The job market for people looking at mid-level managerial posts continues to be lukewarm as only 15 out of an XLRI batch of 49 defence officers have found placements. The batch has undergone a six-month certificate programme in business management at the B-school here.
“Around 15 members of the batch have already been placed and we are expecting the rest of the batch to be placed in a month’s time from now,” said Sagar Pushp, placement coordinator from students’ side of the batch. He blames the economic downturn for the industry’s slow response in picking up candidates.
“It’s because of the economic downturn and nothing else,” Pushp told FE here on Monday.
While two members of the batch, a colonel from the army and a group captain from the air force with more than 20 years in defence, are the senior-most members.
Some of the companies who have already picked up candidates from the batch are: Tata Refractories Ltd, Tata Sponge Iron Ltd, Arcil (a Delhi-based asset management company), ITC, the Trident group of hotels, and Hindustan National Glass India Ltd.
The batch of 49, with an average age of around 32, has seven lady officers. Four of the officers are from the Indian Air Force, two are from the Indian Navy, and the rest from the army, with a majority of the officers having joined the defence on short service vacancies.
XLRI launched the programme for defence officers in 2007 at the request of the central HRD ministry, which perceived the need for “resettlement” of the officers.
The executive management programme has been designed keeping in mind the needs of the business world with the aspirations of the service officers.
The six-month programme equips participants with basic management concepts and skills along with an area of concentration, thereby enabling them to find a second career in the corporate world.