Career counselling: questions and answers

Q1: Dear Mr Abidi, I am currently studying FSc Pre-Medical and right now in 2nd year. I want to study Architecture later so does it require me to take additional math? Thank you. (Shehreena Qureshi, Karachi)

Ans: Shehreena, Architecture falls under Engineering and does require Mathematics. Therefore, my answer is yes and you would require taking Math when applying for an Architecture degree.

I’m sure the relevant university and the Registrar's office should be able to advise you in detail. However, it is advisable to include Mathematics if you can in your second year FSc.

Q2: Sir, I am a student of BSc Hons Agriculture. I want to appear for the CSS examination. I would highly appreciate your guidance and advice I mean what are the key factors/areas I have to work on for the preparation of CSS exam. (Zabeehullah Jan, Peshawar)

Ans: Dear Mr Jan, I would advise you to complete your BSc Hons first and that too with good marks.

CSS is a competitive exam and requires you to be good in a specialist subject and then have sound knowledge of English literature, Pakistan History, International Relations and current affairs.

I am sure if you work hard, there is no reason why you cannot pass the CSS exam.

Q3: Dear Mr Abidi, I recently read your column and decided to request guidance.

I need help regarding my younger sister. She is studying Electrical Engineering at FAST University.

She has to choose between three options as major i.e. Power, Electronic and Telecom. We are seriously looking to consider Power, but as she is a girl doing field work would be a bit problem for her. We are also looking at Telecom, please if you could help us what would be the best option for her considering the future as well.

If you could tell us as early as possible as she has to select the subjects. (Wasif Baloch, Lahore)

Ans: Dear Mr Wasif, you are rightly looking at Telecom which has less fieldwork involved, though for any person to become an Engineer will entail a bit of fieldwork, travelling and project work no matter which area of Engineering it is.

I would also suggest that you look at Software Engineering which perhaps is more indoor and desk job particularly if she becomes a developer and within that, certain specialties are now becoming important and are emerging areas these include Network Security, Cyber Security, Digital Forensics and Mobile Marketing, etc. in her postgraduate studies.

Q4: Sir, my son has completed his FSc non-medical exam I want to send him abroad, particularly to Australia should he first complete his Engineering degree if so which branch of Engineering can he select that can also be beneficial for him in Australia, (Uzair Najam Sheikh, Rawalpindi)

Ans: Dear Uzair, if your son is completing the intermediate/ FSc Pre-Engineering, it would be easy and he might be able to study abroad in any country, including Australia. But for this, he needs to have a minimum of 60% marks or above.

In addition to this, he would also require to do an English language proficiency through two competitive examinations called IELTS or IBT where he needs to score a minimum of 6 or 85 in IELTS or IBT respectively.

There are various areas in Engineering such as Electrical, Computer Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, etc., from which he can choose the one he likes. It depends on his interest and the country he finally selects for degree/ programme.

(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).