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CAREER HOTLINE
Ajayveer Sandhu A. The reputation of a restaurant mainly depends on the quality of food that is served and it is the chef who determines this. Trends come and go. We had nouvelle cuisine with big dishes and small portions. Then came fusion cuisine, which was another name for confusion. And now it’s back to the basics. The emphasis now is on sourcing the finest raw material and cooking them in such a way that they retain their essential flavour. Only bad chefs mask the flavours of the ingredients. A good dish can be simple yet delicious. There are several different ways of becoming a chef in a hotel. After Class X or XII, you can take a craft-level course in cooking/baking at a Food Craft Institute. Admission is normally in June/July. These 6 to18-month courses virtually assure you a place in the junior levels of the kitchen hierarchy, i.e., as a Commis 3 in a five-star hotel. Those trained in traditional/family cooking can also join as Commis directly. Even those who have no culinary background can join a hotel directly as a Kitchen Apprentice. Starting at the lowest rung, you can work your way up to the supervisory level within 6-7 years. Another popular route is to opt for a 3-year hotel management diploma or degree course from a recognised institute after Class XII. After a 1-year diploma from a Food Craft Institute you can also join the Army as a JCO (Catering). Entrance is through a written exam and screening, followed by an interview. A good chef can earn as much as the General Manager of the hotel. As a trainee starting at anywhere between Rs6000 – Rs 8000, your experience and ability to innovate can fetch you a cool Rs 1 lakh plus pm. Some leading institutes in India:
Prospects in psychiatric nursing Q. I’m interested in doing a course in psychiatric nursing. Could you please suggest some recognised courses? Pradeep Rajan A The following institutes offer courses in psychiatric nursing: National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Hosur Road, Bangalore 560029. Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing . Eligibility: Registered nurses with 2 years work experience; should also possess ‘A’ Grade Certificate in General Nursing with Class XII (preferably science stream); M.Sc (Psychiatric Nursing): Duration: 2 years. Eligibility: Registered nurse with BSc/BSc (Hons) Nursing (60% agg) and 2-yrs experience in Hospital Nursing Education, institution or community health setting. Central Institute of Psychiatry, Kanke, Ranchi 834006 (Jharkhand). Course: Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing. The All India Institute of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation , Mumbai. Course: 1-yr postgraduate course in Rehabilitation Techniques. Eligibility: Nurses (general) with 3 years work experience. Study abroad Q . I want to pursue my higher education abroad. What parameters should I consider while selecting a university?Sumedha Kohli A The following pointers will help you decide which universities to apply to: The list: Draw up a rough list of universities, depending on the course you are looking for, opportunities available after the course, funding available for sponsorships, scholarships etc. Accreditation: Once you’ve drawn up the preliminary list, check out the university’s accreditation, value of the course and the faculty. As very few American universities are government regulated, accreditation can prove to be an important index for the student. You can get an idea of the institutional accreditation status from www.chea.org. British universities, on the other hand, are regularly assessed by the government through the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) and the Teaching Quality Assessment (TQA). While RAE assesses the quality of research, TQA assesses the quality of teaching. B-school ratings: Business schools in England are also assessed by private bodies like the Association of MBA schools (AMBA). If you are opting for a British University do look up the RAE, TQA - AMBA ranking to get an idea of its standing. Reputation: In countries that have a small number of universities, official ranking may not be available. For instance, New Zealand and Australia rely on private ranking. In such cases, do also look at the reputation of the university. Final list: You can order the prospectus from the respective university’s official website, once you have graduated from your preliminary list to the final list, which should ideally have shortlisted two to five universities. Courses for contractors Q I am a private contractor. Are there any courses which my team of workers can attend to improve its skills and learn modern techniques?Sukhvinder Singh A Indeed there are. Realising the need for formal training in the construction sector, the Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC), set up by the Planning Commission, entered into a partnership with IGNOU some years ago to conduct various open learning programmes for construction workers and artisans. These programmes (in Hindi and five regional languages) have been structured to impart training through audio-visual and written material while the worker is