முதுநிலைப் பட்ட கல்வி உதவித் தொகை: விண்ணப்பிக்க கால அவகாசம் நீட்டிப்பு

முதுநிலைப் படிப்புகளுக்கான பல்கலைக்கழக மானியக் குழுவின் (யுஜிசி) கல்வி உதவித் தொகைகளைப் பெறுவதற்கான கால அவகாசம் நீட்டிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
 முன்னர், இதற்கு விண்ணப்பிக்க ஜூலை 31 கடைசி தேதி என்று அறிவிக்கப்பட்டிருந்தது. இப்போது செப்டம்பர் 30-ஆம் தேதி வரை கால அவசாகம் நீட்டிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

 அதன்படி தாழ்த்தப்பட்ட, பழங்குடியின மாணவர்களுக்கான முதுநிலை தொழில்படிப்பு கல்வி உதவித் தொகை திட்டம், ஒரே பெண் குழந்தைக்கான இந்திரா காந்தி முதுநிலைப் பட்ட கல்வி உதவித் தொகை திட்டம், பல்கலைக்கழக அளவில் இளநிலைப் பட்டப் படிப்பில் சிறப்பிடம் பெற்றவர்களுக்கான முதுநிலைப் பட்ட கல்வி உதவித் தொகை திட்டம் ஆகியவற்றுக்கு விண்ணப்பிக்க செப்டம்பர் 30 கடைசித் தேதியாகும்.
 இந்தத் திட்டங்களின் கீழ், தேர்வு செய்யப்படுவோருக்கு முதுநிலைப் பட்டப் படிப்பு மேற்கொள்ள மாதம் ரூ. 3,100 வீதம் இரண்டு ஆண்டுகளுக்கு கல்வி உதவித் தொகை வழங்கப்படும் என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.
 மேலும் விவரங்களுக்கு w‌w‌w.‌u‌gc.ac.‌i‌n என்ற இணையதளத்தைப் பார்த்து தெரிந்து கொள்ளலாம்.

Become a Cyber Warrior

There is a severe shortage of skilled cyber security professionals at a time when demand is booming.

     In this digital era, when the use of Internet has become indispensable, the threat of losing important data or personal facts to the hackers keeps hovering over the leading organisations. Recently, Sony Entertainment was a victim of a similar incident that cost the company millions of dollars. The hackers had leaked personal information such as salary details, emails, residential addresses and personal contacts of top Sony executives and actors. It was claimed that the hackers had illegally taken 100 terabytes of data from Sony. The company incurred a loss of $200 million because of the cyber-attack.

Such threats or risks have escalated the demand of cyber security professionals, to protect critical infrastructure in an organisation. Mostly, organisations, small or big, lack awareness about data security risks and fall victims to malware and other electronic threats like viruses, bugs, etc. Recent cyber-attacks have indicated that the annual cost of global crimes is around $100 billion, and by 2017, it will escalate up to $120.1 billion. As per a survey conducted by KPMG, out of total cyber-crimes, 58 per cent take place in financial sectors, followed by 11 per cent in infrastructure and communication and entertainment sector. Cyber-attacks in pharmaceuticals (3 per cent), government (8 per cent), Industrial market (3 per cent) and companies in other fields (5 per cent), make up 19 per cent of the figure. Notably, almost 50 per cent of all companies experience cyber-crime at least once a year, if not more. The need to strengthen security measures is even more important as there is an acute shortage of skilled professionals in the field of cyber security.

Growing demand

     Without skilled professionals, it is arduous to protect and manage data security. Today, cyber security professionals are the need of the hour. Moreover, there is a skill gap among many professionals who are in this field. According to a survey conducted by Information Systems Audit and Control Association’s (ISACA) global cyber-security status report and RSA Conference, it takes more than three months to recruit a skilled cyber-security professional in more than 50 per cent of organisations, and 10 per cent organisations are unable to fill this position at all. Therefore, this reflects a major concern — at a time when there is a tremendous increase in cyber-attacks globally, organisations are struggling to find skilled labour.

