MBA after Engineering: A Promising Career Path?

Whenever we ask students about their higher studies (who are unsure), they would say, “I want to become an Engineer”. This has been a trend for decades and even now, most of the students follow this herd mentality. They somehow manage to struggle through the 4 years of Engineering. But when the time of placement arrives, they either end up in a job with limited pay and opportunities or they don’t crack the interview itself. As a result, they stay unemployed or unhappy with the job. The Annual Employability Survey 2019 report by Aspiring Minds said that 80% of Indian engineers are not fit for jobs. This could be the result of a lack of Industry Exposure. The effect of Covid-19 did not make this situation any better.

In such cases, students go for higher studies to boost their careers. They opt for Post-Graduate Programs in either their own discipline or choose others. Are you one of them?

One of the most lucrative options for Engineers in the past few years has been a full-time MBA or PGDM program. Doing Masters in Business Administration (MBA) can add value to your Engineering degree and escalate your career growth.

Following are the 5 reasons, why you should choose MBA after Engineering :

To expand your Technical horizon with Managerial Skills:

For 4 years, you have worked on your technical knowledge and acquired good analytical skills. But do you think your analytical approach will be enough for the real corporate challenges? Doing an MBA, after your engineering degree, enables you to broaden your management perspectives and apply them in the Corporate world. Hence, the combination of your technical skills and managerial skills stands out in the crowd!

Building a career in New-Age Job Roles:

In recent times, Technology has enabled new opportunities in various domains. Business requirements across industries are changing every now and then. New job roles have evolved, such as Data & Web Analytics, Data Science, Digital Strategy, Business Process Consulting, and so on. Companies need professionals who are not only excellent managers but also technically sound. The world is aware that Engineers are gifted with good analytical and technical skills, which are required for such new-age roles. Hence this could be a life-changing opportunity for Engineers who are looking forward to pursuing an MBA degree.

To experience a holistic development of Personality:

As a professional, you should be confident and have good communication skills. In Engineering Colleges, the focus mainly stays on developing the technical knowledge of the students. The learning remains limited to a theoretical approach instead of a practical application. It is very uncommon that Engineering Colleges train students on their communication, confidence, and personality development.

On the other hand, in Management Institutes, priority is given to confidence building, and enhancing students’ communication skills, therefore shaping their overall personality. As a management student, you will be required to work on your presentation skills, communication skills, business etiquette, body language, and much more. Professionals need to empower themselves mentally, physically, socially, and emotionally. Training on all of these aspects will make you a confident business leader.

Fast-paced Career Growth :

Having an MBA degree on your resume can grow your career trajectory. With ideal managerial skills from a good B-School, you are bound to get promotions and even attractive salary hikes. You will be eligible for higher leadership roles. This shall open the door to more and more opportunities in the future.

To Become an Entrepreneur :

A lot of times, Engineers feel the need for a career-shift due to limited opportunities w.r.t career prospects. They often want to start their own business. If you are one of them, then pursuing an MBA or PGDM degree will help you to know the hows, buts, and whys of the business world. You shall be able to network with the eminent personalities of the business acumen. Plus, having an MBA degree will add value to your resume, ensuring your investors, a sense of credibility in you. So, doing an MBA degree before you kickstart your business, can be a boon for you.

Summary:

The ladder to success is not easy. But one can achieve it if the right decisions are taken at the right time along with goal-oriented hard work. Doing an MBA after your Engineering degree will highly benefit you as a professional in the corporate world. It will help you to apply your analytical skills and domain knowledge to real-life corporate problems and lead to the holistic development of your personality.

The more you grow as a business professional, the more you will lead to higher positions and brighter opportunities. Thus, it ensures a promising future-proof career.

Author - DR. RAJASSHRIE PILLAI

PROFESSOR AND HOD - HR Department

PIBM Pune

www.pibm.in

About the author -

Dr. Rajasshrie Pillai is an HR Consultant, Analytics, Trainer & Researcher with 9+ years of Academic experience and 10+ years of Corporate Experience. She currently works in the capacity of HOD - HR Department at Pune Institute of Business Management. Her areas of expertise are HR Analytics - SPSS, R, NVIVO, Text Analytics, Organization Development, Management Development Programs, Training and Development, Psychometric Analysis, HR Research Projects, Competency Mapping, Performance Appraisal, Performance Management, and Corporate Social Responsibility. She also mentors young researchers at PIBM to write research papers and publications. She also does counseling of young minds with respect to their career advancements and emotional well-being.

Category - Education