“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” — Stephen Covey

A career guidance session titled “Know the Path” was conducted on November 23, 2024, for the students and parents of Classes IX and X at Delhi Public School, Coimbatore. The event focused on the significance of early career planning and offered valuable insights to help students make informed decisions about their streams and career paths.

Dr. Seema Malik, Academic advisor of Takshila Educational Society, addressed the gathering and shared her valuable insights on career choices. She also emphasised the importance career in one’s life. The session was then facilitated by Ms. Komal and Ms. Sreejeethaa. During the discussion it was highlighted the importance of career selection by emphasizing that individuals spend approximately 90,000 hours of their lives working, making thoughtful decisions about careers a crucial aspect of life. Students were encouraged to align their personal interests and skills with their long-term career goals to achieve satisfaction and success.

One of the key aspects of the session was debunking common myths surrounding stream selection. These included misconceptions such as choosing a stream permanently fixes one’s career path, Arts is only for “weak” students, success is exclusive to Science, Commerce is limited to accountancy, and only doctors and engineers are successful professionals.

The session provided comprehensive guidance on career planning by covering both short-term and long-term strategies. Tools and resources like reading, online research, seminars, career talks, and workshops were introduced as effective ways to explore career options. Students were also guided on essential factors in decision-making, such as understanding the nature of work, emerging trends, career paths, and related prospects. Emphasis was placed on considering alternative career options and backup plans to ensure flexibility.

Furthermore, the importance of skill development for gaining a competitive edge was underscored. Students were encouraged to prioritize academic performance while also developing multilingual abilities, communication skills, public speaking, interpersonal abilities, and critical life skills like stress management, creativity, and time management. Strengthening their foundations in Math and English was also emphasized.

The session inspired students to reflect on their interests and abilities, stay informed about career options and industry trends, and strive to maintain a balance between academics and extracurricular activities for holistic development. The interactive nature of the program offered students clarity on stream selection and long-term career planning, motivating them to think critically about their future.