Career counselling: questions and answers

Q1: Dear Mr Abidi, I have done Electrical Engineering bachelors degree. Now I want to do Masters, can you please guide me in what subjects now I can do Masters either in Engineering or some Management subjects? (Rafi-ur-Rahman Siddiqui – Karachi)

Ans: Mr Siddiqui, I would advise you to consider doing MSc in Mechatronics. This is a strong mixture of electrical, electronic and mechanical engineering and will open up better job prospects in the future. There are a number of universities in Pakistan and abroad which offer these degrees. It will depend upon the finances available to you.

Q2: Dear Mr Abidi, I wanted to discuss my son’s future study plan. My son is studying in Navy Engineering College, Karachi in the Industrial & Manufacturing Department. He is in 1st semester but his interest is to study Mechanical. Therefore, I would appreciate if you could please guide us which technology has a better scope in the market. (Zarq Khan – Islamabad)

Ans: Dear Zarq, I think your son’s chosen degree has equal value being a popular branch of engineering. Since he is doing his first semester so changing his specialty trade will be of very little value. Let him complete his current degree and think of specialisation or MS after his bachelors.

Q3: I want to go abroad to pursue a masters degree and settle there. Can you please guide me which country is best considering job prospects and the cost of education? I am also confused about whether to do masters in Chemical Engineering, Oil and Gas, Renewable Energy or Environmental Engineering. I have a great interest in renewable energy and the oil and gas sector but I don’t know their job prospects. (Nasrullah Malik- Lahore)

Ans: Dear Malik, very rightly both Renewable energy and Oil and Gas are emerging subject areas with a wider scope of job opportunities. Australia and Canada are the countries in which the job prospects for qualified graduates are very bright.

Q4: Dear sir, I am doing MBA in Banking & Finance and I want to ask you what kind of short courses are suitable to enhance the worth of my degree. I am going to complete my degree in a year but I am very confused that how to start my professional career. (Shiza Tanveer- Lahore)

Ans: Shiza, I will suggest that you find an internship in a bank or a financial institution even if it’s without a salary. The training you will have by working will be far more useful and effective than 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).