Career Hotline
Future in furniture
Pervin Malhotra

Q Our family has several pieces of ancestral furniture which my friends say is priceless. However, not all of it is in good condition. Besides, we don’t have space to store it. I am told there is a good market for antique furniture. What does it take to be a furniture restorer? Will it be a good idea?

— Jayesh Khurana

A Furniture restorers/conservators preserve and restore pieces of modern and antique furniture. Those specialising in historic or antique furniture may opt for conservation work to ensure that items retain their original characteristics. Restorers may use new materials to protect and update existing features. Restorers/conservators combine their specialist knowledge with a variety of practical techniques, such as veneering, marquetry, upholstery and polishing.

Ornamental or even functional furniture reflects the tastes of a society, the style, culture and history of the period and above all, timelessness of design, which is why unique pieces sometimes gain an abstract or concrete value. It is due to this ‘value’ that furniture conservators/ restorers are in demand.

After carefully examining the condition of the piece you will then take a call on the best way to restore or conserve it. To prolong and protect the life of a piece of furniture and artfully restore it to its original glory calls for creativity and careful planning before undertaking any ambitious conservation work. Even a minor mistake may damage a priceless piece.

Your work will also include sourcing materials, maintaining photographic and written records of projects, liaising with clients and colleagues, and providing specialist information.

Besides a genuine interest in the history of furniture, to excel at your job you need a patient and methodical yet creative approach and close attention to detail and a scientific temper.

Good communication skills to explain complex issues to clients.

Keep up to date with new preservation techniques and equipment, such as developments in digital imaging.

Furniture restorers are also hired by museums, auction houses, historical or heritage sites or antique dealers. But in terms of employment, there are relatively few jobs available and you must be prepared to travel extensively to source and procure pieces.

Q I want to be an engineer, but I have not seen many women opting for engineering careers. Is it not a suitable profession for women?

— Amanpreet Kaur

A Women invented all of them! Incidentally, the world’s first woman to complete her Bachelor’s in engineering was Alice Perry, who graduated with first class honours in civil engineering from the University College, Galway, Ireland, way back in 1906!

But you are right, to some extent: engineering has largely remained a male-dominated profession in India. Probably due to the fact that teachers and parents were, in the past, not sufficiently informed about what engineering was all about, and mainly associated it with working on machines in a greasy factory or out on dusty construction sites.

This could also be ascribed to the fact that most people don’t have significant dealings with engineers, so they don’t know what the work entails, less so about the various areas of specialisation. On the other hand, they are somewhat more familiar with women doctors, lawyers and other professionals and the work they do.

However, times are swiftly changing. Young women have increasingly begun to opt for engineering and technology-based careers. I receive hundreds of queries each month from enthusiastic young girls looking at high-tech options.

And why not? After all, women have all the necessary qualities to become good engineers - just as men do.

In a recent survey, 88.5 per cent of the women engineers interviewed classified their job as challenging, 72 per cent as exciting, and 79.5 per cent as personally rewarding. All the women interviewed said they would encourage girls leaving school to consider engineering as a career. All of them pointed out that the field is presently so wide that there are a vast number of options -from IT and Telecom to Food Technology and Biomedical engineering - for anyone with the basic aptitude and attitude. So, please go ahead and pursue your dream. Remember, if we continue to do what we’ve always done, we’ll continue to get what we’ve always gotten!

Q Some of my friends are opting for home science. Does it have any relevance? Is science necessary for admission?

— Shruti Singh

A Both a science as well as an art, and combining theoretical knowledge with extensive fieldwork, Home Science is an interdisciplinary field that gears students for employment as well as entrepreneurship. Contrary to belief, it has numerous applications outside the home as well.

To prepare for the four basic areas of Home Sc (Food & Nutrition, Clothing & Textile, Human Development and Family Resource Management), you’ll study varied subjects spanning across biological and physical sciences i.e. chemistry, biochemistry, physics, anatomy & physiology, bacteriology, microbiology, health & hygiene, economics, sociology, psychology and perhaps a few more. However, each of these subjects is taught only to the extent necessary to provide a grounding in the four major areas.

The varied nature of study at the bachelor’s level will give you a very broad base of information and knowledge to tackle the further specialisations in this field, or any other area of study at the PG level.

Some of the BSc (Hon) courses in Home Science and those offered at agricultural universities do require science in 10+2, but not all.

Q I am interested in doing MBBS from JIPMER and would like to know about their entrance test and how to prepare for it.