working on the site. At present, two certifications are issued: Master/Trainer Craftsman Certificate for highly skilled workers and Craftsman Certificate for unskilled and semi-skilled workers. No prior qualifications are required. While the training is offered through the National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd in Delhi, IGNOU conducts a test and issues the certificate of competency. Stability vs risk Q I’ve been working in the corporate sector for 10 years. I am now in a stable and challenging position. Recently, however, I’ve been approached with an offer to join a startup with tremendous potential. Should I stay in a stable, multinational environment or move to this risky venture with immense potential?Puneet Khanna A It’s a major adventure you’re contemplating — and you have summed up the equation perfectly: employment in a stable, predictable MNC environment versus a potentially high-reward (money, excitement, etc.) but also high-risk start-up situation. Having sized up the risk-reward equation, I think what you need to do is: Assess the downside of making the move; namely, the potential damage, if any, to your career growth in case the start-up does not succeed, and the options then for getting back to a stable environment (although the concept of lifetime employment has gone for a toss). Then after getting all this objective assessment clear in your head, listen also to the "subjective" call of your gut. What weightage one assigns to one’s head and gut, respectively, is of course entirely a personal choice. And since different people assign different emphasis — that’s what makes the world so interesting – and equally hard to predict. Hospitality to B-school Q I have a diploma in Hotel Management from the NCHMT. I also have a BA degree. I secured 63 per cent marks in Hotel Management and 44 per cent in graduation. Am I eligible to take the MBA entrance exams like CAT, MAT and other independent management tests conducted by private B-schools?Balvinder Singh A Although the IIMs don’t specify any minimum percentage at the bachelor’s level, and some private B-schools may also permit you, but the fact that you have scored below 50 per cent marks may prove to be a deterrent for admission to some of the currently popular MBA programmes. However, as you must know, the NCHMT diploma programme has been upgraded to degree status. As an ex-diploma holder, you could, upgrade your credentials by securing additional credit points. For details, see www.nchmt.org. The NCHMCT also offers a Master’s in Hotel Administration in some of the IHMs. Perhaps you could even consider that as an alternative option. The MTPs (Management Training Programmes) offered by some of the prestigious five-star hotel chains like the Indian Hotels (Taj Group), Oberois (East India Hotels), WelcomGroup (ITC), etc. would be another excellent option of acquiring a management-level qualification, should you wish to upgrade your qualifications in the hospitality sector. Opportunities in insurance Q I will be completing my graduation this year. Due to family pressure I will have to start earning right away. Is insurance a good option? Will I get a job easily?Surinder Malhotra A All the licensed private companies who entered the Indian market are currently on a hiring spree, as is evident from their large and frequent appointment ads. The reason is simple: insurance needs to be sold in every nook and corner of the country just like Pepsi or Colgate. And unlike the West, where it is a mature slow-growth sector, the potential in India is truly enormous. It is estimated that 5 lakh agents will be required in the next three years. And with competition really hotting up, insurance needs to be ‘marketed’ as a risk management tool and not meredy as a tax break, particularly in the case of customised products. This calls for a great deal of skill on the part of the agent who has to be smart enough to identify the client’s financial needs and offer the appropriate policy. Prodded by the heat of competition, LIC is also on a recruitment drive — to augment its agent strength by a couple of lakhs. While the qualifications required to enter this profession are plus two for city-based agents and Class X for those in the rural areas, the newer players prefer graduates. The IRDA also specifies that all prospective agents must undergo 100 hrs of prescribed training (which most companies provide in-house, free of cost) before they clear a written licensing certification exam either online or in paper mode. Details: www.irdaindia.org . The best part is that since this is not a regular 9-5 office job, you can happily continue your higher education alongside (www.irdaindia.org). Even if you sell five to six policies in a month, which is not a big number, you can easily earn up to Rs 10,000 –15, 000 per month. Scope of MCA Q I have done BCA from PTU with 72 per cent marks. Now I am doing MCA Part I from the same college and university. Please tell me about the scope of MCA.Aman Preet A With an MCA degree followed by some relevant experience, you will have a choice of sporting any of the following job titles in software: Analyst Programmer, Application Programmer, CAD Designer, CAD/CAM