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Career as a Machine Learning Engineer in the post-pandemic world

The entire globe has been facing an unprecedented challenge from the Novel Coronavirus, which has made the physical world come to a standstill and the world economy has been holding onto a thread due to this fatal pandemic. But the brighter side of this gloomy situation is that companies are finally appreciating and understanding the significance of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in the practical world. More and more brands are now taking up Machine Learning solutions for their business problems. Not only Machine Learning is used to combat the global pandemic but it has also come out as an important tool in constructing a better world post-COVID. Machine Learning has the capability of providing an understanding and early analysis of problems and prompt resolutions. This technology is used by the doctors and health practitioners to track the virus, identify potential threat to patients and predict the possible cure from disease. These reasons indicate that Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, both are here to rule and this can be an interesting career option for the aspirants who are passionate about data and numbers. Machine Learning has been at the forefront for all the advanced programmers who intend to develop intelligent systems that learn and apply knowledge. These programmers, better known as Machine Learning (ML) engineers, train systems with the help of complex datasets and algorithms.

Machine learning brief explanation

Machine Learning is a subset of Artificial Intelligence, which combines Statistics and Computer Science to predict using different mathematical models. The predictive model can be based on like whether an image contains cat or dog, predicting credit card fraud detection etc. The main objective of Machine Learning is to take decisions based on predictive modelling. Hidden patterns across the datasets are extracted and useful insights about data are found out to drive important decisions, improve customer relationship based on feedback patterns or launch new business.

What are the pre-requisites for becoming a Machine Learning engineer?

A Machine Learning engineer requires to be proficient in a bunch of technical skills for building predictive models.

Below are given some of the primary components of the Machine Learning engineer role:

Data: The Machine Learning engineer has to understand the importance of data in predictive modelling. The data pre-processing is one of the important steps for constructing a Machine Learning model. Data has to be analysed and described in terms of the problem requirement. Good quality data is a necessary requirement in building efficient Machine Learning model.
Predictive Models: Machine Learning engineers need to construct the models designed by the data scientists, understand the model validation in order to get an essence of the estimation of value addition to the business and understand how to fine-tune these models to optimize them for the consumption by end users.
Software Engineering: They need to be efficient in coding back-end so that the models can be made available to users through a user-friendly API.
Efficient Scaling of Infrastructure: They need to keep the system prepared for scaling of infrastructure so that the system may not collapse when multiple number of users start operating their models.

Where is Machine Learning used in real life?

Machine Learning is being used in real life in many fields, industries or domains. Some of the application areas of Machine Learning are listed below:

Image Recognition: It is a popular and widely used application area of Machine Learning. This is used to identify an object from a digital image.

Some of the use-cases of Image Recognition:

Photograph-tagging in social media
Hand-writing recognition by segregating a single letter into component images
Speech Recognition: Machine Learning has the capability of translating speech into text.

Some of the use-cases of Speech Recognition:

Voice-based digital assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Home etc.
Search based on voice
Dialling based on voice
Symptom analysis in healthcare domain: Machine Learning can help the medical practitioners to ascertain symptoms in diseases by leveraging the capability of chat bots. This is called symptom analysis which utilises the power of Natural Language Processing and text mining etc. to analyse the disease symptoms and predict the next steps to be taken as precautionary measures or remedial measures.

Primary objectives of a Machine Learning Engineer

Primary responsibilities of a Machine Learning engineer lies in creation of Machine Learning models and re-training models as and when required. Some of the common responsibilities of the role relate to:

Machine Learning system design
Implementation of Machine Learning algorithms and tools
Dataset selection and dataset representation methods
Verification of data quality
Accomplishing statistical analysis
Executing Machine Learning tests
Improving Machine Learning models by tuning of models by proper selection of hyper-parameters
Constructing Machine Learning apps as per requirement

Now, let us see the skill sets that are important for a Machine Learning Engineer.

Skill set of a Machine Learning Engineer

For becoming a Machine Learning Engineer, an aspirant should have the following skills:

Mathematical and statistical skills relating to subjects such as Calculus, Linear Algebra, Statistics etc.
Advanced degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics or a related degree
Master’s degree is desirable in Machine Learning, Deep Learning or related fields
Coding in programming languages like Python, R etc.
Skills pertaining to Software Engineering, Computer Architecture, Data Science and the like
Working experience with Machine Learning packages and libraries etc.

References:

Rise in the demand for Machine Learning & AI skills in the post-COVID world, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/spotlight/rise-in-the-demand-for-machine-learning-ai-skills-in-the-post-covid-world/articleshow/75464397.cms
Machine learning engineer (ML engineer), https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/definition/machine-learning-engineer-ML-engineer#:~:text=Machine%20learning%20engineers%20design%20and,data%20engineers%20and%20data%20architects.
AI/ML Remains The Most In-Demand Tech Skill Post COVID, https://analyticsindiamag.com/ai-ml-remains-the-most-in-demand-tech-skill-post-covid/
AI, Automation and In-Demand Skills for a Post-Pandemic World, https://www.sigconsult.com/blog/2021/03/ai-automation-and-in-demand-skills-for-a-post-pandemic-world?source=google.co.in
Artificial Intelligence in a post-pandemic world of work and skills, https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/news/artificial-intelligence-post-pandemic-world-work-and-skills

Career Opportunities in Economics Research and Development Consulting in Post Pandemic

The career opportunities in economics and development consulting is rather growing in the post-pandemic period. As this pandemic has brought economic slowdown, reduction in sales and consumption expenditures across the regions and nations. This has prompted for wider scale research and market study to assess this phenomena. The development consulting sector was also affected during the pandemic period and this workload needs to be carried further in the post pandemic period. In this blog I am going to enumerate career opportunities in above mentioned sectors in further detail.

