Career counselling: questions and answers

Q1: Respected Mr Abidi, I am working as an accountant in a private firm in Karachi. Now I wish to do LLB and afterward I want to start practicing law. Please suggest me how can I get degree without attending classes because I can’t leave my job. I look forward for your expert opinion as it is very important for me in making a decision. (Shakeel Shaikh - Karachi)

Ans: Dear Shakeel, I would not advise you to do ordinary law as you are an accountant by profession and experience. If you are still interested in doing Law then I would suggest, you look at doing Corporate Law or Tax Law and for this you can certainly search through the internet that who offers Corporate Law and you can do it without leaving your job.

Q2: I have done Electrical Engineering and right now working in a leading Oil and Gas Company as trainee engineer. The core of this industry is petroleum engineering and I want to work as a Petroleum Engineer. Please suggest me that if I do Masters in this area then will I fit somewhere good in this field? (Ali Murtaza- Lahore)

Ans: Ali, there are a number of courses that will give you more options within the Oil and Gas Industry and you can certainly do Masters in any of these fields. However, if you can gain more than three years of relevant experience and score a good IELTS of 6.5 or above then you can consider doing an MBA in Oil and Gas offered by different international universities which will open up huge prospects for you in future.

Q3: Dear sir, I am a student of Intermediate (Pre-medical). I got 91% marks but couldn't perform in entrance test. I can easily afford to take admission in private medical college (MMDC, Multan) and on the other hand, there’s also a chance for me to repeat the entrance test. I am confused what to do whether I should take admission in private sector or repeat? You are requested to guide me the right path. (Zulfiqar Hussain - Multan)

Ans: Dear Zulfiqar, if you are confident by repeating the entrance test you will make it, then you may wait. However, all HEC and PMDC approved MBBS courses are similar and if you do well in your first professional year, you may request for a migration. This is based on either mutual agreement between two private universities or due to vacancies in public sector universities in the year two where students leave to opt out of the course. In both cases do not waste time.

Q4: Sir, I want to pursue my career in TV/Media or law profession as anchor or as a lawyer. However, due to Fata background I have no guideline. My family is suggesting to select subject of Disaster Management and currently I am in the sixth semester. Now I do not feel like doing it anymore because I have lost my interest in this area so please guide if I should continue it or choose any other field? (Samar Afaq Khan - KP)

Ans: Samar, please note that Disaster Management is a very important and emerging subject area and has huge potential both in Pakistan and in the western world. There is no reason of why you cannot complete your degree and still be a media/anchor based on the intelligence that you will gain from this degree. I suggest you to work hard and continue this degree.

(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).