Top 20 job-friendly Diploma courses

Rupa Bagnani is a happy person. This twenty-year-old did a course on educational technology from MP Bhoj University and even while pursuing the course interned with a small e-learning firm at Indore. Now she works for an American content generating firm, developing educational videos for American schools. "I am making about 25K per month," she says.

Welcome to the world of job-oriented diplomas where the end of the course not only leads to a certificate or credential, it also is a doorstep to a budding career.

For too long, education in India has been demarcated into two distinct streams, academic and vocational. The vocational programmes were never integrated with higher education and an almost puritanical attitude towards higher education was on display. Thankfully, this attitude is changing.

Many students now look forward to pursuing a course that would get them a job, and are not too worried if it is a degree or not.

Many do not even bother to check if it is approved or not. The stupendous success of NIIT/ Aptech is a case in point.

Here we profile 20 diplomas that are in the same mould. They provide marketable skills.

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University:Dr. B.R.Ambedkar Open University

Duration: 1 year

Fees: Rs. 17,000

Eligibility: Any graduation

Address: Prof. G.Ram Reddy Marg, Road No. 46, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad 500033, Andhra Pradesh

Website:www.braou.ac.in

The Post Graduate Diploma in Preventive & Promotive Health Care imparts the essential knowledge to combat and manage the scourge of modern day lifestyle-related diseases such as obesity, depression, cardiac ailments and cancer which account for 80% of the world's medicare costs.

It equips doctors and health professionals to conduct lifestyle modification programmes in hospitals and corporate houses.

The course covers Health & disease management, Disease Management, Cardiac Care, Cancer Risk Factors Management, Health, Psychology and Stress Management, Nutrition and Dietetics, Exercise Health and Lifestyle Assessment. The applicant must be a graduate in Medicine/ Psychology/ Bio-Sciences/ Alternative Medicine/ Nutrition or Physiotherapy.

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Duration: 1 year

Fees: Rs. 20,300

Eligibility: Class 10

Address:Dnyangangotri, Near Gangapur Dam, Nashik 422222

Website: www.ycmou.digitaluniversity.ac

Paithani weaving is the traditional hallmark of various localities in Maharashtra.

Diploma in Paithani Handicraft & Modern Garments is a training programme created by Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University to systematically preserve and develop this art.

The course is for one year and the various topics covered include: Silk work and Paithani Weaving assistance, Paithani Handicraft Theory and Paithani Handicraft and Modern Garment Design.

The instruction medium is bilingual with Marathi being the predominant language. The State government is supporting the craftsmen and has started a small-scale industry to engage all the private craftsmen who were finding it difficult to continue their traditional art and help them establish.

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Duration: 3 months

Fee:Rs. 5,000

Eligibility:Insurance agents, graduates

Address:Acharya Narendra Dev College, (University of Delhi), Govindpuri, Kalkaji, New Delhi 110019

Website: www.andcollege.du.ac.in

In order to improve employability skills, University of Delhi and Met Life India Insurance have tied up to offer an Add-on course - Insurance Training and Career Opportunity along with their graduate programmes. The programme is conducted over nine weeks of study followed by one month of on-job training. The course ends with an evaluation and students performing well can hope to be placed in MetLife.

The programme will offer education and training in insurance sales practices, products, legal and regulatory aspects. The course, besides dealing with Life Insurance, also has aspects like transition from Campus to Corporate (Grooming and Communication skills).

Post the successful completion of the course, the students will be awarded a joint, University of Delhi -MetLife certificate. Acharya Narendra Dev College is the only college in the University offering this module.

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Duration: 1 year

Fees: Rs. 300

Eligibility: A pass in M.A. degree with History or Archaeology

Address: Annamalai Nagar - 608 002, Tamil Nadu

Website:www.annamalaiuniversity.ac.in

Annamalai University, Directorate of Distance Education (DDE) offers a job-oriented course in Archives Keeping. The main objective of the programme is to understand the principles and methods of description of archival materials according to standards adopted by the archival community in India and abroad. It also familiarises with various perspectives concerning the nature and purpose of archival description.

It is a one year course and candidates need to have a postgraduate degree in History or Archaeology.

After completion students can find employment as Lecturers, Archivists, Information Managers, Librarians, Public Relations officer and Records Managers in conservation, reprography and other related fields of Archival Science.