The undergraduate courses in Economics and Business Economics discipline provide sufficient training and insights among students to start entry level jobs in market research, data driven analysis and scoping assessment provided by various companies, research wings of manufacturing companies and non-government organizations. The development consulting sectors open the door for entry in Business Development Area, Research Assistant, Assistant Manager Project and Project Associate. Similarly, the post-graduate courses in Economics and Management enable our students to challenges in these sectors as Research Manager, Project Manager, Project Fellow, Project Coordinator, and Research Consultant roles. Master’s in Business Administration students can explore specific research projects in their specialization domains of Human Resource, Marketing and Finance related researches. Policy based research and research think-tanks also provide job opportunities to post-graduate candidates in economics and management. Further, the nature and specifications of these jobs are different from traditional job opportunities.

In an ordinary search of “Market Research Analyst” to popular job portal lists 18,236 job openings across geographical regions and specialization domains. This search is dominated by 6,419 jobs in data science and 4260 in software engineering followed closely by Sales and Business Development (1552), BFSI, Investment (971), Marketing & Marketing Research (642), Consumer Support (522), Finance (516), Project Planning (425), Human Resource Management (378), and Project Management (352). Foreign Multinational Companies like; Accenture, Spice Work, BNY Mellon, IBM and others.

In development consulting sector, career opportunities for economics and business graduates are available at three levels; a) International b) National and c) Regional. There are 2600 live job opportunities are currently available for economics graduate at regional level in north Indian states. Students can start their career right after undergraduate degree as project assistant, Field Investigators, Data Analyst, and Program Manager in various development consulting projects. Post-graduate students can start their career as research assistant, research fellow, project coordinator and Data Manager. Students with Accounting and Finance major can also support project activity in their accounting and audit processes. Companies like KPMG, PWC, Ernst& Young, Boston Consulting Group, Grandthorton and several others are working in the are area of execution, planning and evaluation of development activities financed by respective government agencies along with national and international development financing units. These development finance units could be Asian Development Bank, DFID, USAID, UNDP, UNICEF, World Bank, IMF and similar such organizations.

What are the skills required in Market Research and Development Consulting Projects?

The skill sets required for career in these domains are slightly different from a regular and traditional careers. In almost all the market research projects and development projects persons are required with thorough knowledge of deductive and inductive reasoning as they would be required to apply it quite often at their work place. Let’s understand the inductive and deductive in a much simpler way. Students belonging to Medical Courses require four meals in a day and students belong to Para Medical Courses require only two meals in a day and at the max three meals in a day. If this information is given what logic one can deduct from it? There can be multiple inferences drawn from this information of two sentences. Now the challenge is who would get the most relevant inference out of these two sentences. If you are aspiring a career in market research you brain stimulus should be acting in planning the requirements of two sets of markets these two sets of students belong too. It’s not just about four meals in a day and three meals in a day it is complete different sets of goods they would be consuming given the pattern of food preferences. If someone is looking a career in development she would be deducting the economic class of these two sets of students. Their career choices are not determined by their cognitive abilities but incomes of their respective families. You would also identify the challenges of exceptions of economic class in these sets.

The second most sought after skill in both the career domains are networking skills. These networking skills are different from usual networking skills as one would require to place networked persons according to requirements and upgrade with their utility. Here is an example; most of the dataset required for market research are not easily accessible and even for easily accessible data sets the validity and reliability is a big issue for customised sample based researches. One would like to be networked with right set of people to address such issues.

Besides these skills, writing, comprehension and affinity to detail are must in these career domains.

Preparation for the market research and development consulting

The preparation for such kind of skills begin with school days and it gets consolidated with higher education. Students opting for economics, statistics, social work and business studies are getting better comprehension in these career domains relative to other subjects. Students from Engineering and Medical fields are are also required in Development consultancy as well as market research. This field is challenging as well as exciting for such persons who are looking to upgrade themselves with the changing context. The concept of lifelong learning is appropriate for such career domains as every new project open afresh canvas for learning and growth. Business consulting, Investment consulting are relatively more rewarding than the development consulting however, for the early career students development consulting can act as a Launchpad. Further, advancement in skills can lead to other consulting jobs.

For greater understanding in development consulting one must visit the websites of donor agencies.

Career Prospects in New-Age Journalism: Deconstructing the Need for News Content in the Post-Pandemic Era

Over the past one decade or so, we have been hearing about it, talking about it and experiencing it as well. Indeed, digital is the way forward in journalism. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic arrived, new media had emphatically established itself as the primary journalistic platform. If at all there was a tinge of doubt vis-à-vis the primacy of online news content, the pandemic sealed it for once and all.

However, we are not here to talk about digital journalism. Enough has been said about it and to the extent that anything in the given domain would prove unabashedly repetitive. Instead, what would be an infinitesimally better discourse is to talk about the changes that we are experiencing in the world of digital journalism over the past two years and how the changes have uncovered newer opportunities for prospective journalists. More particularly, we are talking about journalism career opportunities. Without any further ado, let us take a closer look:

