Saturday, September 4, 2010

Career in Energy Management


This article introduces you with the great career opportunities available in energy management profession today. The article covers energy management education and courses available in India, skills, competency and educational requirements to become energy manager, typical work environment & daily activities, future prospects and opportunities in this field, related organisations, tools for searching energy management jobs etc.

Introduction
Saving energy resources is the priority of national, state and local governments today. However, energy resource can’t be saved and preserved only by Governments; Therefore, private sector as well as non governmental organisations (NGOs) have also joined this movement. The result is that today, according to EduMark Consulting Services that facilitates energy management education, each conscious organisation, irrespective of whether it is a government, private or non-governmental organisation, has formulated its organizational environmental objectives and policies– and has established environmental or energy management and conservation departments to ensure that these policies are put into place and monitored. There are few organisations which have brought their energy related activities under their CSR department.
Energy managers are required to ensure that the best possible energy efficiency (and water conservation) measures are used by the organisation.

Work Environment
Work places vary from energy manager to energy manager. This is because those who are employed need to work from their work place i.e. the place of their organisation. But self-employed energy management consultants have the flexibility to work either from their residence, own office or office of their clients. Usual working hour is 40 per week but flexibility in working is required.

Sample Daily Activities
(Of an energy manager looking after buildings/properties)

Energy managers and energy consultants inspect buildings and properties to calculate the current levels of energy and water being consumed by different buildings. Then they have to identify methods and set targets of reducing energy consumption. If the building is in construction stage, energy managers and energy consultants have to recommend suitable changes in the structural & other design of the building so that it would consume/require less energy compared to original structural design. For example, they may recommend introduction of new insulation measures or changes in water supply system.
Today, one of the most important priorities of governments is to replace use of solid fuel by fuels that produce less carbon dioxide emission. Energy managers have to examine the usability, efficiency and cost of using fuels obtained from renewable resources.
They, then, assist the communication department in executing publicity campaigns to encourage property occupiers as well as employees to save energy by adopting various methods suggested in the campaign. (Similarly, in case of public and non governmental organisations, energy managers assist public affairs and public relation departments in executing publicity campaign to encourage and motivate public in general to save energy, water etc by various means).
Usually, now-a-days, energy managers and energy consultants are fully involved in the construction of new buildings and work closely with architects and civil & structural engineers to recommend energy saving systems at the design stage. Senior energy managers are responsible for managing a team while working on different projects. The energy manager is also responsible for estimating costs of work/change needed, keeping it within the overall project budget.

Skills & Interests (As per EduMark Consulting Services)
·         Good oral and written communication skills.
·         Ability to produce clear and concise reports, covering all aspects.
·         Good presentation skills.
·         Must be able to work as a member of a team as well as a team leader.
·         Leadership and organisation capabilities.

Entry Requirements
A degree in energy management is the most preferred educational qualification. However, an engineering degree is widely accepted. Since energy management as an education program is a recent development, most of the engineers who are already working as energy managers have started pursuing energy management course.

Energy Management Courses
Infact professional institutes, in order to help working engineers as well as fresh graduates who intend to make their career in energy and allied sectors, have launched energy management course through distance and online mode. The best aspect of distance-cum-online mode of energy management education is that you do not have to leave your job to pursue a course such as PG Diploma in Energy Management. Moreover, course material is offered both in the form of printed books as well as online material. Now, this online material can be accessed from anywhere, anytime. Suppose you are on an official tour and you can access the study material through the website of the institute. 
One of the unique initiatives in this regard has been taken by MIT School of Distance Education, which offers PG Diploma in Energy Management not only through distance/online mode but also offers the online examination facility. So, you can appear in the exam either from your office, home or from a cyber café from anywhere in the world. Therefore, such initiatives have made it easier for working professionals to do these energy management courses.
Estimated salary range
Fresh energy management graduates can easily get a salary of Rs. 30000 per month. But please note that this information is only a guide and there can be substantial difference in actual salary depending upon the qualification and company.