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Offered by: NIIT Uniqua in associationwith Genpact

Duration: 4 weeks

Fee: Rs 10,150

Eligibility: BCom

Website:www.niituniqua.com

To addresses demand for skilled workers in industry. NIIT Uniqua has tied up with Genpact to offer a month-long certification course in Finance and Accounts.

The training curriculum is designed to provide students with a sound knowledge of business processes, basic voice training, followed by a specialisation in advanced voice training and basic finance leading to Certificate in Finance and Accounting (CFA).

This program enables the students to understand the terminologies, nuances and working of the finance and accounts outsourced services and hence the time taken by them to become productive will be minimised and limited to understanding the process specific requirements and tools.

The training will follow an Instructor-led Delivery mode with conceptual delivery being strengthened with application-based demos, ERP simulations, exercises and practice sessions. It builds specialisation in this domain which will help one adapt faster to the job requirements.

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Duration:1 year

Fee:Rs. 6,900

Eligibility: 10+2

Address:Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University, Kolar Road, Bhopal-462016

Website:www.bhojvirtualuniversity.com

This programme is offered by MP Bhoj University aims to produce teachers who aretechnology enabled. The course offers an introduction to multimedia integration in educational settings.

It is for teachers/ educators who wish to learn how to integrate multimedia content into their present teaching practices and use information and communication technologies for imparting education.

The programme includes MS-Office training, usage of Multimedia and Graphics Tools and a project work which gets spread over a period of one year minimum and can be completed in 3 years maximum.

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Duration:3 years

Fee: No fees, stipend of Rs. 3,500

Eligibility: 10+2

Website:www.oberoigroup.com

STEP is an opportunity for students to participate in a three-year programme that offers practical training at a hotel of The Oberoi Group. This training involves the four core operational departments in a hotel: Front Office, Housekeeping, Food and Beverage Service and Kitchen.

The Kitchen Operations Programme involves training in Western and Indian kitchens and specialist operations such as bakery, pastry and cold kitchen.

In addition to practical training in a hotel of The Oberoi Group, the students are enrolled for a Bachelor's Degree in Tourism Studies (BTS) from IGNOU.

The programme is currently being hosted by: The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra; The Oberoi Bangalore, The Oberoi Cecil, Shimla; The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur; The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur; Trident Agra; Trident Chennai; Trident Cochin; Trident Gurgaon; Trident Jaipur; Trident Udaipur.

A benefit of joining the STEP Programme is the preferred opportunity of a career with The Oberoi Group. On successful completion of the programme the students are awarded a Bachelor of Tourism Studies (BTS) degree from IGNOU and a certificate of Proficiency from The Oberoi Group along with an opportunity as operational assistant at theirhotels.

Alternatively one may seek entry into the two-year management training programme at The Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development.

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Duration: 1 year

Fee: Rs 18,000

Eligibility: Graduate in any discipline, from a recognised University

Address: Symbiosis Bhavan, 1065 B, Gokhale Cross, Road, Model Colony, Pune - 411016

Website:www.scdl.net

The programme provides basic theoretical and practical skills needed to design, deliver and evaluate courseware. It aims at acquisition of professional qualification in Instructional Design and improvement of related job skills.

Students explore the theories of Instructional Design through reading, viewing e-learning modules and practical applications.

The areas include management principles, educational psychology, effective communication and also includes a project work. The duration of the PGDID programme is of one year.

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Duration: 1 year

Fee: Rs. 11,000

Eligibility: Graduate (Bio or Maths)

Address: Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University, Kolar Road, Bhopal-462016

Website:www.bhojvirtualuniversity.com

The PGDCI offered by Bhoj University aims to create a workforce, with grounding in Chemistry and knowledge in ComputerTechnology, in the upcoming field of Agrochemical/Pharmachemical/Biotechnology industry.

The course covers various aspects on Basics of Chemo-informatics, Chemo-informatics Database Design and Management, Data Sequencing etc.

The delivery of the programme consists of print study materials, audio/video support, assignments, contact classes, library consultation, etc. Its duration is 1 year, however, the student once registered can complete it in a maximum of 3 years.

