Back in the day, we had four professions and anyone who didn’t have the aptitude for those was left struggling in academics or research for years. Not anymore. Education in India is becoming dynamic and diverse, offering many unique courses that one had not even heard of till a decade ago. What’s more? There are also many short-term professional and vocational courses for those who might not have fared too well in their school exams, giving them an opportunity to earn just as much as their peers. Take a look at the following list of alternative courses that you can pursue right after high school or graduation, and opt for the path less taken.
Bachelor of Rural Studies
If you have an interest in Indian village life and wish to do more than just visit as a tourist and take photographs for your socials, then this course is for you. The course provides opportunities for you to participate in a variety of rural and community development activities, addressing issues such as animal husbandry, farm management, women and child development, agriculture, environmental studies, forestry, and community development, among others. After finishing the course, you can apply for jobs with the rural-focused government, public, and private organisations. You may also be able to work with NGOs and enjoy a work-life balance, by giving back to society. The BRS degree holders have opportunities in the field of rural development. They can become field officers, documentation officers, programme officers, area executives, agronomists and research heads.
Institutes offering the course:
Ethical Hacking
Ethical hacking involves an authorised attempt to gain unauthorised access to a computer system, application, or data. This practice helps to identify security vulnerabilities which can then be resolved before a malicious attacker has the opportunity to exploit them. Also known as “white hats,” ethical hackers are security experts that perform these security assessments. The proactive work they do helps to improve an organisation’s security posture. With prior approval from the organisation or owner of the IT asset, the mission of ethical hacking is the opposite of malicious hacking. Because of the increasingly digital age that we are living in, the scope of ethical hacking is huge right now, with starting salaries upwards of Rs 6 lakh an annum.
There are many short-term professional and vocational courses for those who might not have fared too well in their school exams, giving them an opportunity to earn just as much as their peers
Institutes offering it: Indian School of Ethical Hacking, Institute of Information Security and Arizona Infotech, Pune.
Photonics
Phonetics is a niche course that combines optical and electronic technology. It’s the study of photons, the fundamental particles of light, to grasp light emission, detection, transmission, and modulation techniques. This course is best suited for those who have a strong interest in science and want to learn more about it. A photonist can work in a variety of industries and government departments as an engineer, scientist, or researcher. Due to a global shortage of expertise in this subject, photonics specialists are in high demand.
Institutes offering it:
Gerontology
If you are someone who likes the company of old people or loves spending time with your grandparents, then this course is for you. As the name suggests, Gerontology is the study of “ageing” from a social, psychological, and biological perspective. It focuses on the physical, mental, and social changes that occur as people age. A person interested in this subject can begin by volunteering with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or community service agencies to get knowledge about the field. Numerous commercial businesses, healthcare agencies, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes want professionals in this industry. While the starting income may be low, with experience, you can make significantly more, and this field is more about overall job satisfaction.
Institutes offering it:
Brewing and Distilling
Want to make a career out of tasting alcohol and joining the hospitality industry? Then this is the course for you. The course imparts complete education on the science and the processes involved in the brewing and distilling processes-right from cereal farming to brewing, distilling, bottling and packaging. These students can take up managerial positions anywhere in the world after completing this course.
Institutes offering it: Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Coimbatore, Gargi Agriculture Research and Training Institute, Pune and Vasantdada Sugar Institute
Art Restoration
It is a specialised career that is popularly known as Fresco. Art restoration is a field that relates to restoring works of art to a former state. These works of art include everything from paintings to sculptures to manuscripts. A degree in the Arts is the bare essential for this field. Art restorers work in museums, art galleries and conservation bodies such as the National Museum, National Gallery of Modern Art, INTACH or NGMA, etc
Once you’ve completed the course you can get involved in restoration work on historical places and other monuments with the Archaeological Survey of India, and work at The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH, New Delhi)—which offers conservation services to private collectors and institutions, or with National Museum Centres that house government art collections. Some art restorers start their own business, whereas some become teachers and teach journalism, art, archaeology, art dealings and other subjects to students. Institutes offering this course are Jiwaji University, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana, Mysore University, Mysuru, Karnataka, University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, National Museum, New Delhi and University of Allahabad, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh
Tea Tasting
Tea tasting is the process in which a trained taster determines the quality of a particular tea. India being the world’s largest consumer of tea, it’s a great industry to work in. If you are one of those who take your tea seriously and are sensitive to the various tones and variations of its flushes, tasting the beverage is the right career option for you. Though basic education is usually enough for tea management careers, a degree in Agricultural Science, Botany, Food Sciences, Horticulture and/or other allied fields does give an advantage. Institutes Offering it: Birla University of Futuristic Studies, West Bengal, The Tea Research Association, Assam and Indian Institute of Plantation Management, Bangalore
Spa Management
A decent spa soothes the body and transports you to another dimension. Spa management and training are not a common occurrence. So where do spas find these incredible masseurs and therapists? A spa training institute will teach you everything you need to know about running a successful spa and establishing a career in the industry. As a newcomer, a masseur or therapist can make roughly Rs 10,000 and their earnings improve as they gain expertise. When you have a degree or adequate training, you may earn more money than people who do not.
