Parents focusing on best career options of wards

Ready to discuss prospects with children

Vijayawada: Gone are the days when parents are the only decision makers about what their child has to pursue further in education after Intermediate. Not only are they open to discuss with their children on career prospects but also are keen on what the positive effects of the course they pursue are. With most of the professional courses having no market or out of their financial margin, parents are choosing the best available graduation specialisations offered by various universities.

Earlier, professional courses meant only Medicine, Engineering, Chartered Accountancy and subjects that are pursued abroad. With economic imbalances, lifestyle changes and changing trends, modern parents are open to off-beat education programmes besides encouraging their children to pursue their interests. Most of them are ready to introduce their children to the regular yet professional courses under the Bachelors of Science, Bachelors of Art and literature disciplines while planning further prospects and targeting civil services, police, bank and other government jobs.

K Syam Kumar, a trader in construction steel said, ‘I was on the edge when my daughter finished her Intermediate in mathematics. There is slump in engineering market and I couldn’t risk her career and didn’t want her to settle with any regular degree. I thoroughly took interest in going through available courses in neighboring States as well. Finally, I settled down with the professional course of Visual Communication as it is high in terms of education and opportunities.’

Another parent P Surekha who encouraged her son to pursue his interests in Photography said, ‘I was initially perplexed with his idea but eventually had to give it after he explained to me how photographers are minting money with less effort. Certificates seemed less important when you have talent that gives you a livelihood’, she added. Students are looking for options in order to eke out their living out of what they like. Courses like animation, make-up, hair stylist, fashion design, set design, sound, fine arts, classical dance, music, advertising, media relations and management, food technology, film studies, theatre arts, journalism, acting and such are highly searched options that are attracting youth.

There are also institutes that are mushrooming to cater to these categories of students who are gradually increasing. With a separate state on cards, it is heartening to note that there is manpower coming up in all spheres.