YouTube Journalism: Many reputed and mainstream journalists including the likes of Barkha Dutt and Faye D’Souza have opened their YouTube channels that are constantly streaming news and views. In fact, going by the sheer content quality, it would not be an overstatement if we were to say that these YouTube channels are likely to replace the mainstream news channels very shortly. Owing to the fact that these YouTube channels are largely independent, the news that are being transmitted through these channels are largely unbiased and censorship-free. Given the scenario, young and bright journalists can think about opening their own YouTube channels instead of following the beaten track. One also needs to consider that the amount of investment that one needs to make to open such a channel is minimal.
Vlog and Podcast Journalism: Industry veterans often talk about how vlogs and podcasts are gaining in popularity with each passing day. Topical vlogs and independent podcast sites could be a great way for an upcoming journalist to leverage their knowledge and expertise. As alternative media is pushing its envelope, the content quality of these vlogs and podcast sites is improving at an exponential rate.
Freelance Mobile Journalism (MoJo): There have been umpteen discussions on mobile journalism or MoJo and the discussions keep getting intense. However, what everybody seems to have forgotten is the growth potential for freelance mobile journalism. Mobile news content has the capacity to make journalism a lot more encompassing that what is currently the case. As we are trudging through an economically depressed post-pandemic time, journalism of tomorrow will be largely mobile. Cheap technology and easy navigability of content will create all the difference.
Data Journalism: Moving ahead, data is set to be the key. Surfing through data and making sense out of it will become the most important skill for a journalist. Therefore, technology and numerical skills would distinguish a successful journalist from a not so successful one. When we talk about data, we also talk about the seamless and palatable representation of data.
Journalism through Infographics and Animation: In a world that has seen the unbelievable growth of technology, it is only natural that the traditional modes of news content delivery would cease to be effective. Therefore, text, photographs and videos are no longer enough to impress and hold audiences. One also needs infographics and animation clips to make a news package more incisive and consumable. Journalists who can create meaningful and impactful infographics and animation would be in high demand in the next few years.
Spatial Journalism: Before we discuss the possibilities in spatial journalism, we need to understand what it exactly is. Spatial journalism can be loosely defined as a novel form of journalism that juxtaposes the concepts of place, space and location into traditional journalistic practices. The location can be physical, augmented or virtual. It involves new storytelling formats such as the ones that include Augmented Realities (AR), Virtual Realities (VR) and Mixed Realities (MR). What is clear though is the primordial role of technology in the entire process. Subject to the fact that immersive storytelling has better chances of retaining news consumers, spatial journalism can be safely considered to be biggest thing in journalism.
Modular Journalism: Modular journalism is the practice of looking at a story not as a monolith but as a collection of bits and parts. The process of crafting a story by including only those parts that are consumable and interesting is called modular journalism. At a time when the attention time among news consumers is consistently shrinking and content creation is becoming increasingly difficult, modular journalism is set to be a panacea. Therefore, journalists who know the pulse of their audience and can accordingly create a story without bothering much about the older traditions in journalism are destined to be more successful than the rest.
Human Interest Journalism: Over a period of time, young and aspiring journalists have been made to believe that stories that encapsulate the pulse of the common people do not create much public interest. However, recent trends in journalism has proved it wrong. Therefore, empathetic storytellers who understand the finer nuances of humanity would be in demand. The pandemic has shown the vulnerability of the human race in the face of natural adversity and hence people throughout the world have started understanding the importance of documenting human frailties. This is a marked opportunity for young and sharp minds in journalism to explore storytelling with humanity at the core of it.
Health Journalism: With the pandemic having changed the dominant global discourse, health journalism and health journalists would continue to become increasingly more relevant. Therefore, young scribes who are interested in health journalism can ride the tide and become successful in practically no time.
Technology Journalism: With technology set to become even more encompassing in the days to come, journalists who understand technology have a greater chance of making it big in the news content market. In very simple terms, reportages that concern technology would become the norm.

Journalism, as we know it today, would significantly transform in the next few years. The most important thing is to comprehend the pulse of this change and act accordingly. If a prospective journalist can do that, there will be no looking back for her/ him.

This blog encompasses the changing lens of digital journalism and tries to provide information pertaining to career prospects in the broader domain of journalism for upcoming and aspiring scribes. Just in case you find this blog useful and relevant, please make it a point to share it with as many people as you like for them to know the contemporary nuances in journalism and related career opportunities.

COVID impact, new trends and research in Civil Engineering and Construction

For the last two and half years, people of this planet have experienced a pandemic situation due to outbreak of Novel Corona virus. As per the situation, there is scarcely any country that has remained unchanged by the harshness of this virus. Our country is not an exception from this pandemic. Sometimes positivity rate of Corona Virus came down but suddenly it has started a reverse flow towards higher positivity during the last three waves happened till date. Not only the human lives but most of the commercial activities also had been suffering by the pandemic. Some industries might had overcome the pandemic situation but most of them faced much difficulties and obviously construction engineering sector was also in the list.

The construction industry and civil engineering add mainly to the Indian economy. The unfavourable situation due to pandemic has caused all construction projects to come to an end suddenly but the jobs in design sectors were managed by work from home. Construction industry, the main pillar of the national economy had faced a long challenge like regulatory burden under environmental laws which had coupled with the pandemic. Subsequently lockdown imposed to deal with the situation restricting the movement of people, gatherings and strictly maintaining social distance. All these had made a tremendous effect in Indian economy and construction industry has been halted throughout the country.

In India, the dilemma for the Civil engineering sector is high and it is infuriated and hard to treat with as there is no standard format of contracts for construction sector. There could be immense variations in particular state of affairs of a Construction and Engineering contract. Although, there is standard forms of construction and engineering contracts by International Federation of Consulting Engineers, Institution of Civil Engineers and Indian Institute of Architects but at that times they are eagerly settled and hence it lost uniformity.

In most of the construction and engineering, contracts parties generally mention the time of completion of works. Due to Novel Corona Virus, workers did not feel safe to work in the construction site and they returned to their home leaving their job. So, many of the projects were not completed in stipulated period and the contractor became a defaulter. In some cases, contractors had to pay compensation for delay in completing the project.

Government of India declared closing of all universities, colleges and schools. The whole education system suffered a lot due to the situation and came to a worst situation. To Cope with the situation, online classes were started but by the method, teacher was unable to identify the effective attendance of a particular student for the entire class session but one good thing is that there is no loss of time for to and fro during online classes and as most of the time students remain at home, they can easily join some other online activities like attending in Webinar, others Professional course etc. to improve their knowledge and skill . In case of normal situation when the students would attend classes physically, it would not be possible for them to attend such courses which even conducting from abroad also.

But online system had disadvantage also. It was not possible exactly to evaluate a student in the online examination as some of students took help of open book, open study materials, internet search and help from friends during examination time. Some students received participation certificate of Webinar without attending attentively.

