“Why are you doing Science? Did you not get into engineering?”
This question is posed to most Indian science graduates by “well wishers”, often with a sense of concerned pity.
Students interested in the sciences complain that they are often discouraged, with parents pushing them towards engineering instead. Part of the reason why sciences get poor-cousin treatment is due to the perception that studying the sciences only equips students for a narrow range of academic jobs. But this is far from the truth.
A science degree provides the student with an invaluable set of skills that apply across domains. You learn to think critically and analytically, to break down complex problems into its logical components and solve them.
While other disciplines typically focus on specific technologies, the sciences train you to analyse any given system. These are highly sought after skills in a wide range of industries.
The finance industry is one example. A lucrative career path, finance is a popular choice of physicists and mathematicians migrating to industry. Financial roles such as quantitative analysts and risk managers entail developing and working with complex mathematical models, performing statistical analysis and assessing investment risks.
With requisite mathematical training and problem-solving skills, science graduates are in demand for these roles. Physics training, for example, can smoothly transition into finance roles. India’s finance job landscape is witnessing a continuous expansion and opportunities are on the rise. For perspective, the biggest office of the investment banking company Goldman Sachs outside NY is in Bangalore.
Data Science is another promising sector attracting many science graduates. Ours is the era of big data and data scientists utilise statistical analysis and data interpretation to extract insights from large datasets, enabling businesses to make data-driven decisions and gain a competitive edge.
Once again, the analytical and mathematical backgrounds of science students come into play here, making them ideally suited for this line. In fact, more of our science students are choosing data science.
Many science graduates find employment in industries related to their expertise. Those trained in chemistry or biology have an assortment of options. Pharmaceuticals, food, healthcare and forensics are some of the industries where both chemists and biologists are highly valued.
For physicists, ‘core industry’ options range from semiconductors to photonics to the upcoming quantum computer industry. Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, physics design in computer games, medical imaging are also major employers for physics graduates.
There are also several possibilities for those interested in writing and communication. Science journalism and science communication are a growing field in India. Although not yet as lucrative as some of the above mentioned options, their function is crucial. Bridging the gap between scientists and the public, science communicators and science journalists help promote scientific literacy and temper, fight misinformation and lead to better informed choices both at individual and policy level. Other than these, technical writing and grant writing are also available to those with a flair for the written word.
These are just some of the career paths where science students are welcomed. The highly transferable nature of the science student’s skill set makes them a valuable asset to many different industries.
Ultimately, a science education goes beyond training specific skills – it teaches you how to learn and gives you an increased ability to think independently and adapt to any new field. The value of the degree is in this flexibility – a good science student can work in domains they did not specifically train for.
This makes them invaluable to emerging industries. The modern job market is continuously evolving, with new fields and industries always emerging. If one has to go back and train for these jobs, one would fall behind. This is where the flexibility of a science education confers a major advantage.
Science graduates can grab the opportunities created by fast-paced advancements in technology and science by quickly adapting to emerging fields. To give an example, when data science was just an emerging field, many physics and math PhDs jumped in and thrived.
To summarise, a science degree does not confine one to an academic career. The analytical, mathematical and problem solving skills that one learns makes science graduates highly valued employees across industries. But the biggest value of science education is in the flexibility and adaptability that prepares one to jump in any field and thrive in it – including those that don’t yet exist.
If you are someone who is interested in studying science but are deterred by parental/societal pressure, the message is to not give up easily. There are more career options than you may think – consider them carefully before making the final decision!
Courtesy : The Indian Express
