Wednesday, August 2, 2006


Career Hotline
No half-baked idea, this
Pervin Malhotra

Q I am 26 years’ old and interested in opening my own bakery. Please tell me about the future in this field. Also, suggest some good institutes.

— Paramjit Singh

A Did you know that India has the world’s second largest biscuit industry (after China)? And that the unorganised sector accounts for 60 per cent sales of all bakery products in India? Well, now that you do, just go ahead and check out some of these courses that will help you master the art (and craft) of baking. Once you’ve grasped the basics, some practice (a few burnt cookies and one or two stubborn, refusing-to-rise cakes) followed by loads of experimentation — you’ll soon be perfect.

However, it’s best to get some (at least a couple of years) apprenticeship in a hotel or bakery, before you choose to branch out on your own.

Your best bet would be the 1½-year Craft Courses (including 6-month industrial training) in Bakery and Confectionery offered at some of the IHMs and Food Craft Institutes all over the country.

Another good option if you would like to start your own bakery would be to sign up for the Entrepreneurship Development Programme on the Bakery Industry offered from time to time by the Small Industries Service Institute, (GoI, M/o Small Scale, Agro & Rural Industries), Ludhiana (www.sisildh.com).

Besides guidelines on setting up your own unit, the programme introduces you to baking technology — production and processes involved in manufacture, packaging and marketing of bakery products, besides sourcing the finance and selecting the right equipment. The course also covers 10-day in-plant practical training at a professional Hotel Management Institute.

The course covers practical and theoretical aspects of fruit and vegetable preservation and dairy products. Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree.

Guru Jhambheshwar University, Hisar (www.gju.ernet.in) offers a PG Dip in Baking Sc & Technology (1-year), Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree.

You could also sign up for courses offered privately, but make sure it’s not one of those hobby classes.

Nurse a foreign dream

Q After completing B.Sc Nursing I am interested in going to the USA. What is the scope of employment for nurses there?

— Mona Gill

A At present, there is a virtual red carpet opportunity for Indian nurses in the US. The US government has issued a memorandum providing H-IB visa guidelines for registered nurses, which can subsequently be converted into a green card.

Facing an acute shortage of 1.18 lakh nurses, the US has opened its gates to nurses and paramedic staff. By 2020, the numbers required are expected to swell to 8 lakh. It is a win-win situation for nursing and paramedic staff. As India and the Philippines will be the biggest suppliers to plug this gap, India will face a domestic shortage of 8-10 lakh paramedics in the coming 3-5 years. As a result, salaries offered both in India and abroad will rise in the near future.

However, you should be mindful of a few caveats. Nurses aren’t eligible for temporary work visas. They can only enter the country as green card applicants; a process that can take close to two years.

Indian nurses have been spared the expenditure of flying all the way to the US for taking the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) that is mandatory for obtaining a nursing licence in America. National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), USA, has cleared the way for the exams to be held in India itself. This facility will be available next year although the city for the testing centre has not been declared.

To be Registered as a Nurse (RN) in the US, you must clear the NCLEX-RN exam, which is conducted all over USA.

This objective-type computer-based exam starts off with 75 questions in 75 minutes. If you pass 50 per cent of the first 75 questions, the exam stops. Otherwise, it will go up to a maximum of 265 questions in 5 hours. Don’t worry, most nurses manage to pass within 100 questions.

Fashion your future

Q I have completed plus two in commerce with an aggregate of 55 per cent. Can I opt for fashion photography with a commerce background? What is the eligibility, which are the institutes and what are the prospects in India?

— Sudev

A Fashion photographers breathe life into pictures by brilliantly orchestrating the elements of light, juxtaposition of objects, colour, composition and a beautiful subject. Photography is about split-second decisions to capture that fleeting moment that can be easily missed with the blink of eye.

