JEDDAH: Speakers at a career-guidance program organized by the Indian Youth Welfare Association (IYWA) of Jeddah on Friday night urged parents to give freedom to their children in matters of career selection.
"Enforcement of career on children will limit their capabilities. On the contrary, parents should provide guidance to their children in selecting careers that interest them the most," one of the speakers said, adding that interest-based careers will help them do wonders in their chosen fields and lead to discoveries, inventions and innovations.
Another speaker called upon the academicians and welfare organizations to utilize the media for educating the masses about the importance of decision-making in matters of career selection for students. He advised the young students to decide their careers by figuring out in which fields they would excel. Sherin Sherwani, a professor at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), highlighted the importance of getting ready for a successful career and said that every human brain is unique and has exclusive inclinations toward certain fields. "Parents should try to gauge it by taking into account family background, lifestyle and capabilities, and figure out the interest of their children through aptitude tests."
Iqbal Mussani, professor at Ibn Sina Medical College, spoke about the vast scope existing in medical education and related job prospects in Saudi Arabia and India. Sara Ali, a lecturer at College of Computing and Information Technology (CCIT), KAU, presented options that are being initiated with the blending of computer science with other fields.
Khaled Hassan, an auditor and alumni of the Indian International School of Jeddah, gave a presentation on the courses in commerce and their increasing appeal for job prospects.
Rihan Khan, a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), exhorted students interested in pursuing careers in engineering to prepare themselves for the Joint Entrance Exam and score a high percentage for admission to IIT, whose campuses are spread out all over India. Mukhtar Khan, an educational consultant, talked about the universities and colleges offering courses in Saudi Arabia, India and other countries.
© Arab News 2011
