The past decade has seen a substantial rise in number of engineers opting for MBA programs. Student profile of the PGP program at IIM Ahmadabad reveals that more than 90% of them come from engineering background. The trend is often followed with a binary question – Why MBA and Why not? Is it a waste of engineering talent in the country? Shivank Yadav, engineer in Computer Science, who is pursuing his management program at Jaipuria Institute of Management, Indore stresses that the MBA is a huge value addition, cementing engineering graduates’ position in the corporate world.

Why MBA?

How many engineering students are actually interested in pursuing the career paths that are often chosen for them by others? Some finish their programs grudgingly, others are plain bored. Then there is the catch of not finding employment opportunities that do justice to their merits. “MBA becomes pivotal in opening up alternate career paths for engineers, who feel stuck in their careers. I believe an Engineer – MBA does exceptionally well in individual contributor role. So I certainly see it as a value addition rather than waste of talent,” says Shivank.

What’s the difference?

He speaks with a sense of authority, filled with confidence, as someone who knows what he is talking about. Unfortunately, it is a far cry from many young engineers in the country, who might be the best at their job but suffer with a serious absence of communication skills. According to Shivank, the difference lies in the MBA training, which focuses on soft skills too. “During engineering all the emphasis was on technical training. But MBA leads to your overall development and grooming of personality, which shapes thinkers and leaders,” he adds.

Diversity at Jaipuria

For Shivank, another advantage of pursuing your MBA at a B School like Jaipuria, Indore is that you get the opportunity to interact with students from different backgrounds. Their unique perspectives also help in broadening the horizons for engineers. “This is also my first hostel experience, which is exciting but also important for learning life skills. Life on campus,
especially after 7 pm, is great fun. You hang out with students from different backgrounds, play outdoor games, discuss ideas and grow tremendously in the process,” he says effusively.

Professional goals align with social responsibility

Shivank recently published in Esade – the MBA City Monitor and talks passionately about how MBA talent can help local governments solve problems of city dwellers. There is a strong understanding of social responsibility while being driven by his goal. “After my MBA I want to gain some experience and then start my own business venture. Engineers might have business ideas, but MBA teaches you where to start and how to turn your venture into a success. It is also a great place for valuable networking, which is a valuable asset for entrepreneurs,” he concludes spelling out his dreams.