Future prospects & opportunities
Future belongs to energy management professionals-There are unlimited potential for both-those seeking employment as well as those planning for entrepreneurial ventures. Such is the potential in energy management that venture capital and private equity funds have suddenly started investing millions of dollars even in newly promoted ventures.
In terms of employment prospects, energy management professionals are required almost in all areas of economic activities. To be specific, energy management professionals are required in these sectors-Housing, Real Estate & Construction, Infrastructure, Refinery & petrochemicals, Cement, Pharmaceuticals, Manufacturing, Automobile, Chemicals, Hospitality, Mining, Iron & Steel, Food Processing etc. among others.
Related organisations:
·         Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, Government of India www.mnre.gov.in
·         Bureau of Energy Efficiency www.bee-india.nic.in
·         Petroleum Conservation and Research Association (PCRA) www.pcra.org
·         Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) www.iredaltd.com
·         National Productivity Council www.npcindia.org
·         Indian Green Building Council www.igbc.in
·         The Energy Resource Institute www.teriin.org

What should I do next?
For Energy Management Education:
If you are looking for educational opportunities in energy management you can contact specialised professional institutes that offer this course. You can also contact EduMark, which helps students and working professionals in pursuing energy management courses through online, distance education and full time education. Some of the institutes offering this course are: 
·         MIT School of Distance Education 
·         MDI School of Energy Management 
·         TERI, New Delhi 
·         Jadavpur University 
·         Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyala
·         EduMark

For Energy Management Jobs:
If you have already completed your energy management course or if you are a working energy manager, you should look for jobs at the following places:
·         Job supplements of National newspapers:  For example, Ascent of the Times of India, Shine of The Hindustan Times
·         Job Portals: Few of the important portals are www.naukri.com, www.timesjobs.com, www.shine.com, www.monsterindia.com,  
·         You should also contact placement agencies: Example ABC Executive Search, Omam Consultants, Hewitt Associates, Executive Search and Selection etc.

* Author may be contacted at skjha0005@gmail.com

Career in Real Estate


THE real estate profession has evolved dynamically in India and offers one of the most diverse, lucrative and glamorous career choices today. However, a career in real estate is more than simply helping people buy and sell homes and seeking commissions. As your read this, there are millions of professionals employed in different areas of real estate such as property sales, leasing, real estate finance, investment, appraisal, valuation, property management, land development, mortgage banking, urban planning, real estate counseling, real estate research, title insurance, construction, mortgage banking etc. In addition, thousand others are engaged in corporate real estate and in real estate lending in commercial banks, savings and loans, and insurance companies which are usually not counted towards real estate jobs. The various career options that real estate today offers are:

The Different Career Options in Real Estate Sector:
  • Career in Real Estate Appraisal 
  • Career in Real Estate Brokerage
  • Career in Commercial Real Estate
  • Career in Real Estate Counseling
  • Career in Facilities Management
  • Career in Real Estate Finance
  • Career in Real Estate Investment
  • Career in Real Estate Marketing
  • Career in Real Estate Portfolio Management
  • Career in Property Management
  • Career in Real Estate Research

Education for a Career in Real Estate:
This is one of the most important areas which has added to the manpower shortage in the Indian Real Estate. In India, though there is huge demand of real estate professionals, there is no system of real estate education which could provide educationally qualified professionals to the property market. In addition, there is no system of learning and development even for those already working in this sector.

Worldwide, colleges and universities offer a variety of real estate and related courses. At many of these colleges, students can specialize in a program that leads to a bachelor’s and master’s degree, diploma and certificate in real estate.

In India, NICMAR, NIREM, School of Planning & Architecture (SPA) etc. are the only few institute that offer real estate courses. Infact, NIREM has the most comprehensive range of real estate courses. These courses are offered at three level-Certificates, Diploma and PG Diploma. More over, in order to help working real estate professionals learn and growth along with their job, NIREM offers these courses also through distance mode.

Career Specialization in Real Estate: 
  • Real Estate Management
  • Commercial Real Estate
  • Real Estate Marketing
  • Real Estate Sales & Agency Management
  • Real Estate Finance
  • Real Estate Investment
  • Real Estate Appraisal
  • Facilities Management
  • Property Management

Sources for more information:

Monday, April 6, 2009

Why study in India

Want to be a part of an education system that thrives on the values of Quality, Growth and Truthfulness...