Shortage of skilled personnel is primarily due to the lack of appropriate academic programmes in the field of cyber-security. Courses are available, but the curriculum does not respond to the emerging trends and challenges. Besides, aspirants of the field must have general awareness about cyber threats and should be actively involved in cyber-communications to know the emerging challenges in the field.

Various courses

     The courses in cyber-security are diverse in nature as they cover all aspects of cyber-security including network security, computer security and information security. The most prominent subject areas include risk management, intrusion detection, penetration testing, access control, digital forensics, encryption, security governance and network security/computer security. A programme that a student opts for must focus on the business context with industry interface and learning so that he or she is hands-on with the work environment. For admission to a cyber security programme, reputed institutions prefer students with an information technology course-related background.

The cyber-world, which covers various dynamics of technology, ranges from fields such as telecommunications to computer forensics and provides opportunities for students with varied interests. Options are available to choose from the best and most suitable courses. There is no denying that courses in this field are of great use to the students as the graduates learn not only about protection of vital information but also ethics of the field.

Professional certifications are needed for entry or promotion in the field. Many reputed academic institutions across the globe are offering competitive graduate courses in cyber security, certified or supported by renowned IT companies, with a curriculum heavily focused on experiential learning. Hence, an aspirant must be astute enough to look for the right course in the right institution.

Role and prospects

     A cyber-security professional is responsible for safeguarding a corporation’s most priceless information assets. The foremost attribute that a cyber security professional must possess is ‘integrity,’ for any organisation of repute seeks professionals whom they can completely rely upon, for securing their database.

An aspirant can have a technical managerial role in IT firms because data breaches at large corporations have become very common. As a cyber-security analyst, he can help prevent attacks with his expertise and sound knowledge of networks, firewalls and encryption. Such professionals are typically accountable for identifying security weaknesses and devising solutions for security of hardware and software. Government and military organisations such as intelligence agency communications are always in need of skilled cyber-security professionals. There is a big demand for such professionals in E-Commerce technology firms too, which are frequently plagued by cyber-attacks, apart from demand in retail/wholesale and healthcare industries. Also, cyber-security professionals are known to be the most sought-after professionals in the technology sector, today.

The writer is Assistant Vice President, International Programmes, Missouri State University, U.S.

Working more hours isn’t being more productive

We create the highest value not based on how many hours we work but rather on how much energy we are capable of bringing to whatever hours we work

Recently I was in the middle of writing a column about workaholism and overwork when former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida, now a Republican presidential candidate, appeared to set me straight. Americans don’t work too much or too compulsively, he told The New Hampshire Union Leader. Rather, they don’t work enough.

“People need to work longer hours and, through their productivity, gain more income for their families,” Bush said during an interview with the paper’s editorial board.

His statement brought back memories of the time in 2005 when his brother, President George W. Bush, addressed a divorced mother of three at a town hall forum in Nebraska.

“You work three jobs,” he said to her. “Uniquely American, isn’t it? I mean, that is fantastic that you’re doing that. Get any sleep?”

Jeb Bush apparently views himself as a model for working longer hours and gaining more income for his family, especially in the years since he left office in 2007.

Privilege creates its blind spots, however. As football coach Barry Switzer once put it, “Some people are born on third base and go through life thinking they hit a triple.”

During the past eight years, Bush has been paid $27 million for giving speeches, serving on corporate boards and consulting for two banks at a combined salary of $2 million a year.

His remarks urging people to work harder prompted instant criticism from at least one major rival: “Anyone who believes Americans aren’t working hard enough hasn’t met enough workers,” Hillary Clinton said on Twitter.

Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, are even harder workers than Bush. In 2014 alone, Hillary Clinton delivered 51 paid speeches, netting more than $12 million.

Bill Clinton gave 53 talks last year, adding $13.5 million of income for the family. Between 2001 and 2013 he gave 542 speeches around the world, more than half in foreign countries, and earned a staggering $104.9 million for his efforts.

