 28-year-old instructor Anil Juneja is a veteran in the field of fitness in Chandigarh. Yoga has been his passion ever since the age of 15, when he started his career as an instructor. Juneja took to teaching yoga as a hobby, and over the past 13 years he has come a long way to have a fitness studio of his
own.
Visual merchandising is an emerging career field in today’s world. It includes a wide spectrum of innovative ideas applied in the creative presentation of a particular item or service or place. It is the art of presentation, which puts the merchandise in focus. It educates the customers, creates desire and finally augments the selling process. This is an area where the Indian retail industry, particularly, the small retailers lack adequate knowledge and expertise.
Indian Retail School
A.
In civil aviation Aircraft Engineers normally specialise in mechanical or aeronautical engineering. While mechanical engineers service and overhaul engines and airframes, aeronautical engineers specialise in the maintenance of aircraft instruments, electrical and electronics equipment, navigation, radar and radio communication systems. Aircraft engineers work at airports during turn-around of airplanes, working in all types of weather conditions. They work as part of an organised and highly efficient team and often, under great pressure. Yes, girls, and even bespectacled candidates, can take up a course in flight/aeronautical engineering but physical fitness and total dedication to one’s work remains a pre-requisite.
This is technologically, one of the most advanced branches of engineering. As an aeronautical engineer you design, construct and maintain commercial and military aircraft, even satellites, spacecraft and missiles. The course would cover the study of fluid, thermo dynamics, gas dynamics, material science, structural analysis, propulsion, acoustics and electronics.
Ukrainian aviation universities, including the National Aviation University, Kyiv; National Aerospace University, Kharkiv; and State Flight Academy of Ukraine, Kirovograd have earned a reputation for themselves over the years and are domain leaders in the whole of Europe and Asia. These universities are famous for preparing outstanding pilots, aviation and space engineers. As of today, students from almost 50 countries study aviation in Ukraine. Major universities partner with international authorities, such as International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Aviation Committee (IAC), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). International exchange programmes conducted by aviation universities allow students and academicians to participate in workshops and internships in Spain, Britain, Germany, Netherlands, France, South Korea and other countries.
Successful people are made, not born. People succeed because, among other things, they work hard. They tap their inner resources while many others are not even aware of the existence of these resources.
Simple gestures like giving due respect, saying ‘thank you’ and ‘please’ do help in keeping the work atmosphere cordial.
