Choosing career amongst vast array of options
There is an old saying that having children makes life better. If you feel the same way, you can create a better future for your children. If you have courage, sensitivity and a lot of energy, you can choose a career path according to your educational qualifications. There are many children, however, who need specialized treatment and our best attention. We often come across such children who need a better informed and better devised focus for achieving what normal children would achieve normally.
There are many career options available to you such as school teachers, speech therapists, child counselors, child development officers, children’s literature writers, kids apparel designers and more. You can start a play school, daycare or kindergarten and move towards self-employment.
One can start a career as a Child Counselor by taking the Advanced Diploma in Child Guidance and Counseling course. This is a two-year course, which includes a two-month internship. This course requires a master’s degree in social work, psychology, child development or a graduate in a related subject. Graduate students must have at least five years of experience working with children. Those with four years of BEd experience can take these courses. Admission to the course is through examination and interview.
Similarly, the need for a child counselor has been especially felt in India for the past few years in view of certain new rules and guidelines issued by a few ministries concerning the welfare of children. In view of this, courses related to child guidance and counseling have been started in some of the leading institutes. Child counselors work to identify children’s skills, address their problems and provide them with a wide range of counseling.
The child counselor has to develop a database on issues related to children, from designing rehabilitation programs to encouraging them. They understand the children’s problems and give advice to their family members. You can work as a child counselor in child care centers, counseling centers and children’s hospitals. You can also work in government departments and NGOs.
There are both degree and diploma courses in speech therapy. For admission in these, it is necessary to have 12th pass with science. You can pursue a four-year Bachelor’s degree, a two-year Master’s degree course in Audiology and Speech Language Pathology. You can also pursue a career in this field after completing a one-year Diploma in Hearing, Language and Speech or a six-month postgraduate certificate course and performing auditory verbal therapy.
After completing the course you can start your career as a Speech Therapist, Audiologist, Speech Pathology Reader, Clinical Supervisor, Special School Teacher. There are also job opportunities for speech therapists in government hospitals, private hospitals, hearing and industry, NGOs.
It is also evident that children gradually learn to pronounce letters, words, and sentences. As they get older, their language skills improve and their speech becomes clearer. This is a simple process but there are some children who have difficulty speaking. Speech therapists help such children. Speech therapy and audiology are emerging as better career alternatives in recent times.
If you wish, you can open your own pre-school, kindergarten, day-care center with a one-year full-time diploma in early childhood education. This course will help you develop your perspective, knowledge and skills to work with young children.
There are other very profound opportunities that one can avail and if you have a passion for children’s clothing and fashion, you can expand your career as a kids apparel designer. In this profession you have to design clothes for newborns, toddlers and growing children.
In this regard, you can apply for Bachelor of Design, Bachelor of Fashion Technology, Bachelor of Science and Graduate Diploma Program in Design after passing 12th in any stream to become a Kids Apparel Designer. If you want, you can find the perfect career path in designing through AIEED, SEED, NIFT and NID exams.
As a Kids Apparel Designer you will have the opportunity to work in Export Houses and Garment Stores. You can make your mark here as a costume designer, graphic designer, production pattern maker, etc. If you want, you can start your own business as an entrepreneur.
There are also possibilities of a fantastic career in children’s writing and children’s literature publishing. Children’s literature is written in every language of the world and has a very important status. If you love to write poetry, cartoons, stories for children, then you can become a children’s literature writer. There are great opportunities in the field of manufacturing books and toys for the holistic development of children, language skills and educational development. No degree is required for this but the skill of composing words, hobby of reading and creativity are essential.
One has to understand that teaching young children is not easy, but it is interesting and enjoyable. If you want to become a teacher in nursery school, primary, elementary school, you can make the next path by doing NTT after 10 + 2 NTT is a two year course. Some institutes offer admission in this course on the basis of 12th marks and various entrance examinations. The Diploma in Education (DEAD) Junior Teacher Training (JBT) course is also important for becoming a primary teacher. The minimum qualification for this course is 12th and admission in this course is based on merit and entrance test. There is also a minimum qualification of 10 + 2 for teaching in middle school classes and B.Ed with Teacher Training Certificate and Graduation.
The writer is a former Principal
The writer is Former PES-1, Retired Principal, Government Girls Senior Secondary School Mandi Harji Ram Malout Punjab.