As a result, some changes happened in Civil Engineering and Construction sector to adopt the situation. Earlier contractors in the sites would to hire many labours to complete the project. But due to pandemic, contractors hired less number of labours and used many machineries in construction works. Ready mix concrete was brought from Batching plant instead of producing concrete at site. Digital system, like Building Information Modelling and integrated project management platforms were already recognized as digital building blocks for the construction industry. Also, repetitive and dangerous works that people want to avoid means implementation of automation can support the industry’s labour and skills crisis. At that moment, robotic automation deals enormous possibility to increase output, efficiency and flexibility of construction process throughout the construction industry, as well as to automate the fabrication of modular houses, robotic welding and material handling on construction sites, robot 3D printing of structures. As well as building the industry safer and more cost efficient, robots are recuperating sustainability and dropping environmental impact by enhancing recycling by means of cutting waste. Robots can produce safer construction by managing heavy loads, working in unsafe locations and enabling safer ways of construction. With the industry producing increased environmental pollution and the need for more cost-effective structures, robotic automation reduces waste by improving quality, which is important when it’s approximated that up to a quarter of materials out of total materials transported to a construction site leaves as waste. With automation and digital technology, Engineers can also design waste out at the beginning of a project through effective Building Information Modelling and construction processes.

Very renowned Universities like us designed Smart Lab by which student can watch a live demonstration of all parts of a particular experiment. Virtual Internship was also arranged for the student. In Virtual Internship, the video of Construction site works were shown to students by the Senior executives of the company. The conduction of recruitment drive was also easier as it was done online. Students had not missed even any event as all were organised by online mode. By using of digital library, students were able to view and download books, journals. Research activities were not stopped also during the pandemic situation. Researcher provided priority on Analytical research than Descriptive research in the current situation and also changed the area of research to suit Analytical research.

In a concluding remark, Every problem has a best solution; you just need to discover it.

Further Studies

Microbiologist: A prominent career choice for biology students

Biology aspirants at School level:

While the interest in studying biology at School level starts with understanding cells, both plants and animals, it takes a peak during the study of human system. While traditional zoology, botany and physiology creates the base for understanding biology, advancements in the form of microbiology, immunology, biotechnology, recombinant DNA technology etc. paves the path of inquisitiveness among the biology lovers at the school level. This lead to the selection of medical or non-medical biological subjects as career option for the aspirant biologists.

Exploring the less known world:

Microbiology has always been frontrunner among the choice of such biology-aspirants for their studies at undergraduate level beyond medical education (Refer: https://adamasuniversity.ac.in/microbiologyplus-the-most-promising-career-path-beyond-medical-education/ ).

‘Knowing the unknown and seeing the unseen” has been the trend of human acumen since the inception of human race. Microbiology stimulates this, with the challenge of finding novel microorganism (bacteria, virus, protozoa, algae etc.) and a plethora of their magnificent properties. Till date the share of known microorganisms has not even reached 1% posing immense prospect for the future. The microbial world extends from the hottest region of the world to the coolest, from the top of the Everest to the Mariana trench and from the gut of human to the solar panel. Diversity of microorganisms holds the key and charm to study the subject.

Knowledge, Skill and Competency development:

Striking balance between diversity as well as specialization is important during the selection of stream/ subject to be opted for career. The three major focus on the 3-4 year undergraduate degree as well as 1-2 years of post-graduate degree lies in the development of theoretical knowledge, technical skills and more importantly competency as life-long learner. Studies in microbiology provides a well-balanced blending of these enhancing theoretical knowledge to strive for innovation, hands-on skills to work in an industry/ research as well as gain like skills and competency to remain relevant and updated despite rapid technological evolution.

Curriculum:

Studies in microbiology at undergraduate as well as post graduate level is generally divided into several courses as mentioned in the following:

Fundamental Courses: Bacteriology, Virology, Biochemistry etc.
Advanced Courses: Immunology, molecular Biology, microbial genetics etc.
Applied Courses: Food and Dairy Microbiology, Medical Microbiology, Agricultural Microbiology, Industrial Microbiology etc.
Skill Enhancement Courses: Quality Control & Quality Assurance, Vaccine Technology, Bioinformatics, Intellectual Property Right (IPR) etc.

Most academic institutions follow a Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) to design their curriculum of Microbiology. However, a few institutions also offer ‘Outcome Based Education’, a student centric educational model employed to maximize learning outcome of the enrolled students.

Infrastructure, facility and Instructors:

Studies in microbiology require sophisticated instruments, well-equipped laboratories and well trained instructors to create a strong base for the students. Unfortunately, many institutions lack these facilities and treat it alongside other conventional subjects. The major requirements in supporting all round development of a microbiologists includes (not limited to):

Laboratory Facility (Basic): Laboratory with Bio-Safety Level: I (BSL-I)
Instruments (Basic): Microscope, Autoclave, Laminar Air Flow, Centrifuge etc.
Instruments (Sophisticated): -80°C freezer, Phase contrast microscope, UV-Vis Spectrophotometer, HPLC etc.
Facility: Animal Cell Culture, Plant Tissue Culture, Animal House etc.
Co curricular Facility: Tinkering Lab, Incubation Centre, Fabrication Lab etc.

technicians trained in microbiology. However, most of the institutes run the UG and PG program in microbiology employing faculty members from other domain of biology (e.g. botany, zoology etc.) not having requisite exposure and expertise in the core domains of microbiology. The emergence of microbiology as a specialized field of biology also demands the involvement and guidance of personnel from the field of microbiology for proper dissemination of knowledge and skill of aspirant microbiologists. People having relevant industrial exposure adds on significant weightage in terms of leveraging benefit to the students.

