Helping students to look at career choices differently

New Delhi: Career counsellors say that students tend to take up courses and colleges mostly under peer pressure, societal views, the paucity of time and lack of information. Many students quit after the first year of college as they discover that the subject is not of their choice or complete the degree only to switch the fields later. Also, the college environment expects the students to be independent thinkers for which schools do not prepare them.

Many of the experts recommend 'Gap Year', which is already a very popular concept abroad. This allows a student to explore the real world and the internal self by taking some time off after completing school and before entering college. One invests time in experimenting with diversified fields and subjects, honing their existing skills, taking up new activities, travelling extensively and working in the real world.

Career coaches believe that a constructively planned and carefully executed gap year can benefit the students more than enrolling directly into a degree program. If students involve into different domains like Mindfulness, Society, Polity & Culture, Money, Industry & Management, Education, Healthcare & Sciences, Creativity and Design, through activities and interactions, they would take a more informed decision.

Experts believe that a little time off from the conventional roadmap would allow students to take a different look at career decisions. India is one of the most preferred destinations for gap year students across the world however the country does not have any program for students within the country.

Rishihood has taken the lead in introducing this in India as a 9-months journey of extensive exploration and discovery of interests, career options and the inner self. The program is based on experiential, immersive and multi-modal learning. Rishihood Gap Year is the country's first formal gap year program for high school graduates, beginning from this July. The emphasis is on exploring the different options across the fields by participating in hands-on workshops, interacting with the professionals, visiting the on-field sites and interactive academic sessions, in the initial 6 months.

There is one month of extensive travel. Students will travel to absorb themselves in cultures, participate in the field work and broaden their horizons by experiencing diversity. Throughout the program, students are guided by career mentors and experts. The last 3 months is the phase for students to launch themselves into the real world by taking up internships and volunteering opportunities. The applications for the programme are out and there is an exciting response from students all around the country and the globe.

Rishihood is a new university being established in India. It is an impact-oriented initiative. The university believes in an 'ecosystem' approach to learning rather than isolated training and research. This means that Rishihood actively engages and nurtures an ecosystem for our academic areas as well as for the larger growth of the nation and society.