Students who treat education as a training ground to prepare for workplace realities have an edge over those who do not

The fast and the curious

Students who treat education as a training ground to prepare for workplace realities have an edge over those who do not

One of the common complaints that students voice during their first job is that ‘there’s too much to do leaving no time for fun.’ Ironically, when their employers or supervisors are asked for an opinion, the usual response is ‘they are not able to deliver what is expected in a serious work environment.’ However, there are also certain students who not only manage to cope with the gruelling demands of a high pressure job, but also manage to have a social life within reasonable limits. The difference between the two categories of students is largely one of attitude and time management. The former tends to adopt a casual approach towards all activities including studies. They are often seen scrambling for notes, reference books and exam time tables, poring over books till the very last minute hoping to capture some aspect that had not been revised or on occasion, even read earlier. In contrast, the latter are seen to be systematic in their approach, with enough spare time allocated for extra assignments and ‘surprise’ tests. Their notes will be photocopied by others while they juggle a part-time job or help out with the family business to gain experience beyond academics. The result is that after completing their education course, the former are totally unprepared to deal with workplace realities while the latter have been utilising the years spent acquiring an education as a training ground to set the foundation for a career.