Yes, India is now one of the most preferred destinations for higher education. The Indian education system has created a niche for itself. Our system of education in general and educational institutions in particular are at par with any major education system or institutions across the globe. Our students are increasingly getting global attention and job offers from trans-national organisations, validating the quality of Indian education.

For all those who have dreams and aspirations for quality education, India is the perfect destination. With 343 universities and more than 17000 colleges, India offers a wide spectrum of courses that are recognised globally. Apart from colleges and universities offering undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral level courses, there are many professional institutes and diploma-level institutes and polytechnics that cater to the growing demand for skill-based and vocational education.

No doubt why every year, thousand of students from different countries across the globe come to India in order to study different courses and to achieve their career objectives. The number of such student is growing exponentially year by year.

Studying in India, which has the second largest and exhaustive higher education system and network in the world, is itself an enriching experience for Non-Resident Indian (NRI) students, students belonging to People of Indian Origin (PIO) and foreign students.

What attracts foreign students to India:
Cheapest education, welcoming and non-discriminatory attitude of the society, emphasis on learning and growth, a unique student-teacher relationship and acceptance of education as the basis for all round development attract students from across the globe to India.

Another important factor that attracts foreign students to study in India is the assured education and career growth prospect that higher education in India offers. There are universities focusing on the study of medicine and surgery, arts, language, journalism, social work, business, commerce, planning, architecture, engineering, and other specialised studies. Most Indian universities teach in English medium and conduct special language classes for those weak in English.

Indian education system: Unique and Different:
Specialised universities and medium of instruction are the two most important attributes of the Indian education system. Foreign students find it quite convenient to study in a particular area in a university, which is specialist in that area. For example, there are universities specialised in the study of engineering, language & arts, planning & architecture, medicine, business & commerce, music, social work etc. Similarly, another attribute of Indian education system that attracts foreign students to India is the medium of instruction in India. English is the generally acceptable medium of instruction in Indian universities and institutes. English, as the medium of instruction in almost all of the Indian universities, makes it convenient for foreign students to study in India.





Areas of study:
With approximately 343 universities and more than 17000 colleges, India offers widest possible choice of courses that are not only recognised globally but are known for their quality, the world over. The depth and breadth of Indian education system i.e. the exhaustive system of education in India can be gauged from the fact that apart from undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral courses, there are thousands of vocational education & training and diploma-level institutes and polytechnics, run by both public and non-profit sectors that cater to the growing demand for skill-based and vocational education. In addition, 11 open universities and 66 distance education institutions functioning as part of different universities in India offer education facilities for requirements of each and every age group.

Why Cheapest Education in India:
The Quality education that India offers is within the reach of every income-group considering the reasonable fee structure. You may have a natural question that why education in India is so cheap: In India, only a legally established non-profit organisation or the Union and State Governments can establish any type of educational institution including universities, colleges, skill development and vocational education institutes. As a rule, no commercial organisation can establish any type of higher education institutes in India. Therefore, Indian universities and colleges are able to offer the best quality education at the cheapest cost. It is due to this reason Indian universities have reasonable fee structure and therefore, the quality education that India offers is within the reach of every income-group. 

What Next:
Want to be a part of Indian education system that thrives on the values of quality, growth and truthfulness? If you want to know more, follow the link: Why Should You Study in India Find out each and every detail, that you need, from this website and ask us if you need any more information.

India Unleashed

World's Fastest Growing
Free Market Democracy
Driven by
Talent, Markets, Growth and Opportunity

From a 'developing nation' just two decades back, India, today, has emerged as one of the decisive nations shaping the contours of the world economy. Consistently charting a growth path over the last few years, Brand India is an idea whose time has truly arrived. Today, the triumph of Brand India is visible in almost all fields — with some aggressive cross-border acquisitions India has been rewriting the global business equations; India has established its leadership in IT and knowledge-based industries globally; and along with the rapidly declining age profile, it has the fastest growing population of workers and consumers.