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Duration: 12 months

Fee: Rs 35,000

Eligibility: Passed Class12 with 60%

Address: 9 Elgin Road, First Floor, Kolkata

Website:www.iijt.net

IIJT started the Programme in Retail Management looking at the increasing demand for human resource in the emerging retail sector.

The retail sector is emerging as one of the largest sectors in terms of its employment potential with the estimated man power requirements at over a million new positions in the coming decade.

This course is of 12 months duration and aims at training students on supply chain, retail finance, soft skills and retail store operation concepts.

It is meant to train individuals primarily for customer interface positions, and some of them for logistics and back-end operations.The front office functions which need persuasive skills would demand good communication skills.

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University: Maharshi Dayanand University

Duration: 1 year

Fee: Rs 21,900

Eligibility: Senior Secondary Examination (10+2) with at least 45% marks

Address: Directorate of Distance Education, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak- 124 001

Website:www.mdudde.net

The Diploma in Food and Service Management is for class 12 pass outs.

The course includes training on F& B services, F& B service equipment and its methods along with practical training on personal grooming, knowledge of equipment, food service methods and its terminology.

Admission to this programme is made according to merit determined on the basis of marks secured in class 12, Group discussion and Interview with weightage of 70%, 20% and 10% for the three components, respectively.

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Duration: 6 Months

Fee: Rs. 4,000

Eligibility: Engineering graduates/ Engineering Diploma holders

Address: IGNOU, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi-110 068

Website: www.ignou.ac.in

This programme has been developed by IGNOU in collaboration with the Ministry of Power, USAID-India and the Power Finance Corporation under the Distribution Reform Upgrades and Management (DRUM) Project for professionals employed in electrical power utilities.

The course aims to disseminate information about the current development and reforms in the power distribution sector, generate awareness about the applications of emerging technologies and trends in the sector and educate personnel employed in the electrical power utilities or electricity sector about various aspects of power distribution management.

The areas of focus include power distribution and energy management.

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Eligibility: 10+2

Fees: NA

Duration: 4 to 6 months per level

Website: www.kuoniacademy.co.in

Kuoni Academy was established in 2003 and it is the education division of Kuoni Travel India Pvt. Ltd.

It aims to fulfil the role of a knowledge institute, professionally developing thousands of youngsters to face the rigours of the service industry.

The IATA foundation course is a professional one that provides essential knowledge and skills in selling travel and tourism products and services.

The duration of the course is 4 to 6 months per level and students can find jobs with leading brands in the tourismand travel sector such as Cox & Kings, Make My Trip and others.

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Eligibility: 10+2

Fees: Rs. 15,000

Duration: 3 months

Website: www.rkfma.com

R K Films & Media Academy, Delhi in partnership with Delhi University has launched part-time certificate course in Radio Jockeying & TV News Reading for all the students pursuing various courses with the Delhi University.

RK Academy provides its students complete practical exposure to the subjects as the trainers are drawn from the industry itself who are well versed with day-to-day working in their respective fields.

They are able to train the students with on-hand working besides the essential text knowledge.

This is a job-oriented course as the Indian Media &Entertainment industry is set to grow more that 12% due to the increasing non-stop 24 hours media channelsand newspapers being launching very frequently.

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Eligibility: Graduate and working professionals

Fees: Rs. 12,500

Duration: 3 months

Website: www.iire.co.in

The Principles and Practices of Real Estate course offered by Indian Institute of Real Estate (IIRE) can be pursued either online or through correspondence as per the candidate's convenience.

This course educates the students about the basic concepts in the business of real estate. It also outlines the basic principles of economics that affect the real estate decision-making process and making of a management plan. The course is spread over 7 modules which have a recommended duration in days for each module. The entire 7 modules are to be preferably completed in 90 days.

In online mode:module has to be completed within 30 days from the date and time of receipt of password and start of course. After each module there will be a case study/ test and a minimum passing grade of 65 percent is required to proceed to the next module.

Upon successful completion of the course students can find employment at Developers, brokerage houses and finance companies.

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Eligibility: Computer-literate with a minimum of 6 months experience in IT and/or Storage Networking Operations.

Fees: Rs. 25,000

Duration: 3 days

Website: www.insift.com

Institute of Storage, Integration and Future Technologies (INSIFT) offers a short-term course in SCP which is a training programme that offers a platform to get you educated on the storage and backup technologies.

