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Choices abound
Career options made easy
by WAVE TEAM
| FROM ISSUE # 139 (July 2007) | IN THIS ISSUE | |||
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The role of good education to secure one's future is undeniable. With each passing year Nepali students seem to have plenty of options to choose from. But with varied choices and the pressure to get it right in the first time, it can prove to be very daunting to pick one from the rest. To help lessen the anxiety, WAVE went an extra notch to see the choices Nepali students have and where they stand. To see which one suits you, read on. 
The Business (Degree) Advantage
Business studies, be it in the form of Bachelor's in Business Studies (BBS) or Bachelor's in Business Administration (BBA), is one of the popular choices among the Nepali students. All four universities, Tribhuwan, Pokhara, Kathmandu and Purwanchal Universities are offering one or the other form of business education this testifies the fact that the demand is increasing. "The advantage of a business degree," says Ranjit Pradhan, "is that it readies the student for real-life work situations in their career." After finishing his BBA, Pradhan is now employed with Standard Chartered Bank and is thinking of pursuing an MBA in the same field.
With an expanding market across both our borders, it is unlikely that the skilled human resources will have to remain unemployed. The teaching pedagogy of the degree will ensure that the students will not end up like a typical bookworm without much knowledge of what's going around in the global market. "The strength of a BBA degree is its practical and dedicated curriculum to hone the skills of the students. It is market oriented and teaches the necessary skills to prepare them as entrepreneurs," says L P Bhanu Sharma, principal, Apex College.
Megha Amatya, who is currently pursuing her MBA at Kathmandu School of Management (KUSOM), shares the same viewpoint. "Internships at reputed organizations help students to enter the corporate culture," says Amatya. But before joining the bandwagon, it'd be wise to know more about the college you are joining and weighing their real worth in certain criteria like the facility of job placement, industrial visits and not forgetting the internship opportunities. "It'd definitely help if the prospective students get the information beforehand about the teaching approach and the facilities available," says Pradhan who enrolled at Ace Institute of Management after what he calls 'rigorous tests'.
Business studies graduates have bright future prospects either working for various organizations or if they want to do their 'own' thing, then there's always the choice of becoming an entrepreneur. "The students can work for banks, insurance companies and at INGOs, and a competent graduate can earn around Rs 50,000 a month," concludes Gopal Bhandari, academic director, Xavier International College.
Hospitality Management
"The hotel and the tourism industry is one of the fastest growing segments in the world," says Samir Thapa, principal, Silver Mountain School of Hotel Management. With peace finally back on the track, tourism industry is going places. And with establishments in Nepal providing internationally accredited courses, the choice couldn't be much better or right timed. "Our degrees are internally valid and since the demand of highly trained human resources always keeps rising, our students can easily find work both at home and abroad," says Thapa.
"What is more alluring about the hospitality degree," says Jayant Pradhan who graduated from Kantipur Hotel Management College and interned at Le Meridian, Gokarna, "is that we have the option to work here or anywhere else in the world." Graduates can expect to work in different parts of the tourism industry as tour operators, resort manager, recreation officer, among others. The demand of highly qualified graduates is increasing as the whole tourism industry has seen an upsurge after the 9/11 incidents and local glitches.
"We hope that the tourism scenario, post-conflict, in the country will be at par with what we had witnessed during the Visit Nepal Year in 1998. Now we are hopeful that it will break the previous records," says Thapa, adding, "and when that happens we will surely be needing more and more skilled resources to meet up with the demand."
Nepal Tourism & Hotel Management College, Pokhara has been providing Bachelor of Hotel Management, Bachelor of Travel and Tourism Management, Bachelor of Business Administration, 10+1 on Hotel Management and Travel and Tourism. Principal Kamal Pant says, "We feel that the college has lessened the need for going abroad to study comprehensive courses on the hospitality industry. This has also helped in the educational and the tourism sectors of the Pokhara region as a whole."
"The chief attraction of the Hotel Management subject is the high demand in market as well as a good salary," he adds. In line to this, the college's chairman Ashok Palikhe says, "The college has made arrangement for interested +2 and BBA students for further studies in Denmark and London."
Fashionably Yours
Ramesh Man Shrestha's preoccupation with readymade clothes ended abruptly when what he thought were best buys turned out to be 'genuinely fake'. Since then, designer label or not, he hasn't switched back to readymade garb yet. On the other hand, he now gets them custom made for him in one of the endless line of boutiques that has recently conquered the Valley.
"People are starting to like custom fit and well executed dress," says Sailaja Adhikari, director, IEC. She adds, "This awareness is rising because even the best of the readymade wears fail to make an impact as a well-tailored dress does. Plus, boutique clothes are meant to fit well with your body type and there aren't any chances of ill-fit." Far from being seen as just a tailor, fashion designers of today have a wider scope than ever these days. Merchandiser, boutique owner, head designer at export houses and jewelry designers are some scope of studying fashion designing.
