Pro Talk Episode 5 Interview MR.SUMEET ARORA
Company-The School Matters
Current Profession – Chief Learning & Career Development Partner
Educational Qualification – B.E., MBA, B.Ed, M.Ed
Favourite subjects in school – History, Sports, Biology
QnA
- How did you plan to get into the field you are in now?
I couldn’t get good marks in 12th and so instead of medical, I chose Engineering. After many years in Engineering work, I evolved to sales and business development. After 15 + years, I was invited to provide training. Since then I moved from training, to HR to becoming an Entrepreneur serving students between 4 to 22 years age in the area of holistic education.
- Any professional courses which helped you?
I have done at least one professional course per year post graduation. I have done close to 40 professional courses in various areas like self-help, process, experience design, business development, Human resources, Train the trainer, etc. All courses have helped me professionally, because I entered in the course after checking and mapping my objectives with course’s objectives.
- Any extra-curricular activities which helped you mould your personality
All of them. Speech, The house system, Sports secretory, Projects, Annual day arrangements, Volunteer in exhibitions, Football team captain, Organising events. All these helped me develop my communication skills, organising skills, teamwork, convincing skills. It has helped me become practical and unconsciously learning a lot of project management skills. I became more task and goal oriented together.
- Did you ever plan to have an alternate career, why did you not pursue it? Any regrets?
I wanted to follow Psychology in 11th std. but couldn’t take it along with Electronics. I chose Electronics in 1990’s because that was trending and more profitable from career point of view. Yes. I learnt it academically when I did by B.Ed. in 2013, almost 23 years later. I feel now, how wonderful it would have been if I had learnt it then.
- What are the Skills required to do your job ?
As a Learning and Career development professional, I need skills in areas like Business Management, Learning & Development, Human Resources, Sales & Marketing, Accounting & Finance, People Management and a lot more.
- Challenges in the current profession ?
The biggest challenge is to inspire action. As a teacher, trainer, my objective is to assist students transform. It starts with the first level of affective domain which is receiving and next responding. These two levels are somewhat visible. The next three levels are a challenge. How do I inspire students to value, organize and characterize the experience and learning they had in the session is a challenge. Do write to me, if you have an answer. I would love to learn.
- Scope, opportunities for people wanting to join the same career ?
Scope is unlimited. Opportunities are many. If you come in this career with a thought of achieving a lot of financial success, you may be disappointed. If your career drivers are meaning, creativity, adding value, you are most welcome, join the band wagon.
- How do you deal with Failure at work ?
Weep, cry, complain, divert attention, seek help, learn, collect resources and restart. I do all of this. In fact everyone does all of this in less or more percentages. I do all these in an ascending order. Weep little and Restart maximum. The real challenge is to get out of the first four very quickly and get to the last four with high energy.
- Can you emphasize the importance of Maths and knowledge of maths in your profession?
In learning & development profession, you need to be aware of basic operational mathematics and master at statistics. The latter is required when you do research and publish them.
- Message for our readers.
Never ASS+U+ME, Keep AS+KING !