Mairi Manzil : Career

Speaking in Public

Public Speaking is one of the most important skills of Today's leaders, but many business professionals have fear of Speaking in public, this is natural but not to worry. Even experienced speakers also face the fear of facing public. But once you treat the stage as your home and audiences as your friends then you will able to release your fear.

Once you feel you have no fear of speaking and you are comfortable, still need to know how to connect with audiences, like adding sizzling and humor to your speech. In other words, making content of speech interesting. Moreover, the subject, structure, pattern, style, tone, speed, vocal variety, gestures, facial expressions and many other skills are subset of public speaking.

Preparing your Speech

Once you know what to deliver as speech (The topic). Get enough material on topic, research the data and then develop the structure of speech, which totally depends on the topic and content and the time you will be allowed to speak. Keep practicing it until you start speaking smoothly on stage. Practicing speech is important because you also need to know how to speech on unfamiliar topics. Where you will develop your knowledge first on that topic.

Public Speaking Develops other Skills

Many people say "Leaders are born not made". I will disagree to that, leadership is a skill that one needs to develop, some develop this from environment but some has to learn to develop this. Public speaking can help individuals to develop their leadership skills. Time Management skill is another key skill that one develops during preparation and delivering speech. Communication skill, non just verbal but not verbal communication skills are also developed while public speaking. In other words, your expressions are more than the words. Lastly, right tone and speed plays a major role in every day life. Therefore, public speaking helps to develop many skills.

Now you might have question. How to develop public speaking skills to which helps me to develop other related skills? Answer is Learn those skills.

How can I learn these skills? There are half a million people who are developing their public speaking and leadership skills with Toastmasters International.

What is Toastmasters International?

Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization teaching public speaking and leadership skills through a world wide network of clubs. Membership exceeds 358,000 in more than 16,800 clubs in 143 countries. Find out more at www.toastmasters.org

Benefits of Toastmasters International

Toastmasters clucb will help you to improve public speaking skills, build leadership skills and you will be able to maximize your potential. I have seen many people who come with fear of speaking and within months they are able to speak without hesitation and without pauses.

Once you join Toastmasters club you will have many paths to chose and then you will have to prepare your projects and speeches and deliver them in front of other fellow members.

Member in Club is titled as TM (Toastmaster). Here your public speaking and leadership journey starts. You will achieve many rewards on completion of every step in path ways.
Pathways is a structured content and skill development system where you have to chose one path and Complete multiple levels then you will be titled with the path that you have chosen.

While public speaking you will also learn leadership styles, speech on impromptu topics, improve vocabulary, improve your grammar and fluency, emotional intelligence and so on.

I am a public speaker, should I join Toastmasters?

If you are already motivational speaker, lecturer, public speaker or leader. I must say Toastmasters is right place for you. It helps to improve the public speaking skills.
Once you listen to your speech you will get to know if you are distracting audiences and losing their attention. For example, how many repeated words you are using? How many filler words like ah... em.... er... you are using? If you listen to speech of world leaders or politicians you will notice they many times use ah..... during their speech which is effecting quality of their speech.

I wrote this article to share my experience, I was giving lectures and presentations during my professional career but on known topics. I am member of Khimji Toastmasters Club in Oman and I am developing public speaking and leadership skills. After joining I realized the importance of Toastmasters and I am sure readers of this post will get benefit from their nearest Toastmasters Club. My recent speech was on DNA Sequencing, you can read the speech content from here

Please don't forget to give your feedback to improve this post and future posts.

What is the 4th industrial revolution effect on our Education System?

What is the 4th industrial revolution

Though there are various cities, regions or countries who have very good literacy rate but at the same time, some of these nations are not innovative, but some might have very low literacy rate, but those will low might be innovative. The reason is that we have been mixing skills and knowledge with literacy which means a literate person is not necessarily educated. Another problem is that generally and traditionally we have been working hard to get the piece of paper (a degree or a certificate) but we have forgotten that gaining knowledge and developing skill is more important than just earning a certificate by memorizing books.

We are living in a tech-savvy era where technology is transforming the societies in every second, economies have become digital, concept of digital cities is also becoming obsolete, but the concept of smart cities is being implemented, many cities globally has become smart cities. But question, what was their literacy rate? Of course, not more than some of the cities of under developed or developing courtiers, but what lead those cities to grow and sustain? It was the Education System, the Schools, colleges and universities who are helping them to gain knowledge and skills and just passing an exam.