Career path:

Despite of the abundance of open source information and higher digital access/ literacy, career path remains unclear to most students at the entry level to graduation. Over rated courses, glorified outcome and rationalizing odd success stories make students a victim during admissions. The following career path of microbiologists are stated to uncover the potential strength as well as challenges to be faced:

Teaching: ‘Teacher shapes the future of the coming generation’ This still motivates a lot of students to take up teaching at various level viz. school, college or university as their preferred profession. Microbiology graduates are not only eligible to appear for most of the school level recruitment process (e.g. School Service Commission, WB) they find it ease during exam and highly relevant during teaching. Joining colleges (both govt. or private) after the completion of M.Sc. in Microbiology is a lucrative option while clearing NET (National Eligibility Test)is highly competitive. Teaching at university level having independent research career, guiding Ph.D. students is also highly sought after career.
Researcher/Scientists: Most of the students of microbiology aspire to pursue Ph.D. on completion of their M.Sc. and conduct research for creation of knowledge towards human and societal development. There are plenty of research institutes, universities offering position of Junior Research Fellow (JRF), Senior Research Fellow (SRF) in the domain of microbiology (e.g. IISER, IIT, Bose Institute, NIBMG, IACS, IICB etc.). Research funding is mostly obtained from government through Department of Science & Technology (DST), Department of Biotechnology (DBT) Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) etc. The researchers receive good amount of fellowship during the PhD tenure, through these schemes. After completion of PhD, students join institutes as senior researchers or scientists. Alternatively, they continue their research as Post-Doctoral Fellow in India or Abroad. The offer of fellowship at this level is attractive and often higher than the salary offered through regular employment.
Industry: While knowledge is created at the university level, its implementation is seen in the industry. There is a boom of biotechnology and allied industries that require trained microbiologists at various level. UG level students are employed as Trainee, laboratory technicians etc. in the Quality Control, production department. While students completing M.Sc. are recruited as QC executive, microbiologists etc. Students having Ph.D. are mostly employed in the R&D division. It is to be emphasized that all pharmaceutical, food, biotech industries have definite requirements of microbiologists as a part of regulatory compliances. Hence, there lies a constant need of microbiologists at various industries.
Entrepreneurship: The present generation of students have found a suitable solution to the problem of unemployment by the creation of start-up employing their domain knowledge or interest. Several innovative ideas in the form of product or service has led to the development of enterprise making the students ‘job creators rather than job seekers’. Microbiology has enough scope of developing products related to medical, agricultural and also of inter-disciplinary nature that can be nurtured in the incubation facility in creating a start-up. The Govt. is constantly encouraging such activities with various financial and regulatory support through creation of proper start-up ecosystem at the higher educational institutions.

Thus, Microbiology offers enough scope of quenching thirst for knowledge, ignition towards innovation and having a successful career. However, the success highly depends on the quality of training obtained during academic tenure and perseverance.

Choosing a Career as an Environmental Engineer

What to choose? Which subject to take? Shall I get good job opportunities? What would be the earning potential?… Etc.

These are some of the common concerns that we have before embarking on further education, but take a deep breath and consider environmental engineering as a career option. Isn’t it fascinating to learn more about the world in which we work or to solve the problems that our environment faces on a daily basis? Obviously, it’s interesting! Let’s get started on gathering as much information as possible about our environmental studies. Environmental engineering is a branch of engineering and scientific knowledge of strategies to apply to the practical improvement of the environment. Another thing to say about an environmental specialist: it can provide a cover or assurance for our current situation, as well as strengthen the relationship between humans and the natural climate. Natural engineering gave us the ability to interact with both nature and individuals. As a result, create a capable undertaking that can have a long-term result. Difficulties and significant issues are present in each venture, which requires great understudies and a workforce. An environmental engineer is attempting to develop a new device, a natural structure plan, EIA planning, and is also developing a new monetary model, though environmental management improvement is more satisfactory than theories are the use of the premises.

Why is it necessary to conduct further research into environmental engineering?

It is past time for us to become more rational and calculative as a result of the novel objective for environmental engineering. There are many research, programs, and realistic applications that we cannot overlook. In master’s programs, environmental engineering is a multidisciplinary topic with a lot of theory papers and lab work, project work, and seeing how the hypothesis applies with your own experiences. Other skills, such as technical reading and writing, critical thinking, and board ability, are required in addition to the hypothetical material.

We can likewise choose between two sorts of Experts degrees:

If there is someone who is more concerned about the natural arrangement builder planner, they may pursue a master’s degree in natural engineering.
If anybody is interested in the exploration field, they can go for M. Tech in Environmental Engineering.

Who Are We and What We Do?

In the current period, we can see an increase in demand in the engineering sector across various divisions. If we look at the previous survey results, we can see that environmental engineering is receiving the same attention and opportunities as other fields. Many of us believe that saving the earth is a task for the future, so why bother doing it now? This is not the case; it is having a positive and direct effect on people’s daily lives all over the world.

Now comes the issue of how an environmental engineer can assist in achieving a healthy and sustainable climate, and what positions do they play in this regard.

Environmental engineering, as we all know, is closely connected to environmental science in that it employs scientific and engineering concepts to protect and enhance the environment. It also includes the design and technology for improving environmental quality. The working areas for environmental engineers are air pollution control, radiation protection, hazardous waste management, industrial hygiene, recycling, toxic material control, wastewater management, solid waste disposal, and public health and land management, protection of wildlife, prevent the production and repercussion of acid rain, global warming, and ozone depletion. Life will be difficult without environmental engineers because we can only live and continue our work if our world is clean and secure. The most fascinating aspect of this subject is that students who want to study environmental engineering will gain a broad understanding of a variety of topics including mathematics, engineering design, biology, microbiology, computer science, ecology, public health, economics, and geology.

Let us move on to the job opportunities after learning about the course specifics. What kind of job will an individual get after completing a B. Tech or M. Tech in environmental engineering?

There are many fields where environmental engineers are been appointed, are:

Environmental related projects with national & international firms.
Universities or colleges where they can teach, conduct research, and share knowledge on environmental control acts.
Industry or company for handling wastewater treatment system, treat and dispose of hazardous waste, etc.
Municipal agencies for water supply system.
Laboratories
Government sectors
And plenty of opportunity in fertilizer plants, refineries, food processing industries, etc.