A fashion photographer is essentially an artist, exotic locales as his canvas, gorgeous models as his muse and the camera, lenses and an array of supplementary equipment as his paintbrush. However, even the best looking model and the most breathtaking backdrop can look drab and jaded if you don’t have the technical skills and understanding of blending colours, backdrop, texture of garments or the ability to control the play of light and shadow.

Some perfectionists will wait endlessly for that one picture-perfect moment to capture a breathtaking sunrise that will form the backdrop of the picture. And if your reflexes are not sharp the moment passes and you may never be able to recreate it ever again!

The fun part is that you get to jet set to fancy locations, hang out with the rich and the famous and draw a fat salary if you make it big. However, it also means heavy investments as the bill for digital cameras, lenses, film, outdoor shooting paraphernalia, tripods, lights and flashbulbs etc can run into lakhs.

The best part is that a student from any stream, be it arts and humanities, science or commerce can opt for this field so long as you have a keen interest in the subject. As a beginner you start by shooting portfolios for aspiring models and actors. The Internet offers an excellent opportunity to market and display your work. Make sure you are familiar with the latest digital technology and printing techniques to get the best results. Once you make it big you can take up assignments with big designers and fashion houses or even a fashion channel.

In the beginning, it is difficult to break even but once you make it big in the world of fashion photography you can charge up to Rs 1 lakh per day. Talented and successful photographers are role models and sought after in social circles — often as much as their glamorous models.

In Kolkata, you can check out the courses offered by the National Academy of Photography, Kolkata.

Keeping hospitals in good health

Q I am a dentist and want to pursue an MBA in healthcare administration or hospital management. What are the job prospects? Are the online MBA degrees offered by different institutes valid?

— Radhesh Rao

A You’ve certainly picked a booming field. Healthcare is a very promising sector. The emergence of multi-speciality hospitals encompassing a variety of functions and roles in the private as well as corporate sectors, have underscored the need for professionalism and quality in hospital administration in bold relief.

Most large and some medium-sized hospitals have both medical and non-medical staff on their administrative team. Procurement of technical equipment and medical supplies, recruitment of medical trainees and management of the medical infrastructure with clockwork precision is the responsibility of the medical administrators or doctors. On the other hand, management professionals from a non-medico background are entrusted with the responsibility of hiring the non-medical staff, maintenance of hospital services, security, building the hospital brand, marketing, accounts, financial operations etc. This leaves ample time for doctors to deal with their primary target that is patient care. The latter, therefore, would come under the purview of hospital management.

A course in Hospital Administration equips professionals with the requisite knowledge to plan, direct, coordinate and control the various activities of a large hospital and managing the complex relationships between patients, physicians, hospitals, insurers, and government agencies.

The overall objective is to ensure quality healthcare as well as effective utilisation of funds and other resources.

The courses broadly focus on four areas of management: human resource management, facility management, quality & cost management, and information systems.

Several super-speciality and multi-speciality hospitals like Apollo, Escorts, Wockhardt have opened and countless others like Max India or Fortis planning large-scale forays (into speciality, primary and secondary care hospitals and diagnostic centres) besides a slew of internationally-funded healthcare programmes. This in turn has generated the need for a distinctly qualified and trained breed of managers who are exposed to quality delivery and information systems in the field of hospital and healthcare management.

So, like many new emerging career opportunities there is currently a lack of trained hospital administration professionals.

Distance learning / online courses in hospital administration are typically meant for experienced medical personnel so they would be useful for you. Typically, online courses are not held in as much esteem as regular ones – particularly when there are so many regular courses available. They are fine if you wish to upgrade your skills while already working in the field.

Incidentally the Indian Institute of Social Welfare & Business Management, Management House, College Square West, Kolkata -700073, offers a regular Postgraduate Diploma in Hospital Management. Website: www.iiswbm.edu.

— The writer is a noted career consultant

Please send in your query, preferably on a postcard, along with your full name, complete address and academic qualifications to: Editor, Jobs and Careers, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030, or at careers@tribunemail.com