— Manish Arora

A Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER), is a premier medical college affiliated to the Pondicherry University, offers both medical and paramedical courses.

Eligibility: Plus two (50% each in English and PCB). Minimum age: 17 years (on/before 31 Dec). Application deadline: March-end.

Eligibility: Plus two Phys, Chem, Biology/ Botany & Zoology & English. Age: 17 years.

Selection: Entrance Exam: end-May (at 7 centres)

Number of seats for MBBS: 75 (Pondicherry natives: 20, other states: 26, CBSE-PMT: 11, Central Government nominees:18.

For the 46 seats reserved for candidates from Pondicherry and other states: Merit in the qualifying exam held at various centres across the country is the only criterion for selection.

Evaluation of the Entrance test is computerised and there is no negative marking. The paper comprises 200 multiple-choice questions in English, Botany, Zoology, Physics and Chemistry.

The exam is based on the CBSE class 11 and 12 syllabus. It is advisable to start preparing while you are in still in school. Pay special attention to chapters on the respiratory and nervous system, genetics, organic and inorganic chemistry, atoms and molecules etc. To improve your English, practice comprehension exercises.

Since you have to answer 200-odd questions within a limited time slot, make sure you build on your speed while answering practise questions.

Details: JIPMER, Dhanvantari Nagar, Pondicherry 605006 www.jipmer.edu.

Q I have completed my postgraduation in cytogenetics and plant breeding. I want to know whether I can get into genetic counseling as a profession.

— Leena Singh

A Genetic research is a powerful tool for treating medical conditions, but it is still a new tool. Many people whose families are affected by genetic disorders don’t understand how it will affect their lives. Even genetic researchers and doctors don’t fully understand how genes cause certain genetic disorders.

Genetic counsellors are health professionals who work with doctors and families to help families get the information they need to understand the disorder.

Genetic counsellors provide information and support to families who have members with birth defects or genetic disorders and to those who may be at risk for a variety of inherited conditions e.g. congenital heart defects, spina bifida, Down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, haemophilia, mental retardation, hearing or visual impairments, learning disabilities or other physical or genetic defects.

They identify and investigate the problem, interpret information about the disorder, analyze inheritance patterns and risks of recurrence and review available options with the family.

Typically, GCs have a specialised postgraduate degree and experience in medical genetics and counselling. Most enter the field from a variety of disciplines, including biology, genetics, nursing, psychology, public health and social work.

Although a relatively nascent discipline in India, genetic counselling is a growing field. Besides the traditional jobs prenatal counselling, increasing opportunities will be available in other areas such as:

Clinical: working with patients and families in hospitals, private practice, or on a consulting basis. GCs provide supportive counselling to families and refer individuals for specialist follow-up.

Commercial: working with biotech companies which design, sell, and administer genetic tests.

In the West, they also serve as educators and resource persons for other health care professionals, companies and the general public. Yet others work as research scientists in the field of medical genetics and genetic counselling.

In the US, certification in genetic counselling is offered by the American Board of Genetic Counselling (ABGC) on the basis of an examination. To be eligible for the exam, applicants must have pursued a Master’s program accredited by the ABGC (more than 23 such programmes are offered in the US).

However, your specialisation is in cytogenetics and plant breeding. This is different from human genetics which is the focus area of genetic counselling.

Nonetheless, you will find some very useful information on the National Society of Genetic Counsellors website: www.nsgc.org

Q I am studying at an ITI in Jalandhar and want to set up my own manufacturing unit after I complete the course. Is it possible to get some financial assistance to get started?

— Tejender Singh

A Besides the other government self-employment schemes, you could also consider the following: A couple of years back, the Punjab government formulated a policy for the benefit of students of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the state.

Under this plan, different nationalised banks advance a loan of Rs. 10,000 - 25 lakh to the applicants. The government will also give a subsidy of 25 to 30 per cent on the total sharing 5-10% principal amount by the aspirants of general and scheduled categories. You can avail of subsidy only after setting up the unit after two years. You can opt for any project as long as it is not environmentally hazardous. Senior officers of the Khadi and Village Industries (KVI) will also impart professional training to the beneficiaries before starting the project.

If you take a loan exceeding Rs 10 lakh, you will get a 10 per cent subsidy. The government is also actively promoting organic farming, vermiculture, biomanure and biogas plant projects in rural and urban areas.

The writer is a noted career consultant