Job Outlook of Environmental Engineering is Great!!!

When we think of studying and pursuing a career in engineering, we usually think of mother streams like civil, mechanical, or electrical engineering, but there is one branch that is becoming increasingly relevant today: environmental engineering. Nothing can be better than to having a career which is meaningful, satisfying, as well as rewarding, and environmental engineering fits perfectly on these criteria. Environmental engineers are extremely satisfied with their careers because they know what they are doing has a major impact on our future; and they are able to fulfill their responsibilities towards our nature and society.

With increasing environmental issues, our young generations are getting aware; as a result, colleges and universities have started offering environmental engineering programmes. The master’s program in this regard will help to better understand the environmental problems and find solutions with the help of technology as well as to raise awareness among the students.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average growth rate for employment of environmental engineers is going to exceed 15% by 2014 to 2024, which is way faster than the average for all other occupations. Why? Because with the modernization and development, our environment is also getting polluted and we are becoming more aware to save the world. As a result, job opportunities for environmental experts will increase. It’ll help us to find a job anywhere in the world, from India to Australia to Europe and beyond, this is truly a global career.

Talking about salaries, environmental engineers get paid pretty well. Although money is not everything, but we live in a world where we need money to survive. Based on a survey of salaries in India, the results show that an experienced environmental engineer receives an average compensation of Rs 10,19,862. So, they can lead a beautiful life.

This was some of the most valuable knowledge about environmental engineering; hopefully, after reading this, the majority of your questions will be answered. Ergo, time to come forward and ‘Be a part of solution not a part of the pollution’.

Career Prospects for Master of Computer Application (MCA)

Why should you pursue MCA?

Master of Computer Application (MCA) is a professional post-graduation degree program of duration two years. This program is a perfect blend of domain-specific knowledge and industry-standard application. Students can opt for the MCA program if they have successfully completed a Bachelor degree in Computer Application or any relevant bachelor’s degree in computers as a subject. This program provides all-around development of students in the computer application domain with the help of modern technical and industry-specific skills.

Eligibility Criteria for MCA

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Application is the prerequisite for pursuing MCA.

Graduates from other streams like Commerce, Arts, Science, and Computer Science as well are also considered eligible to get admission in the MCA program.

Scope of MCA in India

MCA candidates are in great demand in the Indian job sector currently. They have the opportunity to work in the public sector as well as in the private sector. Right now, India is considered to be one of the growing IT destinations of the world. MCA has a lot of scope in India considering our nation’s penchant for IT. MCA is considered as one of the technical and professional degrees, leading to a successful and bright career.

Career and Job Opportunities after completing MCA

Adamas University is providing the best career opportunities to students by enhancing their IT and soft skills at the nascent stage. This is the most promising factor for each and every pupil. Adamas University nurtures pupil’s skill set very minutely and provides a clear visualization to each student as per their skill set. It moves forward their career in the right direction and paves the way for them to contribute to the growth of the technical domain.

Some of the job roles after MCA degree to consider:

1. Software Development

If software development is the driving factor for an aspirant, it would be perfect for the aspirant to pursue an MCA degree.

2. Hardware and Networking

Hardware and networking are one of emerging sectors nowadays. If we do a reality check, it can be found that hardware engineers grab jobs more quickly as there is a scarcity of networking professionals.

3. Software Consultancy

It is one of the booming professions nowadays, hence most of the aspirants can go for freelancing and consultant job to make their career successful.

4. Computer System Analyst

It is one of the demanding career options of any software industry as computer systems are used in most of the industries today.

5. Project Manager

Project Manager is another lucrative job profile after MCA completion which enables an aspirant to supervise a team of IT professionals working under them.

How to select a good institution offering MCA

As a first step, students should select the proper institution which offers MCA. So, students must ensure that they are doing this course from the right Institution to extract the best out of their education. In this perspective, Adamas University is the right decision as it is one of the best private universities in India which ranked in the Times Engineering Survey 2019. Here, we list down some of the parameters to be considered why you should choose Adamas University as your destination.

Top 5 parameters of Adamas University that will help you to move forward in your career:

1. Curriculum

The curriculum adopted in MCA is designed according to industry-standard skills. It covers core Computer Science related papers in the first year of study along with advanced and emerging subjects in the final year of study. Adamas University delivers one of the most well-crafted MCA curriculum which will equip you with the right mix of industry-standard and corporate skills.

2. Faculty Profile

Adamas University boasts of its experienced and qualified faculty strength to impart quality education to the students. They mentor their students with care to show them the right path. A good teacher can nurture the best minds in the world with sound attributes. So, Faculty Profile is an influential parameter that validates the decision of choosing Adamas University as a student’s career destination.

3. Placements

Here at Adamas University, an impressive number of students get placed every year. A lot of renowned organizations or companies visit our campus like HCL, Cognizant, INFOSYS, JARO Education, WIPRO and many more. The placement drives are organized and managed by the specialized Career Development Cell of the university.

4. Your Destination

Your destination is the result of your detailed and informed decision-making process. Though you have decided up your mindset to make your career in MCA, it is must to have precise thinking of which college you would choose. Adamas University quenches your thirst for knowledge and shapes your career for a better future.

Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Technology: A Guide to Skilled Technicians

What is Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Technology (BSc MLT) Program?
Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Technology (BSc MLT) is an undergraduate course of 3 years, which is divided into six semesters (two semesters per academic year). It is a paramedical program that offers practical and theoretical knowledge related to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of various kinds of ailments and health problems through various clinical laboratory tests. Students will get an exposure regarding how to perform the analysis of different body fluids during their course of study which includes haematological, bacteriological, immunological, chemical, histopathological and microscopical evaluation.

Admission Criteria:
Students must have scored a minimum of 55% marks in their higher secondary examination in science stream and should have Physics, Chemistry and Biology or Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology as their compulsory subjects in 12th standard to be eligible for admission. Adamas University offering BSc MLT courses provides admission to the students on the basis of entrance examination conducted by the institute. However, students are also eligible for direct admission based on merit.

