As the final year draws to an end, we all have big hopes and aspirations for our professional life. Something that we have been working for all our student life. A chance to make it big and leave our mark on this world. As students, it is only natural that we have absolute faith in our professors and educational institutions to prepare us for the big race. And with that faith, we set out on a journey to find our spot in the real world. This where we come face to face with the fact that maybe, just maybe, our faith was a little naive.
Through a series of interviews, we do land ourselves a job! Our first real job! The sense of accomplishment. Pure joy! We can barely wait for our first day at work. Meeting new people. Being a part of a team. Changing the world with our designs.
Once we settle into our roles as designers, is when the realization hits us in the form of a full-blown wave. Our educational system never prepares us for what’s happening out there in the real world. It never readies us for the actual challenges that we are bound to face. It does not train us to think in a way that is required by our profession. And certainly not at the pace at which the world around us functions.
Damage control instinct takes over and we try to patch things together. But that never really works, does it? Experience becomes the best teacher and we begin learning from our mistakes.
What if we were told to gather this experience in our learning years itself? What if our education taught us to be prepared for all sorts of “real world problems”? What if we had someone who would’ve helped us through this process at the right time?
What if…
But it’s never too late to learn. What we may not have had the chance to learn is what we can share with the future of our profession. I mean that’s what workshops and internships are for, right?
Start your professional career a little early. Instead of spending exorbitant amounts on private tuitions which basically teach you the same thing you learn in colleges, attend a workshop . Listen to the experts in the field. Enhance a particular skill. Gain knowledge and some experience along the way.
Or better still, engage in an internship . Learn to tackle real-world situations IN the real world. What’s best is that you will have plenty of opportunities to make mistakes and learn from them. And it’s not only about learning or mistakes or facing the real world. It is primarily about growth – your growth – which is what “EDUCATION” is all about in the first place.
The growth of your skill set , your thoughts, your capabilities and above all, your personality and character. And through this growth, step by step, we bridge the gap between what we are taught and what we need to be doing to get the job done!
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