Exciting Career Options for Today's Kids - Part 1

In our country, from the time a child joins school, he/she is asked what he/she aims to become on completing education. It is as if the purpose of formal education is primarily to secure a bright future in the form of a solid career option. No wonder then, that the student feels the heat to aspire for, and achieve a secure career goal by the time formal schooling is over.

Traditional career choices have always been either Engineering or Medicine, or Law or Civil Services. Parents favoured these tried and tested options as these ensured a secure lifetime career for their ward. If a child was good at fixing things, he was told that engineering was the go-to career for him. If she could argue or debate well, then law is what must be pursued. An interest in human physiology ensured that the student preferred studying medicine. One who was good in academics was pushed towards a teaching or research career. If a student was an all-rounder, doing well academically as well as in extra-curricular activities, then civil or administrative services, or foreign services were the best bet.

Well Parents, things have changed. Time to wake up and smell the coffee!

Today, the world has become a global village. Certain developments in the last decade, primarily the advent and popularity of Internet and social media, a range of cross-cultural and cross-country interactions through television, digital technology, overseas travel and business, have opened up new vistas for the new generation. Fresh career options have emerged for youngsters who don’t want to tread the beaten path.  

A child’s career need not be pigeon-holed in fixed options like engineering or medicine or law or business management.

So, what are the emerging career options a child can take up after completing schooling?

Since it is too vast a subject to be discussed in detail in one write-up, I will touch upon the options in four parts. In this, the first part of the article, I am touching on the career options available to students who pursue Humanities or Arts.

The options are presented in a tabular format for easy referencing.

Disclaimer: This list is by no means exhaustive. Further research into career growth and job opportunities in a particular stream needs to be done by the candidate before deciding to take a particular career option

  

Educational Background	Career options	Aptitude Required	What to pursue
English	Content writing/Content Marketing/ Blogging/Academic writing/ Copy writing/ Translation/ Technical writing / Communication trainer /Voice and accent trainer	A natural flair for writing, awareness of social trends, familiarity with Internet and social media	Bachelor/ Master Degree in English Literature/ Communicative English/ Comparative Literature, and preferably a course in creative writing or Business English. Learning an added language would be helpful for a career as translator
Hindi, other Indian Languages	Content writing/ Translation/ Academic writing / BPO executive	Grasp over the language, coupled with a flair for writing, familiarity with Internet and social media	Bachelor/ Master Degree in Literature, along with training on creative writing. Grasp over English for a career in translation
Social Studies (History, Sociology, Anthropology)	Historian/ Researcher/ Academician/ Museum curator/ Social scientist	An aptitude towards studying and analyzing social  trends, an interest in history and sociology	Graduate or Post graduate degree in History/ Sociology/ Anthropology
Political Science/Public Policy	Political analyst/ Content Creator/ Political party worker/ Blogger	Active interest in current affairs and socio-political developments, ability to collect data, analyze and communicate findings	Bachelor/Master Degree in Political Science
Geographical and Environmental Studies	Cartographer/ Climatologist/GIS specialist/ Climate Change Analyst/ Surveyor	An interest in geology, geographical study and analysis, environmental trends, familiarity with GIS software	Bachelor degree in Geography/ Masters in Geology/Geo-Informatics
Economics	Banker/ Economics researcher/ Economic Analyst/ Fund Manager/ Business analyst	Strong conceptual skills with avid interest in financial and macro-economic trends	Bachelor/Master Degree in Economics
Law and Legal Studies, Corporate Law, Cyber Law	Legal Advisor/ Corporate Lawyer/ Advocate/ Legal rights activist/ Cyber Law specialist/ Immigration office worker	Solid theoretical knowledge with an ability to communicate verbally, with an understanding of emerging areas of law like cyber crime, white collar crime etc.	Bachelor/ Master Degree in Law and Litigation
Fine Arts (Illustration, Painting) and Commercial art	Advertisement Layout Designer/ Commercial Artist/ Illustrator/ Art Instructor/ Art Curator	A natural talent for sketching, drawing  and visual arrangement, along with familiarity of visual software applications	Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts or Commercial art
Hospitality and Travel management	Hotel or Guest house or Restaurant  Administrator/ Hospital Administrator/ Tour Operator/ Tour planner/ Travel blogger	Interest in meeting people and visiting new cultures, places, knowledge of places, cuisines, cultures	Bachelor Degree in Travel and tourism/ Hotel Management/ Hospitality Management
Culinary Arts and Nutrition	Chef, Kitchen assistant, Buffet manager, Food Blogger, Cuisine advisor, Restaurateur, Dietician	Talent and aptitude for cooking and presenting food innovatively, with a strong knowledge of global and local cuisine and food trends	Bachelor Degree in Hotel Management or Culinary Arts, followed by extensive hands-on training in a restaurant or kitchen outlet. Special certification in Diet and Nutrition

To be continued....