Objectives:
The main objective of the course is to provide a comprehensive knowledge to the students with respect to various techniques of testing that are conducted as a part of diagnosis of various diseases such as blood test, blood typing, urine analysis and other tests without any errors. The course includes the study of diagnosing a disease by utilizing a clinical laboratory. It also involves a proper analysis of the reports of laboratory tests required to treat a particular disease using the best medical procedures and facilities. In the modern era of medical science, treatment for any disease is completely reliant on the diagnostic tests performed in the laboratory. This highlights the significance of this program in the medical and health sector. For various job positions after completion of this course, the average annual salary ranges from INR 2 Lakhs to 6 lakhs per annum. However, the salary keeps on increasing with experience and expertise.

Course Highlights:
• Program- Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Technology
• Abbreviation- BSc MLT
• Level- Graduate
• Duration- 3 year
• Eligibility- 10+2 from any recognized education board
• Admission Process- Entrance exam and merit-based
• Possible Job Positions- Medical Laboratory Technician, Medical Laboratory Technologist, Clinical Laboratory Technician, Lab Technologist, Biochemist, Phlebotomist, Medical Phlebotomist, Clinical Laboratory Technologist, etc.
• Expected Average Salary- INR 2 lakhs to 6 lakhs per annum.

Why study BSc MLT?
BSc MLT is one of the perfect courses for those students who want to make themselves skilled professionals in medical field because in this course the students will go through the relevant training and gain the required skill set to work efficiently in medical sector. Medical science is one of the finest areas which is in high demand and a career in the same is chosen by candidates with an interest in the healthcare sector. Medical lab technicians play a crucial role in the conduction of various activities related to the diagnostic and pathology laboratories. BSc MLT syllabus consists of subjects that inculcate the skills in the students required to handle advanced equipments so as to perform accurate laboratory tests. This course empowers the students to go for various educational, hospital, governmental sectors as they can run a laboratory, consultancy services as well as health care centres. This enables the graduates to opt for higher degree programs in various specializations which can include any of the following:
• Master of Science (M. Sc) in Medical Technology.
• Master of Science (M. Sc) in Nuclear Medicine Technology.
• Master of Science (M. Sc) in Medical Imaging Technology.
• Master of Science (M. Sc) in Nuclear Medicine Technology.
• Master of Science (M. Sc) in Medical Lab Technology
• Master of Science (M. Sc) in Medical Lab Technology.
• Master of Science (M. Sc) in Medical Technology.
• Master of Science (M. Sc) in Medical Imaging Technology.

Scope:
Graduates have immense opportunities to establish their career in different spheres after completion of the course. The academic and technical proficiencies of the technician determine the job opportunities in this area. Graduates have numerous scope of working as Phlebotomist, Medical Laboratory Technologist, Clinical Laboratory Technician, Lab Technologist, Biochemist and Medical Phlebotomist, Clinical Laboratory Technologist, Medical Laboratory Technician. A skilled and efficient graduate in this field is liable to acquire challenging positions in different hospitals in public or private sectors such as emergency centres, blood donor centres, laboratories, etc.

The scope of this course is very wide. After BSc MLT course, candidates have ample of great opportunities in many fields anywhere in the world. The scope linked to the course includes the following:
• A career in this field is amongst the most challenging and satisfying careers in today’s market. Everyday, a technician/technologist gets to learn something new, which is great for their career.
• A number of Medical Laboratory Technicians can find employment in pathology labs, research labs, urology labs, pharmaceutical sector, hospitals and in many other areas.
• Apart from the above opportunities, an aspirant can also pursue a career in the education field as a lecturer. With passing years, the course has multiplied in terms of what a student learns during the course, thereby multiplying the scope as well. The scope has significantly expanded and a number of opportunities have been on the rise.
• The Medical Laboratory Technology field includes areas such as blood banking, clinical chemistry, haematology, immunology, microbiology, cytotechnology, urine analysis, blood sampling, etc. There are innumerable fields that can serve as suitable career options for the graduates.
• BSc MLT provides ample job opportunities in the healthcare sector. Every hospital and healthcare sector needs clinical lab technicians to detect problems and diseases affecting the patients. Hence, it is creating more job opportunities for the graduates of BSc MLT. Medical Laboratory Technology profession has a positive impact on people’s health.

#AU4CHANGE: A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT WITH PARTICIPATORY AND COLLECTIVE LEARNING

Covid-19 is no longer just a virus-induced infectious disease. It is much more than that. In fact, it wouldn’t be an overstatement if we were to dub it as an unprecedented phenomenon. While acknowledging its disastrous consequences, we should have no qualms in accepting that it has been the biggest catalyst of instantaneous changes that we have encountered in our daily lives. As the second wave of the disease continues to ravage India, our lifestyles have turned upside down.

The sweeping changes due to Covid-19 have gripped all areas of human life. The field of academics has been one of the biggest areas of change. The nature of the virus is such that it requires people to stay indoors and interact with each other virtually. Thus, technology-mediated virtual learning has become the alternative for physical learning. Classroom-centric learning has given way to app-based remote learning.

Although, online interactions constitute the only way to continue learning at this juncture, the absence of personal touches and the monotony of continuously sitting in front of the computers have created a peculiar negative inertia among learners. Across the world, the euphoria that was associated with online learning towards the beginning of the pandemic is hardly there. Teachers, therefore, are having a tough time maintaining the interest level of the learners.

Like every other academic across the globe, yours truly, being a humble media teacher at the School of Media and Communication (SOMC) under the Kolkata-based Adamas University (AU), was finding it an uphill task to retain learners’ attention during online classes. It was contingent on me to try an alternative mechanism. This is where I thought I would pass the buck to the learners themselves so that the intensity and quantum of their involvement could be significantly enhanced.

