There was a headline in between: “Civil engineers today are collecting degrees despite not being skilled enough to be a productive part of the Indian economy”. It is a fact that not even 12% civil engineering graduates are found employable today. What’s wrong is happening with them and the civil engineering education in India?
Today’s civil engineer has plenty challenges. Few are listed here:
For working professionals:
- Not getting a (good) job;
- Even if gets a job, salary is very low;
- No better growth and options to switch over the department (of liking);
- No job satisfaction
- Irregular salaries;
- No promotions and regular increment;
- Can’t handle work pressure and stress;
- Hectic schedule and no family life;
- No proper growth;
- Victim of politics.
For freshers:
- No jobs in absence of experience;
- No choices in selecting a job (it’s like a beggar without choice..!);
- Not aware of career options;
- Unable to connect theory with practice;
- Not knowing the industry requirements;
- Not having career vision;
- Lack of confidence and self-awareness;
- Fear of speaking in English;
- Stage fear & not able to express properly;
- Not equipped with latest knowledge and practices;
- Lack of industry awareness;
- Mentally and physically not fit to accept work pressure.. and more.
Because of all these challenges, today he is confused, depressed and has lost confidence. Industry is not ready to pay even Rs 10,000/- a month to a fresh civil graduate. A decade ago, the scenario was different. Civil engineers were getting good packages of 18 to 20000/-. But in between demand has reduced while supply increased and hence salaries reduced. Believe that there is NO JOB CRISES, there is a skills crisis.
On one side the quality of education is declining year after year; gap in Industry & Institute is increasing; while on other side demand of industry / project challenges are increasing. In all this, a civil engineer gets sandwiched. It’s not like that he doesn’t want to improve, prove himself; but the environment is not suitable to get transformed in to a professional. It is like education has become a business for most of the institutes. It is a machine producing engineers. In this race, ‘QUALITY’ is completely overlooked and a poor civil engineer is getting hampered.
It calls for a revolution in the traditional education system focussing on skills building, improvement of mental and physical health, confidence and clarity; enhancing essential soft skills and values.
We at Infini focus on overall development and character building. Our PGP course in construction project management aims at transforming a graduate into a civil professional and future project manager. It is now open for architects as well. This course opens up better career / job opportunities and can be considered as a must do course for civil engineers.
