Every year, more than 15 lakh engineering students graduate, while only a small percentage of them possess the desired skills to be employable. Most graduates are compelled to take up jobs that are below their technical qualifications or are unrelated to their education or degree.
The gap in the curriculum offered at universities and requirements of the industry is a primary factor for this circumstance. However, in today’s changing times, employers emphasize skill set versus educational background. From being a cab driver to a successful engineer, the story of Ashish Raj is a classic example of how having the right skills outweighs professional degrees.
Hailing from a humble family background in Munger, Bihar, Ashish Raj always had a natural inclination towards computers. Ashish was introduced to the world of computers at an early age by his uncle, who owned a cybercafé in the town. At a later stage in life and upon advice from friends and family that he would land a job in the government’s IT sector, he took up a Diploma in Electrical Engineering and moved to Bhopal.
However, the outdated curriculum and lack of seriousness amongst students and teachers alike soon led to Ashish losing interest in the course. But with growing financial responsibilities at the family front, he managed to complete and earn the degree.
Living in Bhopal, Ashish’s family faced several financial difficulties, which made him take up a job in a BPO. To cut expenses, Ashish walked for more than 12 kilometres every day to his workplace. But to his dismay, his efforts weren’t enough to make ends meet. So Ashish began looking for a job with higher pay, and this was when he signed up for a job as a contractual cab driver with a popular cab aggregator at a meagre salary of ₹4000 to ₹5000 per month.
Ashish continued to work as a cab driver until he came across a news article on Masai School. Masai School’s Income-Sharing Agreement (ISA) was a driving factor for him to apply for the Full Stack Web Development program and begin his journey towards a new career. Today, Ashish is an Implementation Engineer at an upcoming technology startup, living the life of his dreams.
Expressing his gratitude, Ashish Raj said, “Becoming a computer engineer was a long-lost dream for me. Due to personal constraints, I had to take up a job to help support my family and, in the process, give up my dreams until I came across the Masai School coding program. Once I realized that I still had a chance to fulfil my aspirations, there was no turning back even without formal education. One should have passion and curiosity while going through a routine as rigorous as the 9–9–6 system at Masai. The right guidance is equally necessary as you progress along, which is the best part about the staff at Masai School. Today, working as an Engineer, I have realized that joining Masai was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. Despite the challenges I faced, I made constant progress in my learning, all thanks to the guidance I received from Masai School.“