Career Hotline
Give wings to your dreams
Pervin Malhotra

Q I am very keen to become a commercial pilot. Which are the good flying schools in Punjab where I could train?

— Kuldeep Raturi

A To open up job avenues for Punjabi youth, the state government is considering the revival of flying clubs in Jalandhar, Patiala and Ludhiana which have been lying redundant for want of funds and political will. It is also trying to revive the Pathankot and Adampur airports for civil use.

With the upgradation of various airports including the Amritsar Airport and an in international airport at Halwara (Ludhiana) in the pipeline, there has been a sharp increase in the demand for commercial pilots, Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs), cabin crew and aviation staff. Keeping this in mind, Guru Nanak Dev University in collaboration with Department of Civil Aviation, Punjab, has launched a new course for training commercial pilots.

The University plans to offer this course at a reasonable rate. The Amritsar Aviation Club will provide practical training including 200 hours of flying experience while the theory classes will be held at the University campus. Also in the pipeline are aviation-related courses like airways services and airhostess training.

The Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Academy, Fursatganj, Rae Bareli (UP), is an autonomous body under the M/o Civil Aviation, GoI. This premier flying school offers two courses: Ab-initio to Commercial Pilot License (CPL) Course & PPL to CPL Course. Forms can be downloaded from the institute website: (www.igrua.gov.in)

Feed thy ambition

Q I have just done my graduation (non-med.) I want to be a chef. Please tell me about the procedure and some institutions, which offer such courses?

— Vishal Salaria

A Chefs are undoubtedly the backbone of the hospitality industry. And as a graduate of one of the esteemed culinary schools listed below, you’ll be prepared for a career as a chef, caterer, baker, or pastry chef.

Food Craft Institutes — Aligarh, Chandigarh, Darjeeling, Faridabad, Patna, Pondichery, Pune, Udaipur. Courses: 6-18 month Diploma in Culinary Education.

Indian School of Hospitality, C 12/A, Qutub Instutional Area, New Delhi-110016 (ITDC & Amity Univ), Course: PG Diploma in Culinary Skills & Mgt (1-yr). www.amity.edu/ash Contact: Dr Jagmohan Negi: 9810860701

National Council of Hotel Mgt and Catering Technology (NCHMCT), Library Avenue, Pusa, New Delhi (www.nchmct.org). Courses: BSc (Hospitality & Hotel Admin) (3-yr): at 24 IHMs. Craftsmanship Course in Food Production (1 `BD - year): at IHM - Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Goa, Gwalior Shimla, Delhi (Pusa), Thiruvananthapuram;

Diploma Course in Food Production (1 `BD year): at FCIs - Ajmer, Chandigarh, Darjeeling, Faridabad, Gangtok, Jodhpur, Udaipur

Diploma in Bakery & Confectionery (1 `BD -year): FCI - Chandigarh, IHM-Delhi (Pusa)

Delhi Instt of Hotel Mgt & Catering Technology, (G/o NCT of Del), Behind LSR, LPN-4, New Delhi-24. Course: Trade Diploma in Cookery, Bakery & Confectionary (1 `BD year). Eligibility: C10/12 (50 per cent agg); Age limit: 25 years

Instt of Hotel Mgt & Catering Technology, Panipat (Haryana) Craftsmanship Courses: Bakery & Confectionery, Food Production (1`BD year).

Oberoi Centre for Learning & Development, 7 Sham Nath Marg, New Delhi-110054 (www.careers-theoberoigroup.com)
Course: 3-year Sr. Kitchen Training Programme. Eligibility: Graduates from any hotel mgt school. Kitchen Mgt (2-year) Eligibility: Degree/ Diploma in HM.

FHRAI Instt of Hotel Mgt, Gr Noida (FHRAI & Ecole Hoteliere de Lousanne, Switzerland). (www.fhrai.com/institute)
Courses: B. Sc International in Hospitality Mgt with specialisation in Culinary Mgt (4-yr)

Be a legal eagle

Q I want to know what are the careers for a B.Com (law) graduate who has also majored in economics besides being a legal adviser.

— Nobuntu Mbunye

A Legal education is an asset in just about any activity — from business management to Civil Services.

Options like corporate law, IPR and patent laws, environmental and even international law are hot fields today. Judicial Services, the JAG (Armed Forces) or Company Secretaryship, remain open as alternative options apart from legal consulting.

Legal KPOs are also hiring lawyers who do not wish to practice, in large numbers.

Teaching and research is another option. For the more academically inclined, L.LM may be worth considering.

NLSIU, Bangalore, has launched a special fellowship programme to attract the best young minds to legal academics. Three prestigious M.K. Gandhi National Law Teaching Fellowships are awarded o fresh meritorious LL.B graduates. If selected as a Fellow, you will be appointed as Assistant Lecturer and admitted to the LL.M programme at the NLSIU.

B. Tech beckons

Q I completed my Diploma in Mechanical Engineering in 2002 with 59 per cent marks. Now I want to do BE/B.Tech. Please tell me about the institutions /universities which provide these courses through correspondence.

— Parwiinder Singh

A Some of the institutions that offer BE / B.Tech through distance mode are:

Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani (www.bits-pilani.ac.in) Course: BS: Engg and Industrial Technology, Engineering Practice, Engineering Technology, Industrial Mgmt, Information Systems, Process Engineering, Power Engineering.

Eligibility: Diploma in Engg /B. Sc.

JNTU, School of Continuing & Distance Education, Masaab Tank, Mahavir Marg Hyderabad-500028 (AP) (www.jntu.ac.in) Course: B. Tech Mechanical Engg (Distance, 4-8 years) You can also enrol as a Senior Technician Member of the Institution of Engineers (India) (www.ieindia.org). The Associateship Member of the Institution is considered equivalent to a BE/B.Tech, on successful completion of the course you can appear for GATE which will enable you to seek admission (with scholarships) to any of the postgraduate courses (ME/M.Tech) in your area of specialisation.