Talkin' bout 'IT'
Nepali software programmers and IT technicians' earnings are considerably more modest than Bill Gates' or Steve Jobs, but still they aren't too shabby. "Usually salaries begin at Rs 7,000 and can go as high as the individual's potential," says Leela Ram Sapkota of Kantipur City College (KCC). "There's potential and demand for competent professionals, especially in the banking and medical sectors and also with Internet Service Providers," adds Varun Koirala, coordinator, Electronics Department, Apex College.
As with the technological boom, IT training centers and colleges have mushroomed providing a vast array of choices for the students. Fortunately, a science background is no longer always a prerequisite. "Science is required for Bachelor in Computer Engineering, but even with a commerce or arts background, you can take Bachelor's courses in Computer Applications and Information Technology," says Sapkota. There are also courses that opt for a mix of management and IT fields, Bachelors in Information management (BIM) being one the most popular of such courses.
The costs vary but on an average, a four-year course costs between Rs 100,000 and Rs 300,000. Most students focus on one specific programming language, but some teach a mix of subjects to give their trainees added advantages. It's also essential, especially in the cutting-edge world of IT, to make sure your course is up-to-date. As Pankaj Jalan, general secretary of Lord Buddha Educational Foundation and executive member of Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) says, "Until and unless our syllabus is at par with international standards, our graduates won't be considered saleable in the market."
An IT professional must keep a sharp eye at the evolving field of the IT market and make sure s/he is not caught with proficiency in an obsolete programming language or technology. "The chief problem in the IT colleges of Nepal is the lack of an updated course outline," says Manish Kansakar, chief administrator of Infomax College, Pokhara, "Infomax college is affiliated with Manipal University, India and we can ensure others of a dynamic and regularly updated syllabus, but there are quite a few universities that are teaching a course that is five to ten years' old." Infomax College also fares as an excellent college and is the only college in Pokhara to provide a Master's degree in IT.
But how do you choose where to go? First off, look at the institute's infrastructure, and the qualifications of its teaching staff. If it has a couple of antiquated computers and teachers who have obviously never worked in IT, it's a bad sign. Whenever possible, check with former students about their experiences. It also pays to join colleges with genuine links that could get you jobs. For example, KCC gets software companies to select potential employees from the final year students. Other recommended institutes include Himalayan White House, Kathmandu Engineering College, and Lord Buddha Educational Foundation (LBEF).
According to CAN, there are currently 2,000 to 3,000 independent software developers in Nepal and 150 to 250 software firms. National companies such as D2 Hawkeye, Midas Technologies, and Mercantile recruits new face on a yearly basis. However, programmers say that if you're committed and creative, the sky's the limit. Saroj Dahal, a KCC computer engineering graduate, who established a tele-medicine centre for Om Hospital last year says, "A dedicated IT graduate can succeed anywhere."
Builders of tomorrow
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Suresh Chaudhary, Chief Administrator of Kathmandu Engineering College.
In a developing nation like Nepal, role of engineers of various fields, be it civil, electrical, architectural or computer, is undeniable when it comes to infrastructure development. "The opportunities are enormous, if one truly makes a dedicated effort, it's not that hard to be recognized," says Reeza Hattechu, a student of Bachelor of Architecture at Nepal Engineering College.
Previously only a dream of the wealthy, the opening of various private colleges and affordable fee structures has made it possible for many to gain an engineering degree. The costs vary, averaging around 3 to 4 lakhs for a four- year course.
To pursue a degree in Engineering, one must have studied in the science faculty during their +2, Intermediate, A-Levels or CBSEs. In addition, a major subject of mathematics is also required. The first choice for most aspiring engineers still remains Pulchowk Engineering Campus.
"The potential opportunities for engineers are increasing slowly and steadily with the rise of industries in the country. On top of that, there are also numerous opportunities for outsourcing to international countries," says Shashi Raj Gyawali, an electrical engineer currently studying in the US. But opportunity will rarely come knocking at one's door, "It will take some time to establish oneself in the field; that is for sure. It is only after the practical field experience, one truly gets accustomed to the market," says Pranita Sharma, a professional Architect.
Media matters
A career that shows you the shortcut to name and fame is journalism. The desire in students to bring issues to the fore by field reporting is growing, and with it growing is the number of colleges that offer journalism. The demand for media persons who can read, write, edit and report the news well, is increasing. The avenues for them to show their potential is also increasing as many broadcast, print, radio and online news medium are coming up.
