Read the following article on the emerging career options in the modern era and answer the questions that follow.
The students at the higher secondary level in schools start thinking of suitable courses to take up at the university level based on their aptitude, ability and interests. While considering the higher education options, they should also plan the career path they wish to take. In today’s complex job scenario, there is a mismatch between demand and supply on one hand we have qualified professionals desperately trying to find a job, while on the other hand, there are many professions that need suitable talented employees. But such skilled employees are unavailable.
Therefore, the need of the hour is that students have an understanding of the emerging career options.
Schools should take the initiative to organise career guidance and counselling sessions for students. However, students need to remember that to build a strong career, they must understand the prospective field and their primary interest. It is also important for students to focus on overall personality development and hone their communication skills as these are important for the success of their career. Students are also advised that in order to build a solid career foundation, they need to qualify suitably by pursuing a degree course in the chosen area of interest and also consider post graduate education. Diploma/Short-term courses may help one find a job in the short run but may not promise career progression. Rapid advancement in science and technology and globalisation has widened the scope of career options in the twenty-first century. Let us consider some popular careers.
Fashion Designing: The current cosmopolitan and fashion-conscious wave that has taken over our country has .opened up a huge arena for careers in fashion. These careers encompass designing clothes, costumes, jewellery, footwear, wardrobe, costumes, accessories and the like.
Culinary Arts: With food and cookery shows being a major trend across the world, culinary arts, a sub-domain of the hospitality sector, has now become the most sought after career.
Paramedical sciences: In recent times, there has been a great demand in the health care industry. Paramedical professionals who support medical practitioners in areas such as optometry, pathology, nursing, physiotherapy, and dentistry are much sought after.
Media, Journalism and Advertising: In this information era, print and entertainment media have become a force to reckon with. This arena has become a huge career playground because youngsters are attracted to it as the exposure and reach is greater through such mass media. We notice that radio and TV channels, internet companies and advertising agencies are increasingly recruiting qualified professionals.
Hotel Management: The hotel industry is the fastest growing industry in India. The number of international travellers (both for business and leisure) is increasing. The hospitality and service industry offers career options such as house keeping, front-desk executives, tourism management, etc. 76 English-12
Sports Management: With multinational companies supporting sports, careers in sports offer enormous scope. One need not be a player or an athlete to shine in a sports career because the field of sports offers various career options such as technical trainers, commentators, sports journalists, dieticians, referees, etc. Conducting sports events successfully, organizing the event laudably, preparing the ground for the event are all part of sports management.
(a) When do students start thinking about their career path?
(b) How can students build a strong career?
(c) What are the integral aspects of a successful career?
(d) What is meant by ‘culinary art’?
(e) Why is media a popular career option?
(f) Name some paramedical courses mentioned in the passage.
(g) Why is the hotel industry seen as the fastest growing in India?
(h) Does one have to be a player to opt for a career in the field of sports? Answer giving reasons.
(i) Pick one word from the passage which is the opposite of ‘modern’.
(j) Which word in the passage means ‘composed of people from many parts of the country’?
