Career counselling; questions and answers

Q1: Dear sir, I am an A-level student and have chosen Math, Physics and Chemistry. I am a bit confused regarding the engineering profession I want to choose. I searched numerous fields of engineering but I cannot make a decision. I am interested in Math and Physics; since very start of my childhood I wanted to pursue a career in engineering but the issue is which one to choose from.

While choosing a field you have to check its scope in the future and much more important is that the passion should be the career. I hope my queries will be solved. (Shaban Bin Nouman Rishi, Lahore)

Ans: If you are good in Math, Physics and Chemistry, then you can easily choose one of the best and emerging engineering fields. Students who wish to join engineering field should be very good in critical thinking. It would be easier for you to get into an engineering university. It is important that you decide the right engineering area and you can look at doing Electronic Communication or Mechatronics as your first preference. However, there are a lot of emerging areas and degrees which are in demand like Digital Security and Forensics, Robotics, Sustainable Energy, Petroleum, Mechanical and Power Plant Engineering etc.

Q2: I have recently passed FSc Pre-Engineering with 651/1100 marks. Now I want to do tourism, hospitality / hotel management or become a chef. Kindly advise any college in Lahore/Islamabad. (Abdul Qadeer Bhatti, Islamabad)

Ans: There are several institutions in Pakistan which offer Tourism and Hospitality Management programmes. I suggest you do your research. However, BS Tourism and Hospitality Management from Air University, Islamabad or same degree from Superior University, Lahore could be better choices for you to consider for studies. If you wish to do some short courses or programmes then COTHM and TDCP would be better choices in Lahore. I wish you success in your future plans.

Q3: Sir, please inform me what is the scope of MSc Criminology? (Mansoor Murtaza, Sialkot)

Ans: The interests of criminologists include the study of nature of crime and criminals, origins of criminal law, etiology of crime, social reactions to crime, and the functioning of law-enforcement agencies and institutions. Criminologists mostly work in university settings, conducting research and teaching police administration and policy, juvenile justice, corrections, drug addiction, criminal ethnography, macro-level models of criminal behaviour, victimology, and theoretical criminology. I can assure you that Criminology will give you better future prospects.

Q4: Sir, I want your guidance. Please recommend me the medical fields other than MBBS and also let me know about the scope of medical fields in Pakistan. (Ammara Nadeem, Karachi).

Ans: There are many medical fields other than MBBS which have scope not only in Pakistan but in foreign countries as well. Following are very popular medical fields which you can choose from: DVM (Veterinary Doctor), DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy), D-Pharmacy (Doctor of Pharmacy), BSc (Hons) Biotechnology, BSc (Hons) Microbiology, BSc (Hons) DMLS (Doctor of Medical Lab Sciences) and BSc (Hons) MMG (Microbiology and Molecular Genetics): The biggest advantage of this degree is that you can get a job in both departments Microbiology and Genetics. You can be a microbiologist and a geneticist. However, you will have a lot of job opportunities in all the above mentioned areas not only in Pakistan but in foreign countries as well. I wish you best of luck in your future plans.

(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).