As criticism of Bush’s remarks spread, his campaign scrambled to provide further context. It’s not that all workers need to put in more hours, he responded on Twitter to Clinton, but rather that those working part time or unable to find work need to work longer hours - or, more accurately, any hours at all.

To the vast majority of low-paid workers, putting in long hours often creates as many problems as it solves. If you are being paid $8 to $10 an hour, you most likely still will not be able to afford high-quality child care, for example, and you are less likely to get sufficient sleep or to take care of your other basic needs. It’s also a fallacy that individuals spending more hours at work translates into a more robust economy. Today it is frequently the 1% who work the longest hours.

The opportunities to accumulate ever more wealth induce them, often compulsively, to stay connected around the clock and around the globe. Meanwhile many low-skill workers struggle to work enough hours to pay their bills. No one is well served by working longer and longer hours.

When Bush brags about how hard he is working, it’s not because he needs more money.

Perhaps, though, it is partly because he feels that he can’t afford not to work hard, given how generously he is paid for his time.

The same most likely is true for the Clintons, and even more so for the world’s billionaires.

The irony is that, the more time they spend building their fortunes, the less time they have to enjoy them or to do much of anything but work.

Nor is there persuasive evidence that working more hours translates into higher-quality work or even greater productivity, because so often it is prioritized above sleep, vacations and almost everything else. Overwork ultimately produces diminishing returns for workers at any level.

In a period of 12 hours, I had my own vivid experience of the costs of trying to work more hours. After reading Bush’s words on a Thursday night, I threw out the column I was writing about workaholism. Instead I woke up early Friday morning to start over on this column.

After a couple of hours of writing, I noticed that my brain was slowly shutting down from lack of sleep, and I felt as if I were rowing toward my destination through a sea of molasses. My deadline loomed, but I decided to stop working and take a 30-minute nap.

When I awoke, I felt refreshed and able to think more clearly and efficiently.

We create the highest value not based on how many hours we work but rather on how much energy we are capable of bringing to whatever hours we work.

We create the most value as human beings when we find a dynamic balance between work and rest.

Source | The Hindu | 22 July 2015

வேலை வாய்ப்புகள் அதிகரிக்கும்

உற்பத்தித் துறையிலும் பொறியியல் துறையிலும் அடுத்த மூன்று மாத காலத்தில் வேலைவாய்ப்புகள் அதிகரிக்கும் என்று ஓர் ஆய்வு தெரிவிக்கிறது.

நாடு முழுவதும் உள்ள 6,130 தொழிலதிபர்களிடம் இந்த ஆய்வு எடுக்கப்பட்டது. அவர்கள் தெரிவித்த கருத்துகளின் அடிப்படையில் ஜூலை முதல் செப்டம்பர் வரையிலான காலகட்டத்தில் வேலைவாய்ப்புகள் 43 சதவீதம் வளர்ச்சியைக் காணும் எனக் கணிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

உற்பத்தித் துறை மற்றும் பொறியியல் துறைக்கு அடுத்தபடியாக, வங்கி மற்றும் நிதிச்சேவை நிறுவனங்களிலும் (45 சதவீதம்) உள்கட்டமைப்புத் துறையிலும் (44 சதவீதம்) வேலைவாய்ப்புகள் வளரும் என எதிர்பார்க்கப்படுகிறது.

தற்போதைய அரசின் முன்முயற்சிகளால் உற்பத்தித் துறையிலும் பொறியியல் துறையிலும் நீண்ட காலத்துக்குப் பிறகு வேலைக்கு ஆட்களை எடுக்கிற போக்கு அதிகரித்துள்ளதாக MyHiringClub.com எனும் இணையதளத்தின் தலைமைச் செயல் அதிகாரி ராஜேஷ் குமார் தெரிவித்துள்ளார் .

வேலைக்கு ஆட்களை எடுக்கிற போக்கு, பொதுவாக தென்னிந்தியாவில் அதிகமாகவும் (28 சதவீதம்) அடுத்தடுத்த இடங்களில் வடஇந்தியா, மேற்கு இந்தியா, கிழக்கு இந்தியா இருப்பதாகவும் அறிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது