There are 1.5 million students that graduate as engineers every year. The next stage, if you are not considering MTech in India is to gain employment. As advances in technology and robotics make many jobs redundant, there is increasing competition within the industry, but there are still plenty of opportunities. Here are some great job options for the BTech graduate to consider, in order to rise up the engineering career ladder.
Career Options For Engineering Graduates
State Government and PSU jobs
Getting a job in PSU (Public Sector Undertakings) is an attractive prospect, as PSU has a majority government stake. Not only are jobs generally very well paid, but there is excellent job security – something that is extremely valuable in these times. Salary is often better than the average wages offered in the private sector to new engineering graduates. In a recent study, 65% of Indian youth said that they would like to get a government job. You will find that some PSU have their own recruitment exams, but many use the GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) system. It is worth noting that last year 16% of students qualified for GATE.
Jobs within IES
There are numerous options within IES (Indian Engineering Services). They are the civil services that are dedicated to the managerial and technical functions of the Government of India. If you are still a student, it is worth looking at the recruitment process for IES early. They have an annual examination that you can sit – The ESE (Engineering Services Exam). It consists of a written paper in two parts, followed by an interview.
Industry jobs
Although industry jobs are highly competitive, there is the advantage that many companies want to hire quickly and don’t require additional written and technical examinations. There is a wide range of fields from banking and finance, to pharma, as well as the more traditional engineering disciplines of electronics, civil and mechanical. A huge 45% of BTech graduates end up working in consulting and finance (source: Hindu Times). Look out for campus placement opportunities early if there is a certain industry you are hoping to gain employment in. Many companies have a referral program too, so it is worth networking, and keeping up to date with your colleagues.
Engineering can be a lucrative and interesting field, with so many career options for graduates. Just make sure that you are prepared early for GATE exams, or similar because there is always competition.
