VFRESHERS

In the times of recession surprises sure come one’s way and how?
 
Well one surprise that came to about 13,500 engineering graduates from India’s third largest software exporter, Wipro Technologies was that they all will be taken on board. All these engineering graduates had been selected in campus recruitments from the best campuses in India last year. But before you start to rejoice pay heed to the offer.

Well the offer was for their BPO branch. Due to the fear of recession and some job is better than no job pschy almost 95% of these engineering graduates have already accepted these offers to work at the Kolkata branch of Wipro.
 
The company in its turn says that they have been proactive in these uncertain times and it has been a win-win situation for both sides. Wipro Technologies which is facing a slow down of the US economy brunt has not much work in the software section at the moment. The salary offered in the BPO arm is of course less than what these guys would have got in the softward field. Nevertheless, 95% of the recruits felt that a bird in hand is better than two in the bush.
 
But then not everyone would want to take this decision lying down without even a flutter. Citu which is the labour arm of the CPI(M), had convened a meeting in the Salt Lake IT Complex on  4 December to talk to the employees and hear what they had to say. It seems off for 100’s of engineers to take up work that is not suited for their specialised skill sets. Of course there is dignity of labour and so forth but if you are trained for a specialised skill why whould you want to work at something which even an intermediate student would do. Then where does your education and specialised degree come in?
 
What the engineering graduates had to tell Citu was that they were unfairly being re-located to jobs that were not specialised. Wherein their appointment letter clearly stated that they would be joining as technical hands in the company. However, what the spokesperson from Wipro had to say was that they had offered this job as they anticipated a slowdown in projects and they could not afford to keep so many people on the bench.
 
Engineers who take up this position are promised roles in the software division when things get better which might be in the next 12 to 18 months. these graduates will earn a salary of 2.75 to 3.25 lakhs per annum which is not a mean amount for a fresh graduate with no experience. They will pick up communication skills and soft skills which will hold them in good stead whereever they decide to work.
 
Hence rather than waiting out this uncertain period at home if they don’t consider this offer they might as well take it up. If they don’t do so then they will have to wait for another two quarters, which translates to approximately six months, could be even more. Later they will be accomodated in the IT services sector. But till then they will not be picking up any further skills, nor earning a salary. It was further clarified that the engineering graduates who had decided to join Wipro’ BPO wing will be in the non -voice segment dealing with transaction processing requiring strong technical expertise.
 
So 95% of the freshers must have thought why not get into the organisation, pick up relevant industry specific skills and then move to the IT sector when it takes up. Better than languishing at home. Or else go in for further studies if you are interested and have the financial backing for it. Then when the economy resurrects itself start looking for a job or the job will come looking for you.
 
Hence the bottom line is during a recession any job is worth doing!