Preferences of engineering students’ concerning where they prefer to start their careers Dr. Sudhakar K. Francis*, Faculty, Mr. Rao M. Kameshwara**, Assistant Professor *School of Management Studies, National Institute of Technology, Warangal, Andhra Pradesh, India **Department of Management Studies, National Institute of Technology, Trichy, Tamilnadu – 620015, India Online published on 19 October, 2011. Abstract The present scenario has seen a sea change in students’ preferences for opting for the courses which are promising in terms of generating good career choices. The inclination of the students is more towards job related courses so as to equip themselves better in the job markets. The last decades have witnessed wide choices of courses as an academic discipline and instituted the relevant courses and programmes at all educational levels. This paper aims at investigating what factors determine students’ career preferences. This study was conducted before final career decisions are made, and uses primary data. Therefore, a cross-sectional study of the underlying motives for the career intentions of 450 students from premier engineering institution in India was performed. A conclusion from the statistical test based on the inverse Mills ratio is that there are no significant differences between two groups, those who are not sure and those with defined preferences to join IT Industry. This paper discusses the career preferences of the engineering graduates. The study aims to identify the differences in mindsets and ambitions of the students from diverse engineering background with regard to joining the IT industry. The study intends to help the employer better understand the preferences of students towards their career decision and formulate strategies to meet the needs and desires of the students. Top Keywords Career choice, Ambitions, Strategies. Top |