Class XII: Careers you should consider

What should I do after Class XII? This is one question that I'm sure everyone around you is asking or you are probably asking yourself! Well, I'm going to attempt putting together an answer to that one.

Some of the most obvious choices are, of course, engineering, medical, BSc, BCom and BA. These may well be the right choices for you but since much has been written and spoken about them, I will assume that you know enough about the above courses.

So, what are your other options? Let's list five course and career options that you can explore, if you have not found your true calling, already!

Tunvey Gogia is a resident career analyst of Topperlearning.com. An MBA by qualification, she is fiercely dedicated towards helping young people manage their career-related decisions with ease and insight. Topperlearning.com is a comprehensive education service, which uses the visual and interactive nature of the internet medium to deconstruct textbook concepts for students, and these study modules supplement school education for Class IX, X, XI, XII students.

Interestingly, all qualified architects do not actually pursue architecture. They may opt for landscape, urban design or even film making (production design/set design). So with architecture as a basis you can diversify into many other industries and fields as well. This is a five-year course and one that will help you to make a great career for yourself. Broadly there are two competitive exams, which help you get admission:

• All India Engineering Entrance Examination or AIEEE (http://www.aieee.nic.in/aieee2009/exam09/welcome.html)
• National Aptitude Test in Architecture or NATA (http://www.nata.in/cms/default.aspx)

The necessary qualifications are that you have maths with a minimum aggregate of 50 per cent at 10+2 level. Apart from these, students with excellent drawing skills, creativity, strong sense of aesthetics and social awareness have a better chance of getting through.

The job prospects are pretty good these days, especially in two areas: the corporate world and litigation.

Most prestigious institutes put their faith in entrance exams to select the right candidate for the legal profession. One of the most popular exams is the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT), which is held in May. This exam is considered to be the gateway for leading law universities in the country. For more details visit the CLAT web site http://clat.ac.in.

They are sought after by corporate houses, consulting firms, audit firms, commercial banks and regulatory bodies such as the Reserve Bank of India and the Securities and Exchange Board of India. We are talking about chartered accountants!

To become a CA you must complete the CA programme, which is presided over by The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). Begin by registering with ICAI right after you complete Class X. However, you can appear for the first exam, the Common Proficiency Test (CPT), only after you complete Class XII in any stream.

It's helpful if you take commerce because you are tested on subjects like mercantile law, fundamentals of accounting, economics (relevant to the CA programme). You can find out more on the ICAI website http://www.icai.org/.

This is a fast growing industry and can offer job opportunities at many levels. If you have an inherent talent for sketching and are creative, this can be a great career option for you. But do remember that this job requires hours of continuous work so a lot of dedication is necessary.

To get into animation you can do a diploma course right after Class XII. There are many private colleges offering courses. Most institutes require you to have scored a minimum of 45 per cent aggregate in your Class XII board exams. Top institutes like IIT and NID offer post-graduate courses and require either an engineering or fine arts background.

This is one career option that will never go out of style or demand! The reason: there will always be companies and they will need to be managed.

So, if a career in the corporate world appeals to you then you can begin your journey right after Class XII by pursuing a BBA degree. This a good option and you can even go on to specialise in a multitude of areas. Retail management, for instance, is one of the hottest specialisations, today.

Well, these were some career options that you can pursue after Class XII. The journey to a successful career begins with self-discovery, so before deciding anything try to understand yourself, your strengths, weaknesses and interests better.