No self-respecting engineering college fails to boast of its placement record — and most degree institutes have come up with their own models of a placement season as well.
But in the City's design colleges, the process is a little more ambiguous. Very few seem to have an organised system of recruiter-meets-candidate in place — in most, students have to fend for themselves when it comes to finding work after college.
In fact, this process can get more competitive than job-seeking in the engineering institutes: students have to pit contacts and resources against each other, with
colleges doing whatever little they can to help.
In most cases, colleges try to do this by helping students get in touch with potential
recruiters.
Since most design students are required to intern as part of their course, colleges
often have tie-ups with various companies in this regard. And although these don't extend to full-time contracts, colleges encourage students to build on these relationships. Venkatesh Chate, from Raffles Millenium International, explains, "The college doesn't have a separate placement season as such — but we do have a website, where students can upload their portfolios. We have tie-ups with companies where the students intern, and they can check the portfolios to see the kind of work the students do."
"It's tough to say how many students get placed through this precisely, though — in fact, a large number of our students choose to become entrepreneurs and don't
expect anything from thecollege on the job front," he adds. Given that there aren't many design colleges in the City, many students also know professionals in the industry on a personal basis — since they are often alumni from their college.
Azra, a student of Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, points out that students often capitalise on these contacts to get work. "Generally, students use internships to build contacts. We have to do it ourselves — the college can set up an environment and help us in terms of giving us the required skills, but the onus lies on the students," she notes.
Nagasindhu, who studies in Vogue Institute of Fashion Technology, agrees that building a contact base is key.
"Most design colleges don't have an organised placement season. From what I've seen, most of my seniors have found jobs using their own contacts — through designers we might have worked with before or simply through the internet," she states.
But in the City's design colleges, the process is a little more ambiguous. Very few seem to have an organised system of recruiter-meets-candidate in place — in most, students have to fend for themselves when it comes to finding work after college.
In fact, this process can get more competitive than job-seeking in the engineering institutes: students have to pit contacts and resources against each other, with
colleges doing whatever little they can to help.
In most cases, colleges try to do this by helping students get in touch with potential
recruiters.
Since most design students are required to intern as part of their course, colleges
often have tie-ups with various companies in this regard. And although these don't extend to full-time contracts, colleges encourage students to build on these relationships. Venkatesh Chate, from Raffles Millenium International, explains, "The college doesn't have a separate placement season as such — but we do have a website, where students can upload their portfolios. We have tie-ups with companies where the students intern, and they can check the portfolios to see the kind of work the students do."
"It's tough to say how many students get placed through this precisely, though — in fact, a large number of our students choose to become entrepreneurs and don't
expect anything from thecollege on the job front," he adds. Given that there aren't many design colleges in the City, many students also know professionals in the industry on a personal basis — since they are often alumni from their college.
Azra, a student of Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, points out that students often capitalise on these contacts to get work. "Generally, students use internships to build contacts. We have to do it ourselves — the college can set up an environment and help us in terms of giving us the required skills, but the onus lies on the students," she notes.
Nagasindhu, who studies in Vogue Institute of Fashion Technology, agrees that building a contact base is key.
"Most design colleges don't have an organised placement season. From what I've seen, most of my seniors have found jobs using their own contacts — through designers we might have worked with before or simply through the internet," she states.