How dumb colleagues can devastate all your efforts!
I am citing my personal experience here. I was working as a Career advisor in a Multimedia cum Animation Institute. As a Career Advisor I had to counsel candidates regarding the softwares taught and the career options that open up for them after completion of the course.
The course was designed Semester wise and in such a manner so that completion of each semester would open up career avenues for the candidate. Like after the completion of Semester I – which basically introduces the student to the world of Multimedia and design – the student could become a Graphic Artist for it covered softwares like – Photoshop, Illustrator (Corel), Indesign etc. that is required in Print and Publishing Industries and the student can design packages, retouch pictures, do text layout in magazines, brochure/ leaflet design etc. – basically the print Industry and partly even the web industry opens up for the candidates.
So there are all kinds of students. Some are not sure about this field – so they first take admission in the 1st semester then upgrade to next semesters. There are others who are not financially well off so they just do the 1st semester and if he/she really had creativity and talent – our Jobs Department even arranged for interviews or campus interviews for them.
The counselling process and follow ups:
We all know that convincing a candidate and getting him admitted to a course in the highly competitive sector where franchises of the same Institute are within 15-20 km distance is rather difficult. I did all that is required to convince the student to get admitted. Counsel, follow up and follow up and yet again follow up…get screamed at for calling up incessantly…..send letter reminders…..send discount and events mailers……and after long last – Admission!
Obviously while counseling I told him about the career options, showed him where our ex-students are placed and all that is possible once you become a Multimedia (MM) cum Animation professional.
So far so good! Phew!
Inside the classroom-
(Disclaimer – I am not saying that all faculties are dumb – there were many who were literally worshipped by the students – they were good, with sound knowledge about the software and genuinely believed in teaching great MM tricks tot he students)
We all know ‘one rotten apple can ruin the entire basket of apples’….well similarly people with negative attitudes can ruin many things!
There were couple of faculties who were rather uncouth and basically dumb! They talk bull*hit in class and think that they have achieved great heights. One day a student came in and said….
Student: Madam, whatever you said is all wrong! You have blatantly lied to me…
Me: What!? Why what happened?
Student: madam, our faculty said that after 1st semester you’ll at the most get the job of less than a peon…. maybe sit in a small garage and type resumes for passersby!
I was literally shocked to hear this!! The student had just joined for 6 months and wanted to become a Graphic Artist. Yes, I do agree that faculties are asked to encourage students to upgrade further – but by making him interested in the field and not saying demeaning things to them for heaven’s sake! How uncouth of the faculty to actually say such a thing! Here I am making several calls, following up and making myself hoarse over the phone trying to convince the student to join the Institute and lo behold!! – all my efforts go down the drain when some colleague of mine makes such an absolutely dumb statement!!
Another incident was a girl who was on 2 minds – whether to join MBA or MM. I convinced her and she joined the full 3 years course…only to be highly disheartened after 2 months – she was unfortunately allotted a dumb faculty after all! She came to me and actually said that – Madam, the things you said about MM….not even a fraction of it is going to take place if I study here …I took admission just by what you said but I am completely disappointed by the arrangements and the faculties here. She eventually left to pursue MBA.
Another student came with even more shocking revelation and allegations –
She: Madam, do you just catch any street dog loitering on the streets and place him in our classrooms?
Me: What happened now?!
She: This beep comes in after 45 minutes i.e. comes late, he is on phone for the next 15 minutes and then he takes a game girl inside the small staff room (we had a small room where we had tiffin etc) and comes out after 10 minutes – like it was the girl’s birthday today…so is he going to treat all of us like this on our birthdays? What nonsense goes on in this Institute!?
It was at this time I decided that I must tell everything to the Boss! I usually was not much in touch with the boss since I was a junior but I felt that these things must go in the Boss’s ears!
I told him everything that was going on in the Institute. Thank God I did – because he took immediate steps to rectify the situation. Two of the beep faculties were sacked with immediate effect.
So folks, when you observe that things are going against a greater good – bring it to the attention of the one who is in-charge. Unless the in-charge knows the facts..how will he or she rectify the situation?