Institutes Offering it:
For students seeking out new avenues in the industry, several short-term courses will pave the way to reach the goal. Short-term courses help one get that edge. Individuals can choose their scoop of learning interest and can equip themselves with the latest skills. There are several short-term courses that aspirants can pursue to acquire enhanced skills and a high pay package in India.
Listed below are some courses:
Data Science: An amalgamation of business acumen, tools, mathematics, machine learning techniques, and algorithms, Data Science has revolutionised the field of analytics in India and across the globe. This has led to a massive demand for Data Scientists with a high pay package.
Required Skill Set: To pursue Data Science, candidates should acquire the tools, techniques, and business-like Python Coding, MS Excel, SQL Coding/Database, and Hadoop Platform. The eligibility criteria required for Data Science Course are either a Bachelor’s degree in IT, Mathematics, Physics, Computer science, or another related field; a Master’s degree in data or a related field.
Course Duration: The overall duration for the Data Science course option is flexible, based on the aspirant’s level of dedication and focus. However, the Data Science Course duration can fluctuate from 2 months to about eight months, depending on the institution.
Career Prospects: Data Science graduates are eligible to hold the following job profiles: Business Analytics Professional, Data Scientist, HR Analytics Professionals, Big Data Analysts, and Marketing Analytics Professionals.
Salary Package: Data Science Course in India holds a comprehensive pay package. A Data Science intern can earn up to Rs 14,043 per month, depending on the company. However, a new Data Science graduate’s earnings fluctuate from Rs 3,00,000 per annum to Rs 13,00,000 per annum.
Diploma in Nautical Sciences
Nautical Science is another popular short-term course that offers a great pay package in India. Nautical Science is a multi-disciplinary course that deals with primary academic and practical devices that involve the knowledge of every shipboard’s machinery and operation. A diploma in Nautical Science covers many topics for an individual to develop knowledge about structures and dynamics.
Eligibility Criteria: To deem eligible for a Diploma in Nautical Science, aspirants must have completed Class 12 with Science and Mathematics as their core subjects from any recognised board or institution. Candidates should have secured a bare minimum of 55 per cent aggregate in class 12 subjects. The entire course duration for Diploma in Nautical Science is a year full-time.
Career Prospects: Nautical Science graduates are eligible to hold the following job profiles: Deck Cadet, Chief Officer, Second Officer, Marine Engineer, Oceanographer, Nautical Surveyors and Radio Officer.
Salary Package:The salary package available for Nautical Science fluctuates between Rs 3 lakh to Rs 10 lakh per annum.
Diploma in Web Designing
Web Designing holds great opportunities for individuals to bring out their technical expertise and skills to develop unique websites. The present-day digital era means that people belonging to different business spheres want to have their websites, leaving an incredible demand for web designing aspirants.
Eligibility Criteria: The eligibility criteria for Diploma in Web Designing is 10+2 levels of education in any stream and from any recognised Board. Candidates must secure a bare minimum of 50 per cent aggregate. The overall course duration for Diploma in Web Designing is a year diploma course.
Career Prospects: Digital Artist, Digital Imaging Specialist, Web Media Designer, Content Writer, Multimedia Designer, Website Programmer.
Salary Package: The salary package available for Web Designing fluctuates between Rs 2.5 Lakhs to Rs 6.5 lakh per annum, depending on the post and recruiting company.
Course in Finance Accounting and Taxation
A certificate course in Finance Accounting and Taxation enhances the candidate’s ability to analyse data and calculations. It gives candidates a basic understanding of GST, banking and the latest version of taxation, etc. This short-term course aids personal growth as well as provides a high pay package with potential job profiles.
Eligibility Criteria:Candidates should have secured a bare minimum of 50 per cent aggregate in 10+2 with Commerce as their course stream. Candidates must have secured a minimum aggregate of 50 per cent in their Bachelor’s degree with B.Com./BAF/BBI as their course stream.
Course Duration: The course duration for a Certificate course in Finance Accounting and Taxation ranges from a month to 6-months tops, based on institutions.
Career Prospects: Finance Accounting and Taxation Certificate holders build their careers in Taxation, Auditing Offices, Budget Analysis, Corporate Finance Offices, and others. A CCFAT Certification Holder is eligible to professional roles like Revenue Agent, Accountant, Marketing Manager, Corporation Taxation, Executive Indirect Taxation and Tax Policy Analyst.
Salary Package: The average pay package for a Certificate course in Finance Accounting and Taxation holder fluctuates between Rs 3.5 lakhs to Rs 8.5 lakhs per annum.
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