Career counselling; questions and answers

Q1: I did Electrical Engineering degree with 3.1 CGPA and now planning to do Masters. Can you please guide about what subject I have to choose for Master, Engineering, Management or something else? (Kamran, Faisalabad)

Ans: My advice is to do MSc in Mechatronics. There are a number of specialisations in Electrical Engineering which you can choose for your future career. However, I suggest Master in Mechatronics would be a good choice. There are many universities across the globe offering this degree. Doing this degree from a foreign university can give you an edge but it depends on your financial position.

Q2: I am a regular reader of your column and I thought to get your help for guidance of my nephew’s future career. He is studying first semester in Navy Engineering College, Karachi. His interest is in Mechanical Engineering but I would like you to please guide about the programmes which he should choose for better future career? (Salman – Karachi)

Ans: Please note that Mechanical Engineering itself is a very good option and have high demand everywhere in the world. Changing specialty trade will not have much impact. So, I would like to advise that he should firstly complete his degree and after that choose the relevant programme. This will definitely give boost to his career prospects.

Q3: Dear Mr Abidi, I will appreciate your help and guidance in choosing a better country according to education, job and immigration prospects. I am thinking to do Masters but getting confused in finalising a specialist programme. Please advise me if I should do Master’s degree in Renewable Energy, Environmental Engineering or Oil and Gas? My personal interest is in doing Renewable Energy. Please let me know what is the good option? (Nasir– Multan)

Ans: Let me tell you that both of your chosen specialisations are hot in demand that is Renewable Energy and Oil & Gas. Please note that job and immigration prospects for graduates are bright in countries like Australia and Canada.

Q4: Sir, I am studying Business Administration Master’s in Banking and Finance for which I would like to request you to guide me about how I can improve the chances for my better future prospects. Do you think that a certificate programme or short course after completing the Master’s degree will enhance my current degree which is going to be completed by end of this year? (Zunaira– Layyah)

Ans: An internship in a financial organisation or a bank even without pay will be helpful in your future career especially increasing you job prospects. The own hand and relevant experience will be highly useful than a certificate programme or a short course.

(Syed Azhar Husnain Abidi is a renowned educationist in Pakistan, with more than 20 years of experience as provider of education counselling services. He has represented Pakistan in over 100 national and international seminars, conferences and fora. He is a recipient of the most coveted civil award Tamgha-e-Imtiaz).