The Higher Education Review

The dynamic Business and IT industry is a quintessential example of 'Constant Change'. Its latest trends few years ago are primitive methods in today's date. Overtime facets such as Cloud Computing, Virtualization, Telework /Virtual Offices, and Alternative Productivity Applications; have come into existence that carves a new onset of trends in the industry. Producing a dynamic pipeline of talent to cope with these shifting waves stands as a challenge to educational institutions. "The industry and current curriculum do not match," says T. V. Reddy, Secretary, St. Peters Engineering College, "The industry is ahead of us by a period of over five years and they expect their current scenario needs and institutions are behind in these facets." In a pursuit to actively fill all craters in making student ready to face the job market, St. Peters Engineering College, by its endeavors and zeal imbibed efforts, sets a magnitude tuned into the direction of the industry's welfare by graduating students that are in sync with the ongoing trends.

"We have seen that students had to travel really far to pursue higher education, and as an aid to this we decided to set up St. Peters Engineering College in 2007," says Reddy. The institute functions in affiliation with Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad and offers a vast array of courses for technical prowess. Equipped in the campus are two labs especially created in collaboration with BtechGuru.com and the alumni of IIT Madras where students learn technical, non-technical problem solving skills. GRE, GATE coaching is a part of it and students are encouraged to utilize these attributes post college hours. St. Peter's institutions is now a premium member of CII, NASCOM has MOU with TCS, AIP,

IBM, Microsoft Dynamics. It is Star Status College with TASK. It has a tie up with ISB-TEP program through EDC cell.

"The university changes curriculum every four years, and the industry requires something else. We are forced to teach what the university prescribes," says Reddy. He also stresses on the symposiums conducted regularly so that students are aware of the current trends in the industry and the technology. The authorities at St. Peters have started a seven day program in Mechanical students called ‘Symposium on Machine Design; where professors from various universities visit the campus and render their knowledge. The college hosts many other events as such to every department. "Other than the prescribed syllabus, our efforts are add-ons to the curriculum that does not cover most aspects of industry interaction," reveals Reddy; "In this way, the College tries to balance pedagogy and industry needs."

Making Critical Affiliations

The MOUs of an institution with leading organizations establish the networking capabilities of the institution and its students alike. Bearing testimony to these efforts are the MOUs and tie-ups of St. Peters Engineering College that cater in providing the current insight on the industry. The institute's collaborations with over eight conglomerates like Microsoft, Oracle, TCS, AIP, which ensure that students are trained through certified coaching vouchers and balance the requirements of the industry. An industry project from DRDO worth ten lakhs has been sanctioned on the mechanical stream, where the students and faculty work together leaving no stone unturned in the participation and involvement with the project. There are various clubs in the college like SAE, Shutterbugs, Rotract, JCI, Radio, Cultural, Music, Faculty for the exposure to the students. The SAE club students made ECO CRAT vehicle and participated in the National event conducted at GBU, Noida and won fifth prize in design contest.

The MNC companies visited this campus for recruiting talented students by offering as high as 8lakhs per annum. The student placement ratio for academic year 2014 and 2015 is about 80 percent and the non placed students are applied for higher studies at abroad. The pre-placement training will be given in-house and by corporate trainers.

Faculty for Overall Development

The need of the crucial catalyst that links academia and industry is the faculty at St. Peters Engineering College. The institute has 9 to 12 full time faculty members in a department and every department boasts of a PhD holder in the faculty team. As per AICTE norms, 100 percent of the staff is highly qualified and well aware of the subjects. "We believe in constant reinvention of the staff for which there are faculty development programs regularly conducted where faculty are sent to various enrichment programs about industry and research," adds Reddy. St. Peters also has a ten day faculty development program in the beginning of the semester where they invite faculty from various colleges and experts who guide the faculty in the direction to move ahead. The catalytic activity of the faculty is a serious concern for the authorities for which active heed is paid.

Functioning in a sprawling two lakh sq.ft campus with State of Art Laboratories, St. Peters Engineering College has received over 70 percent placements owing to the exposure it provides. A magnanimous number of 45 companies have visited the campus recruiting talent by offering packages as high as six lakhs. The institution is daunted over progression in the future by inculcating autonomy in the coming years and emerging as a private university. "We want to be independent and encourage academia and extra-curricular activities so that students' energies could be channelized in the right direction," concludes Reddy.