With huge investments in infrastructure development on the anvil, India is today a preferred investment destination. It has one of the world’s most rapidly growing markets, and today, Indian products and services are recognised for their quality all over the world.
Quoted from IBEF


How World Leaders Perceive India: Quotable Quotes on India

"Compared to China, India has a much stronger and self-sufficient skill base... India is truly the powerhouse of the future." -Michael Maedel, President, JWT Worldwide

"India is a fantastic opportunity. It is an opportunity as a market, it's an opportunity as a talent base... I am very positive about what as a company we can do in India." -Ben Verwaayen , Chief Executive Officer, Alcatel Lucent SA

"China and India will soon shake the world. Together they are home to 40 per cent of the world's population and both are among world's fastest growing economies". -Lee Kuan Yew, Minister Mentor, Singapore

"What is emerging is a world economy of blocs represented by NAFTA, the European Union, ASEAN. There's no one center in this world economy. India is becoming a powerhouse very fast." -Peter Drucker, Management Guru

"India has evolved into one of the world's leading technology centres." -Craig Barrett, Chairman, Intel Corporation

"India on its way to becoming IT, manufacturing kingdom of the world." -Mr Yasukuni Enoki, Japanese Ambassador to India

"India is a rising economic influence of power in the international system. It's a great multiethnic democracy." -Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State

"I believe India could be the fastest growing economy in the world one day. It would be foolish for Virgin not to embrace India." -Sir Richard Branson, Chairman, Virgin Atlantic Airways

"India is growing fast and everyone seems to want a piece of the action." -Martin Graham, Director of Market Services, London Stock Exchange

"The Indian banking system is now perhaps better than any other in Asia." -Stephen Roach, Chief Global Economist & Managing Director, Morgan Stanley

"India has the potential to deliver the fastest growth over the next 50 years with an average rate of more than 5 per cent a year for the entire period." -Dominic Wilson, Senior Global Economist and Vice President, Goldman Sachs

"Many people view India only as a place to cut costs through offshore outsourcing... we see India as an emerging market for our advanced software platforms." -Peter Armstrong, President, Triple Point Technology

"The Indian middle class is easier to target because people understand English and have a western orientation...in China, it's a longer slog". -Rory Cowan, President, Lionbridge Technologies

America cannot ignore the fact that the centre of gravity is moving eastwards to Asia, away from Europe and North America, and India will be the motor force in globalisation". -Frank G Wisner, Former US Ambassador to India and Vice President, American International Group External Affairs

"India, first of all, came to the game with some just natural advantages: one, English-speaking population; two, real emphasis on education. You also had a country that is very instinctively able to glocalize, take the best of the global world and meld it with their own culture." -Tom Friedman, Columnist, The New York Times

"India's reforms are not just an economic issue. The country is forging a proudly democratic model of economic reforms. It is the kind of model that many developing countries, despairing that they do not have the dictatorship of China to force through difficult reforms, can hope to emulate." -Bruce Gilley, The Wall Street Journal

"Asia should not be painted with one brush; India has separated itself from the pack; it is not unduly dependent on external demand, and it has an increasingly powerful IT-enabled, services-led growth dynamic." -Stephen Roach, Chief Global Economist & Managing Director, Morgan Stanley

"India is not just about IT or business process outsourcing. We see it as an incubator for giant global corporations driven by IT strategy." -Prof Warren McFarlan, Senior Associate Dean, Harvard Business School

"As a nation you have great DNA. This advantage will have a multiplier effect on the economy when second generation policy reforms present businesses and consumers with the right incentives. There is so much pent-up dynamism at the micro level of India's economy that entrepreneurs and workers will amplify the benefits of these reforms." -Robert Blackwill, Former US Ambassador to India

"Through the wisdom of its government leaders and the entrepreneurship of its private sector, India has risen to become a major force in the global economy." -Mr John Chambers, President and CEO, Cisco Systems Inc

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Why Should You Study in India

India, The World's fastest growing free market democracy...
Come to where the action is...

You Should Study in India, because of:

 Strong network of Universities and Business & Tech Institutes
 English medium of education
 Global Recognition
 Affordable Fee and Low Cost of Living
 Quality of education
 The Great Indian Experience


Competitive advantages offered by Indian Universities and Business & Tech Institutes:

 Affordable education: Quality Education at affordable cost
 Wide choices of courses and specializations
 World-class institutions and faculty
 International exposure
 Networking with world markets
 Friendly environment
 Holistic and value education
 Building global leaders
 Focusing on the new knowledge economy
 World's hub for business process outsourcing
 Develops the creative side of the personality
 Beautiful country, beautiful people
 An experience of a lifetime