The oldest college to offer journalism is Ratna Rajya Campus which offers IA/BA in Journalism. There are some plus two colleges as well that offer one paper of journalism. The general requirement to get enrolled in these colleges is to have a minimum of second division in SLC. Jitendra Man Amatya, coordinator, Caspian Valley says, "During the course, they have to do some project works, field reporting, as well as internship at media houses." Dr Baburam Pokharel, principal of VS Niketan College that offers journalism in plus two says, "Even one paper of journalism can help them in their higher studies in journalism."
College of Mass Communication and Journalism (CMCJ) is the sole college dedicated to offer journalism in Bachelors' and Masters' program. Says Manju Mishra, the principal, "The demand for Masters of Arts in Mass Communication and Journalism (MA MCJ) is growing these days which is why media persons like Arati Chataut, Rewant Oli, Manohari Thapa, and Bhimsen Sapkota are studying here." She says this degree also helps the already established journalists to get better at their craft.
CMCJ and Kantipur City College (KCC) both affiliated to Purbanchal University have a digital studio and a recording studio. The objective is to familiarize the students with their field.
Serving and earning
'To serve as well as to earn' has been the motto of the students who want to make their career in the medical line. A lot of foreign students are coming to Nepal these days to study MBBS or BSc Nursing unlike in the past when students had to rely on the Institute of Medicine (IOM) or make their way to some foreign country.
The state-run IOM is one of the top institutes in the South Asian region to offer medical programs. But the competition is always tough, and it's definitely not easy to come out as toppers among thousands to get its scholarship.
Private colleges like Nepal Medical College (NMC), Kathmandu Medical College (KMC), and Manipal
College are also offering MBBS programs. Meera Basnet, Administrative In charge of Nepal Medical College says, "To get admissions here, students should pass the Kathmandu University Medical Entrance Test (KUMET) exam, that's conducted by Kathmandu University." Nepal Medical College was started ten years ago; and it takes 100 students in each batch. "Out of which ten seats are reserved for the government quota," says Basnet.
Kathmandu Medical College, which is also affiliated to Kathmandu University, has been providing MBBS and BSc in Nursing. The students have to pass KUMET exam in order to get admissions in both courses. These colleges also provide pay internship program for a year. NMC says it provides around Rs 16,000 whereas KMC says it gives around Rs 12,000 as monthly salary for the MBBS interns. The tuition fee at NMC is 19 lakhs, while at KMC, it's 18 lakhs.
Maybe because of the expensive fees for MBBS, many girl students are inclined to do BSc Nursing that has a scope both in the national as well as international front. Prashamsa Marasini, a second-year student of BSc Nursing at Hope International College confides, "The motive to serve aside, we don't have to pay heavy fees, compared to MBBS students but we can still earn more than the doctors; and the scope is even bigger outside Nepal." She shares her desire to go to either Austrailia or Canada for higher studies, as she adds, "The demand for nurses there is increasing day by day."
In a nutshell, it can be said that the attraction to become doctors and nurses is increasing, and if the government makes right policies, they can be made to stay in the country, which would be diefinitely helpful for the nation as they could reach to those places of Nepal where people still die of diarrhea and cholera.
Salary outline in various feilds
Finance–Bank:
Entry level – Teller Rs. 8-10,000 p/m [per month]
Rs. 15-20,000 with bonus
Sr. Manager could earn Rs. 100,000 p/m | Rs. 300,000 with bonuses
IT-Software:
Entry level: Installer/Troubleshooter- Rs. 5000 p/m
Team leader: 20- 30,000 p/m
Senior Management/Project Head: 35-50,000 p/m
Network/ Communications:
Junior Network Technician: Rs, 5-10,000 p/m
System Administrator: Rs. 15-20,000 p/m
Manager: Rs. 30-40,000 p/m
Hotel Management:
Entry Level – HOT [Hotel Operation Trainees]:
Rs. 3000 p/m
Employee – Guest Service Assistant: Rs. 5000 p/m
Supervisor: Rs. 7000 p/m
Executive: Rs. 9000 p/m
Asst. Manager: Rs. 15,000 p/m
Head of Dept.: 30-50,000 p/m
Chef: Rs. 50-60,000 p/m
G. Manager: 1-1.5 Lakhs p/m
All 5 Star staff get 10% of service charge.
Graphics/ Designing:
Entry level – Graphic Designer: Rs.10-12,000 p/m
Visualiser: Rs. 25-30,000 p/m
Creative–Art Director: 50-70,000 p/m
Fashion Designing:
Designer/Merchandiser: Rs. 7000 p/m
Head designer: Rs. 30,000 p/m
Boutique owner: Rs. 1 Lakh upwards.
Jewelry designer: Rs. 8-9000 p/m