Technician, Computer Consultant, Computer Graphics Specialist, Web Developer, Web Master, Computer Operations Manager, Computer Security Analyst, Customer Engineer, Data Communications Specialist, Information Services Executive, Inspection Supervisor, Management Information Systems Analyst, Operations Research Analyst, Program Librarian, Regional Manager, Software Services Representative, Systems Analyst, Systems Design Specialist, Systems Development Manager, Systems Maintenance Analyst, Technical Services Manager, and Technical Training Manager. A majority of these jobs requires competence in Systems Analysis. SA is a professional problem solver that analyses the different sets of manual procedures in use in an organisation and replaces them with computerised processes. Expertise and flair in technologies such as mobile computing, embedded or telecom software, VLSI Design, GPS and information security which are the other hot areas, should boost your prospects further. Pursuing psychology Q I’m a final year student of Bachelor’s in psychology. Can you please guide me about the future options in psychology and about the postgraduate courses in clinical psychology and the best colleges offering these courses?Prathibha A It may perhaps surprise you to know that even in the large metros, there are barely a handful of qualified clinical psychologists, particularly in government hospitals. As a clinical psychologist, you will apply the findings of psychology to diagnose and treat patients holistically. You could also choose to focus on researching mental and psychosomatic illnesses in children and adults. If you are interested in academics, you can also teach at the college or university level or even in a medical college where clinical psychology is one of the basic subjects of the MD (Psychiatry) course. However, a Master’s degree or diploma is not enough. The Indian Journal of Clinical Psychology clearly states that in addition to a Master’s in Psychology, a two-year M.Phil degree is the minimum requirement for a clinical psychologist. In principle though, a Ph.D is the preferred qualification. Alternatively, you should be a Full Member of the Indian Association of Clinical Psychologists (IACP), not an Associate or Correspondent Member. NIMHANS, Bangalore, rated amongst the top 10 institutions in this field globally, is the hottest destination for those training to be professional psychologists. In the North, Panjab University, Chandigarh, and Delhi University are good options. MJP Rohilkhand University, Bareilly—-MA (Appl & Clinical Psy), Guru Jambheshwar University, Hisar—-M.Sc Appl Psy (Clinical) are a couple of others you could look at. PG Diploma in Clinical Psychology is offered at the following universities: Patna University, University of Mysore, and Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore. Commerce course Q I am studying in Class XII (commerce) in a girl’s school. Are any courses offered at the ITIs for commerce students?Harvinder Singh A The Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) offer a wide choice of certificate courses in various trades: Electronic Mechanic, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Mechanic, Diesel Mechanic, Fitter, Electrician, Civil Draughtsman (with AutoCAD), Surveyor, Motor Vehicle Mechanic, Instrument Mechanic, Computer Operator & Programming Assistant, Photographer, Plumber, Stenographer (English) (with computer), Secretarial Practice (with computer), Hair & Skin Care (Beautician), Preservation of Fruits & Vegetables, Dressmaking, etc. You can look at the following courses since these do not require a scientific background: Computer Operator & Programming Assistant, Photographer, Plumber, Stenography (English) (with computer), Secretarial Practice (with computer), Hair & Skin Care (Beautician), Preservation of Fruits & Vegetables & Dressmaking. And why just ITIs? You can also enrol in a recognised government polytechnic and do a two or three-year diploma in similar fields. Working as medical rep Q What is the eligibility for becoming a medical representative?Gurdeep Sondhi A You need to be a science graduate preferably in biology, microbiology, biochemistry or pharmacy. Good verbal and written skills, fluency in English and at least one local language are also needed. Be prepared for intensive travel. You may be asked to move and operate from different locations. After receiving intensive training, your job is to promote the company’s products to doctors, medical institutes and the trade. Besides meeting challenging sales and profit targets, you must submit regular administrative reports. Your compensation packet consists of a base salary and performance-based incentives. But beware, the job is not as easy as it may seem. The competition is fierce and you must be prepared to cool your heels in the doctor’s visiting room before he calls you in – particularly if you are representing some of the smaller pharma companies. (The lists of courses are not exhaustive) — Pervin Malhotra Please send in your
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Q.
Could you please tell me of some leading institutes in India where I
could train to be chef? What is the hot cuisine to master these days?