SCP also empowers you to appear for the globally accepted vendor independent Storage Certified Professional Exam - SCP 2008, certified by the SNIA; the only organisation in the world providing activities that expand the breadth and quality of the storage and information management market.

The main objective is to create proficient storage specialists and the certification insures that the staff has a benchmarked level of knowledge and skill.

Upon completion, professionals can find employment with reputed companies such as Ace data services and HCL.

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Duration: 1 year

Fee: Rs 7,000

Eligibility: Age 16 years and above and 12th grade pass with minimum 50% marks in English Subject.

Address: Symbiosis Bhavan, 1065 B, Gokhale Cross, Road, Model Colony, Pune - 411016

Website: www.scdl.net

The Faculty of education is launching a programme in Diploma in Teaching English from July 2011.

This programme aims to develop proficiency in the method of teaching English and develop prospective teachers at primary and secondary school levels.

Besides teaching the methodology, the programme also aims at developing reading, writing skills and Instructional Methodologies of English Language, Teaching English at Primary/ Secondary/ Higher Sec/ UG level English language vocabulary. The programme is designed to bridge thegap in theory and practice of methodology of teaching English.

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Duration: 3 years

Fees: Rs. 6,000

Eligibility: Class 12 pass

Address: Dnyangangotri, Near Gangapur Dam, Nashik 422222

Website: www.ycmou.digitaluniversity.ac

Co-operatives play a very important role in the development of the rural hinterland as they help in alleviating poverty and are essential for the growth of rural areas of India.

A co-operative manger must have complete understanding of the macro and micro economic situation of rural India and must be able to motivate the members to participate in the management of the cooperative enterprises.

The Bachelor in Co-operative Management offered by Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University is a 3-year course and prepares students for careers in management of cooperatives.

It also prepares students for managerial posts and careers in rural enterprises.

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Eligibility: HSC/ 10+2/ class 12 pass

Fees: Rs. 89,700

Duration: 3 years

Website:www.aptechnpower.com

The BSc HNDC is an industry-oriented certification for international careers in Hardware & Networking. This course helps students become job-ready immediately after 10+2 and develop expertise in handling IT, Systems requirements and Infrastructure Management.

The BSc-HNDC offers training through 22 modules including a project at the end of the course.

It also includes online projects guidedand monitored directly by top faculty in Aptech's Head Office and industry visits for exposure to prevalent industrial practices.

The fee for the BSc-HNDC Degree amounts to Rs. 89,700, to be paid in instalments over 3 years. Upon completion of the three year course candidates get a dual certification, a University Degree from KSOUand an Aptech Hardware and Networking Academy Certificate.

Students can find jobs placement assistance offered by institute with organisations that have Hardwareand Networking requirements such as Wipro BPO, Infosys BPO, Allied Digital and others.

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Duration: 2 years

Fee: Rs. 25,000

Eligibility: Bachelor's degree

Address:IGNOU, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi-110068

Website: www.ignou.ac.in

The MSc programme in Counselling and Family Therapy is aimed at developing professionals as there is a dearth of professional support and experts who could lend a helping hand in promoting positive family processes and help individual family members in distress in a comprehensive way.

A special feature of the programme is that it has a provision of exit point for learners (after one year) in the form of PG Diploma in Counselling and Family Therapy (PGDCFT).

Candidates require a Bachelor's degree with specialisation in subjects like Human Devt & Family Studies, Child Development, Childhood Studies or allied disciplines.

Conclusion

Job-oriented programmes are offered at all three levels. They could be certificate programmes offered immediately after 10+2, at times even after 10th. These are primarily skill-based and have substantial practical component.

They do not demand complex understanding and are primarily geared towards providing entry-level employment to the aspirant. Many colleges use certification programme as a teaser to enable its graduates to develop an appreciation of the subject and go for further studies if interested. Diplomas, both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels are invariably of slightly longer duration , (either an year or two) and deal with knowledge and skills. Diplomas also train you for entry-level positions, but they pave the way for specialisation in the medium term.

Very few job-oriented programmes exist atthe graduate level, unless they are explicitly professional programmes. This is due to the artificial division of knowledge and skills.

The fact that many new graduate-level programmes are now being developed in subjects like visual communication, media, etc is a sign that things are changing, albeit slowly. And may they change faster.