Prominent educationists from across the country today got together for the 4th Satluj Career Fest 2023 held in virtual mode here today. Experts stressed on the need to inculcate life skills in students instead of rote learning for living a meaningful, successful and a happy life. The focus of the Fest this time was on innovation and entrepreneurship as key drivers for careers of the future.
Satluj Career Fest 2023
The topics for the panel discussions included – how great businesses are built around social entrepreneurship and how the tricity is fast emerging as the hub of entrepreneurship in North India; Career opportunities in Canada for undergraduates; Job Realism: Are today’s Teenagers Dreaming of Jobs That will Still be There in 15 years’ time?; Jobs and skills of the future.
Region’s largest career fest ‘Satluj Career Fest’ was organised by Satluj Public School, Sector 4, Panchkula (a part of Satluj Group of Schools – Satluj Public Schools, Little Satluj Pre-Schools), with an aim of guiding the students of class 9th to 12th and their parents about various career opportunities. This was the third year that the event was hosted virtually, leading to not only a pan-India, but international reach with student registrations from all over the world.
Counsellors and foreign representatives from more than 300 universities, foreign and Indian, took part. Over 5,000 students represented 300+ schools from India (including metros, tier 2 and tier 3 towns) and around the world during the career fest.
Reekrit Serai, Managing Director, Satluj Group of Schools, welcomed the esteemed guests, parents and students. “This is the fourth time we are hosting the career fest. Satluj School has started this initiative which is helpful for the students and different from career fairs where only universities interact with students. The idea behind holding such an event, which originated five years ago, was to support our students beyond the realms of our gates, helping and preparing them beyond school life. We wanted to hosts interactions from different fields so that the students get to hear from the experts and also aspire to become like them. The major theme of the fest is jobs and skills for the future as the world will change rapidly and globalisation will bring the world closer.” He also stressed on the fact how startups were changing the employment scenario in our country and entrepreneurship is the engine to global growth.
Krit Serai, Co-Chairman of Satluj Group of Schools, said, “A lot of hard work went into the planning of Career Fest, which is one of the biggest career shows. 20 plus panellists deliberated on various aspects which helped the youth to choose proper careers. Career planning is very important in our lives and for a proper career choice planning must start at plus two stage or even Class X. We have a variety of jobs for the youth available now.”
Anurag Tripathi, Secretary, CBSE while stressing on the need for inculcating life skills among students said, “The main objective of education was to develop your mind, body and soul. Such students turn out to be responsible citizens of the country. The new education policy aims at introducing a different approach to education, which was initially knowledge-based and rote learning. Are you making creative use of your studies in school, your performance in exams and overall learning in classes? While there has been rote-learning, there were no skills, which come handy when you enter the real world and cope with the society, because of which such students have been facing difficulties with facing actual life situations, which were never told to them. It has been seen that students who pass out from schools and colleges have no competency and the new education policy stresses on the fact that rote learning should be shifted to competency learning. If a child has learnt communication skills, problem solving skills and critical thinking skills and creative skills, he or she can reach the top.” He also added that being a topper in exams necessarily do not mean you will achieve new heights but it is your own competency that can take you places.
Ratan Lal Kataria, MP, Ambala and Former Union Minister, in his inaugural message said, “Satluj Public School was contributing towards providing quality education and by organising a career fest, it will help students to make India self-dependent.”
Ranjeeta Mehta, Honorary General Secretary, Haryana State Council for Child Welfare, said, “Job scenario is changing in the country and only those with life skills can get got employment opportunities. India has a lot of young population, hence we need a lot of jobs. She said beauty business, entertainment industry and healthcare are the key sectors for employment opportunities, besides the e-commerce industry and social media which have also gained momentum especially after the pandemic.” She also spoke about other sectors and career opportunities and how AI was coming into being and helping in different businesses. Mehta also said rote learning should be done away with for a fruitful career ahead.
Mr. Harsh Kumar, Former Secretary NCERT, said, “The main objective of education is that we become good human beings. Indian education system is unique. Indian traditions are distinct and our children are intelligent and progressing. We must show them the right guidance in senior classes as educators and parents. National Education Policy has come with a lot of changes and even during the pandemic India handled the situation because we are educated. We have to convert knowledge into wisdom and become good citizens of the country and should do something to make our country proud of us. He appealed to the students that they should understand their strengths and then decide which field has to be chosen.” He added we will progress according to a system and it is our duty to guide the new generation and lauded the efforts made by Satluj Public School in bringing all experts together for a meaningful discussion.
Other prominent speakers included, dignitaries such Harsuhinder Singh Brar, Director Secondary Education (Chandigarh UT); Dr. Parag Kalkar, Member of Senate of Savitribai Phule Pune University; Dr. PJ Singh, Founder & MD, Tynor Orthotics and Vice-President, CII Punjab; Manmohan (Mac) Sarin, Senior Advocate; and Dr. Dinesh Dua, Immediate Past Executive Director of Nectar Lifesciences and Past Chairman, CII Chandigarh.
