If students were passionate
about just pursuing degrees in
medicine and engineering, it
would have been a boring world
of opportunities. But today’s
youth’s initiative to seek out
innovative careers and even set
up new ventures for themselves
is opening up a wide array of
opportunities for them and coming
generations. Along with passion
and perseverance, their parents’
support is also something they
deem necessary.
Shugan Dias from Margao,
who switched from Science to
Mass Communication, says, “I
almost opted for a degree in
electronic engineering but I just
didn’t want to study something
I wasn’t passionate about. Pick
a career doing something your
love so that it never gets boring.
I am crazy about music and VFX
like graphic designing so I joined
Mass Communication. My parents
were not happy but they have
been supportive, with suggesting
alternative careers only once or
twice. I feel like I have taken a risky
decision but I am happy with what I
am doing and enjoying it.”
Dr Elvis Gonsalves, Principal
of St Xavier’s Higher Secondary
School, receives requests for
change of streams every year with
Class XII students from Science
moving either to Commerce or
Arts and sometimes Vocational.
“One of the reasons students opt
for Science is because their parents
force them into it. Parents have the
wrong notion that if the child gets
a good percentage, they should
go in for Science instead of Arts.
The parents should not force their
dreams on the child, they should
see the child’s liking and aptitude
for the subject,” says Dr Elvis.
English literature student
of St Xavier’s College, Mapusa,
Cassandra D’Roza thought she
was cut out to be a journalist as she
had been working for magazines
in Goa for quite a while; that was
until she discovered her talent of
creating crafts. It’s this talent that
led her to set up her own company,
Moonstruck. “I started by making
key chains and then moved to
jewellery designing without any
formal training. Now my business is
a full time venture,” says Cassandra,
who will soon be flying to Dubai for
a metalsmith workshop. “At first, my
mother, Matilda, was apprehensive
but as she saw I was getting better at
what I was doing, she started giving
her suggestions and supporting me,”
says this Candolim resident.
Siddharth Shetty, son of
Christine and Kiran Shetty, was
struck by the idea of crowdfunding
when he heard about it over a radio
show. “I had just completed my
Class XI exams. I did some research
on the concept and found out that
it was huge in America but there
was nothing much happening in
India”, says Siddharth, who took a
break from college to pursue his
crowdfunding dream.
“My parents let me grow up
on my own terms but they always
reminded me of the negatives of
neglecting my academics. The
reason students drop out is either
because they find the subjects
too tough or they feel drop outs
are glorified in the media. Every
parent wants their child to have a
college experience but one can
also learn from their own situation.
Some subjects like programming
require in class training in Science
while other subjects can be learnt
online,” concludes Siddharth, the
CEO of Fundlined.
