The Counsellor -- 17

 

Technical scribe 

Are there are any institutions where one can pursue a formal qualification in technical writing? 

Gobind Ballabh

 

Few universities in India offer education in technical writing, and online courses can be very expensive. On the internet you can access mailing lists like TECHWR-L, TechComm, and TWIN that are akin to daily online seminars for Indian writers.There are few journals or books available for technical writers to hone their skills. It is not mandatory to have a technical background to enter this profession. Though there is better scope for science graduates many professionals from the field of journalism, English and even advertising move into in technical writing. 

   Most entrants tend to pick up the skills through on the job training. However, knowledge of DTP tools (Page Maker etc), development tools (RoboHelp) and web tools (HTML and XML coding is a definite advantage for an online environment. Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning (SCDL), www.scdl.net , offers one-year certificate course in Instructional Des. Shortterm courses in technical writing are also offered by the University of Pune, Department of Journalism; University of Cochin; and the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. 

   Society for Technical Communication, India Chapter organises training and networking activities in this field. They also have a regular newsletter "Indus" which carries articles on technical communication, particularly in the Indian context. For more details you can log on to: www.stc-india.org. Technical writers in India have joined hands to form TWIN (Technical Writers of India) - an association that provides a platform to share their experiences and exchange information.

 

 Details are available on www.twin-india.com  The Writers Block (TWB) #30 Service Road, Domlur Layout, Bangalore 560071,

 

 www.twb.in , offers following courses: 

• The TWB fundamental certification programme 

• The TWB associate certification programme 

• The TWB Online course in Technical Writing (Distance mode) Also check out the following: 

• Technical Writers of India, Mumbai 

• Indian Statistical Institute, Bangalore 

• Technowrites Pvt Ltd, Pune 

• S A international, Ltd, Chennai 

• TASC Consulting Pvt Ltd, Mumbai 

• TechnoPoint, Bangalore 

Looking ahead 

I am crazy about sports and would love to run a sports management company. Please give me some tips. Do I need to get a degree in mass communication? 

   Meena Vashisht

 

No, an academic degree is not absolutely necessary, although some background in marketing, either through education or experience, should help. 

   Managing celebrities is a well-established concept abroad. In India, it is more in vogue with film stars, but now cricketers,tennis players and golfers are also becoming savvy about their image. People who are creative, confident, self-motivated and have an eye for detail are well suited to work as event managers or public relation managers for companies that organise sporting events. If you have a sports background, it would be useful. 

• Symbiosis Institute of Health Sciences, Pune, offers a postgraduate diploma in sports management 

• Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education & Sports Science, New Delhi offers a one-year postgraduate diploma in sports management 

• Indian Institute of Social Welfare & Business Management, www.iiswbm.edu, Kolkata offers a one-year postgraduate diploma course in sports management 

• Alagappa University, department of distance education, Karaikudi, www.alagappauniv.org, offers a postgraduate diploma course in sports management through distance learning 

Financial Engineering 

What is financial engineering? What are the careers that financial engineers can pursue? What are the courses available? 

Vaishno Prashad

 

Also known as financial mathematics, mathematical finance, and computational finance, financial engineering applies mathematical methods to resolve problems in finance. 

   It draws on tools from applied mathematics, computer science, statistics, and economic theory. Quantitative finance is a well-developed discipline that is gaining ground as global financial markets grow and become integrated. 

   Investment banks, commercial banks, hedge funds, insurance companies, corporate treasuries, and regulatory agencies employ financial engineers to tackle problems like development of new financial products, valuation of derivative securities, structuring portfolios, risk management and scenario simulation. 

   Quantitative analysis has brought innovation, efficiency and rigor to financial markets and to the investment process. And as the pace of financial innovation accelerates, the need for highly qualified people with specific training in financial engineering continues to grow in all market environments. 

   Financial engineers apply their skills in a broad selection of finance-related careers including the pricing and trading of securities, financial modelling, sales, risk management and portfolio management. The skill sets acquired in a good financial mathematics programme at the masters level prepare students for many interesting fields. Moreover as it is increasingly recognised in financial firms that computational and mathematical skills are critical to the success of all organisations, the market for students with financial mathematics degrees continues to broaden. 

   There are dozens of masters degree programs in financial mathematics and engineering around the world. The majority of these programs are in the US, but there are programs in Canada, UK and continental Europe, as well as nearer home, in Singapore and Hong Kong.

 

 

 

 

Sunil Sharma

   Moderator

Dil Se Desi Group

& www.dilsedesi.org