On an experimental basis, I applied this decided reversal of roles for a course entitled ‘Contemporary Media Issues’, which is taught to the fourth-semester students of Bachelor of Arts [B.A. (Honours)] in Journalism and Mass Communication (J.M.C.). According to the deal that I had with the students, the entire class of 45 students was divided into three groups. Each group was given the responsibility to take care of two modules out of a total of six that were included in the course curriculum. Each group has a name, a captain and a vice-captain. Therefore, on a given instructional day, the captain of the assigned group would pick up a topic from the two decided modules and initiate the discussion. It is worthwhile to mention that the captain of a group is responsible for informing the topic in advance to me so that I can also prepare accordingly. During the class, each member of the assigned group would speak for a certain amount of time so that the entire topic is covered in a nutshell. I would also add my inputs to the discussion and invite members from other groups to contribute their ideas.

Initially, the quality of discussions wasn’t up to the mark and many learners couldn’t express their ideas owing to an inability to speak English. However, with sustained motivations, learners slowly started coming out of their shells. With some confidence, now I can say that the classes are a lot more interactive than what was the case earlier.

Additionally, each group is responsible for finding out all the resources pertaining to their assigned modules and distributing the same amongst all the learners. Not only does it enhance the researching skills of the learners, it also significantly adds to their repertoire of knowledge.

This technique had a significant bearing on enhancing the collective attendance of the learners. Additionally, all of them felt responsible for the course thereby inspiring collective learning. Learning essentially needs to be a democratic process and this procedure significantly added to the democratic fervour.

Participatory and group learning is the order of the day. As a teacher, it was my honest attempt to introduce the same at my school.

While depression among learners is at an all-time high subject to an uncertain future and reduced career opportunities, it is equally true that teachers have an inescapable responsibility to uplift their spirit. I am sure that a little bit of innovation can go a long way in reviving the confidence of learners on the teaching-learning process. The rest, they say, is history.

Why Computer Science?

“The Computer was born to solve the problem that did not exist before” – Bill Gates.

As a machine reduces the work effort, so does a computer for a typical complex computation. Computer science forces you to deal with a problem in a slightly different way which is a skill that can be applied to life itself. In the era of data, a computer is the most indispensable thing we can think of. Computer science gives you an opportunity in working and understanding hands-on the aspect of data.

Computer Science is the study of principles and the use of computers. The classical areas for a computer science course include discrete mathematics, data structure, theory of computation, compiler design, analysis and designing of Algorithm. The advanced study includes artificial intelligence (AI), computer networks and security, database management systems, computer vision and graphics, numerical analysis, software engineering, bioinformatics.

Apart from this, a computer engineer is supposed to be known as a fluent coder. Coding is the ‘Bread and Butter’ for all computer engineers. Programming or coding is an intriguing sector as it gives us the superpower to regulate computer programs on the go. The main goal for a computer engineer is to make a problem understandable to a machine so that it could solve the problem obligingly. The fluency and smoothness of an application are solely based on the way you design the code. C, the mother of all programming languages, is a general-purpose programming language that is extremely popular, simple, and flexible to use. It helps a programmer to build the base of designing a program. It is a structured programming language that is machine-independent and extensively used to write various applications, Operating Systems like Windows, and many other complex programs like Oracle database, Git, Python interpreter, and more. Java, a high-level programming language, is also the most popular language for its design structure using object-oriented concepts (OOP). When it comes to the web, Java is unparallel. Most of the web-based applications are based on java. Apart from this, there are several programming languages like c++, python, Matlab, R to name a few.

There are innumerable and varied specialization and career options for a computer engineer. After completing his/her B.Tech degree a student may get absorbed in the software industry or may opt for higher studies. There are multiple sub-division and specializations in Computer Engineering which require applications in various sectors. Student can also pursue B.Tech degree in various applied fields:

AI/ML: Artificial Intelligence (AI) are emerging fields that will shape and dominate the future of this universe. Data is one of the most important assets of a company or government agency. It helps us to predict the future based on past experiences. AI has the potential to vastly change the way that humans interact, not only with the digital world but also with each other, through their work and other socioeconomic institutions – for better or for worse. A vast volume of data can be analysed by using a smart alternative, Machine Learning. It can produce an accurate result by designing a fast and efficient model for real-time data.
Blockchain: The duration of the course for B.Tech with specialization in blockchain is four years. Blockchain is currently booming and one of the most popular technologies that have invaded to almost every industry in the world. The world is changing its shape towards cryptocurrency. In near future, Bitcoin will be one of the popular transaction media. The main technology behind this is the blockchain. The technology will help the student to learn different algorithms and to curate the bitcoin on their own.
Cyber Security: Cybersecurity provides an expertise insight analysis on global security threats. In the world of web, to provide a secure web service is one of the main goals. The course on Cyber Security will help to learn different algorithms along with the expertization on ethical hacking, penetration testing, digital forensics. There are immense career avenues open for specialization in cybersecurity. This includes Security software developer, security analyst, security architect etc.
M.Tech Degree in Computer Science: Apart from doing graduation and going for an early job, a student may go for a master’s degree in computer science and engineering along with the specialized degree discussed above.

With the knowledge and concept in the domain, a computer science engineer can be eligible for an immense variety of job opportunities. Some of them are jotted below:

Computer Science engineers are the primary resource of the software industry. With a sound concept in the subject, a student can crack any of the big houses easily.
Government sectors such as I.S.R.O, B.H.E.L, etc are recruiting computer science engineers having a good GATE score.
Interdisciplinary research is a new trend for Computer Science students. Inter-disciplinary subjects such as IoT, Bioinformatics provides a huge contribution in research for computer science students.
Apart from interdisciplinary research, mainstream research in computer science also provides a huge scope for the student both nationally and internationally.

As a computer science engineer, there are plenty of opportunities in Government sectors as well as private sectors. A focused, sincere and conceptual student has all the possibilities to touch the sky.