India: 8 Courses That Lead To High-Paying Jobs

Source: Study International

Students who take Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) courses look set to rake in the money once they enter the job market. And it seems to be a choice that will ultimately pay off, given the lucrative remuneration packages companies are giving to graduates from these fields. “Generally, STEM courses stand as one of the highest-paying jobs worldwide,” international education consultancy The Chopras managing director Natasha Chopra said.

For the complete list, visit Study International.

“Big Investment” Coming for BC Postsecondary Tech Training

Source: The Globe & Mail via Academica

British Columbia Premier Christy Clark has announced that her government will soon make “big investments” in the province’s postsecondary system to address a talent shortage in the tech sector. “There will be some announcements coming in the next little while with respect to investing in computer science in particular in universities … it will be a significant amount,” Clark added in an interview with the Globe and Mail. In July 2016, 18 BC tech executives sent a letter to Clark asking for the province to address the talent shortage. Clark did not specify, however, whether the final amount invested in PSE tech training would match the $100M requested by the executives.

Canadian PSE Enrolment Up 1.2%, Now Topping 2 Million

Source: Statistics Canada via Academica

According to Statistics Canada, enrolments in public postsecondary institutions rose 1.2% for the 2013/14 academic year, bringing the total to more than 2 million. International enrolment rose even more quickly, up 2.5% over the previous year, and now accounts for nearly 10% of total enrolments. Enrolment rose the most in Ontario, followed by Quebec and British Columbia. Roughly 60% of enrolments were at the bachelor’s level or above. 56.3% of all students were women, but this proportion was only 45.6% for international students. Enrolment rose fastest in the category of architecture, engineering, and related technologies.

Engineers Canada Releases Report on Labour Market

Source: Engineers Canada Release via Academica

Engineers Canada has released a new report outlining projections of the expected supply and demand of engineers in Canada through to 2025. The report, Engineering Labour Market in Canada: Projections to 2025, provides provincial-level breakdowns of the number of engineers currently working, the average age of engineers in different fields, and the projected need for engineers to fill vacated positions. The report suggests that recent engineering graduates will not be able to replace retiring senior engineers; inter-provincial mobility of senior engineers and the immigration of international engineers will be necessary to fill these positions. The report also recommends that traditionally underrepresented groups such as women and Aboriginal peoples will be needed in the engineering workforce.

Initiatives Aim to Inspire Girls to Pursue Careers in Sciences

Source: Winnipeg Free Press via Academica

An article published by the Canadian Press highlights efforts being made by Canadian universities to attract girls to the sciences and engineering. uToronto and UBC have recently reported increases in the number of women entering their engineering programs, but there is still a significant gender gap in many STEM-related professions. According to Engineers Canada, just 18.3% of undergraduate engineering degrees awarded in 2013 went to women. PSE institutions are working with other organizations to fix that by engaging girls before they reach high school. Research has shown that many girls lose their interest in the sciences by  the time they enter ninth grade, meaning that many don’t take the advanced courses they need to enter STEM programs at university. Ottawa-based charity Actua works with 33 Canadian institutions to offer girls-only science classes in the hopes of encouraging interest and inspiring confidence in participants, as well as getting parents to encourage young girls’ aspirations for STEM-related careers.

Saab’s education initiative to increase employment opportunities

Source: The Hindu Business Line via PwC – EdLive

Saab India announced an employability enhancement and skill development programme for the Indian College Engineering students. Termed the ‘Diploma Employment Enhancement Program (DEEP)’, it is designed to bridge the gap between industry’s requirements and technical education. The first pilot classes in collaboration with the Indian Technical Institutes will start in December. Saab India, the Indian subsidiary of the Swedish-headquartered defence and security company, has initiated a skills training programme at institutes in Gudivada and Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh. The six-month programme is designed to help engineering students learn and hone the right mix of technical and soft skills while they are still in college.