IT Buzzwords in 2020

We are today in year 2019, where Big Data, Machine Learning, Artificial and Augmented Intelligence, Robotics, EIOT, Block-chain and various other new concepts are very popular, Data Science a subject is high in demand, because now “The Data is The New Oil”, and world needs the data scientists, but unfortunately we have not yet produced enough to fulfill the need of Industry. As a proof, in October 2017 , Jack MA (Chinese Richest person running an e-business Alibaba) visited Canada and met Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau they had a very good discussion on the same subject that how they are expecting gap in skills required vs skilled available, and they mentioned that in next 30 years, today’s students will not be fit for industry and they will not be able to fit for any job, in short, the education system which we are into will not help these today’s students to be part of a transformed industry.

Industrial Revolution in 2020

If you know about industrial revolution, we are into 4th Industrial revolution where most of students of 90s are not fit for jobs, and 5th Industrial revolution, most of the jobs will be replaced by robots, Blockchain, AI and ML based technologies. Though this also needs explanation that what those technologies will look like, it is simple driverless cars have already replaced drivers and there will be planes in future without pilot. Block Chain technologies will replace bankers, government service officers, immigration officers, Lawyers etc. Robots means precision, where a heart surgery will be so precise that human will not be able to do that correctly. Imagine how many jobs are going to be replaced?

Answer is short? Transformation in our Education System. Instead of producing degree holders, who can get degree or certificate by passing the exam with good grades but what if they will not be fit for industry, we must focus on helping them to learn new knowledge quickly, fit for industry doesn’t necessarily means doing job, but doing anything they like to do like job, business, consultant or any profession.

Today, in vast ocean of knowledge and various streams of subjects, it is not possible for an education institute to teach the knowledge, but it is important for them to teach how to learn new knowledge. Yes, you got it right, how to learn new knowledge is very important. Our traditional education system is obsolete, because it can teach a subject/filed of study, but one can’t gain knowledge. In my opinion, education institute should focus on teaching how to learn a new knowledge.

With innovation in technology all sectors are being transformed be it Medical, Hospitality, Transport, Telecom, Manufacturing or Education all the sectors are being affected and there is need for new professionals to join and those professionals who can learn anything quickly. This proves quick learners can somehow fit in future.

Method of Education System

Our Education system has traditionally been teaching by using maximum 3 methods or stages of transferring knowledge and most of the cases it is 1. In my opinion the method of education to be changed, I must mention one hear before I explain all is that teaching is a learning tool. I remember when I started teaching, I was able to learn more. So teaching is in fact part of learning and it should be part of education. We need to utilize all our senses to learn new knowledge, all the stages of learning are below;

Attending Lectures:

here our listening skill will mainly used which helps us to gain maximum 10% of knowledge but the moment we don’t revise this will no more remain in our memory. If it is a plain lecture without any visuals, images then students will not learn much, that is the reason white board, charts etc. is being used because listening and visual senses are working so both together can help to learn 15-20%.

Asking Questions:

During or after attending lectures, students must be encouraged to ask the questions that will help them to memorize from events, though knowledge is not necessarily to memorize but people tend to remember events, this will play role to improve knowledge from 20-25%.

Reading from Book:

Once lecture is finished one must read it, or even just reading from book also helps but it gives only 15% of knowledge. But revision to stage 1 and 2, through book can help to gain 25-30%

Writing what you know:

Once the person who learns new knowledge, starts writing what he learned in stage 1 – 3, he will improve his knowledge and his will further improve and by this stage he might have gained 30-40% of knowledge. Till this stage most of the educational institutes are focusing, but till this stage ever after various revisions maximum 50% of knowledge can be retained but it will be volatile.

Group Discussion:

This is most important in class rooms, discuss with your fellow colleagues, group study, discussion on topics and listen from others, this helps to clear various ambiguities, and this helps to improve your knowledge by 50% up to 60%. This stage plays vital role but in most of the education institutes this is stage is missing.

Presenting:

The most important is presenting what you have learned, teaching others will help to gain more and in-depth knowledge, unfortunately this stage is thought to be for teachers, in fact this is for everyone, that is the reason we see that most of the professionals are not good speakers, because they have never got chance to present their knowledge or speak in public, though public speaking is a soft skill but this is a tool to gain technical knowledge and this will help to gain up to 80% of knowledge.

Answering Questions:

in 6th stage there might be many questions asked by those who are listening you, and it is always good not to answer the question one doesn’t know and come back by saying, “I will come back to you on this”. To answer and to find the answer to the question being asked will help to gain 90% of knowledge. And for sure one can’t get 100% knowledge because it is an evolution, and revision of all stages can help to improve.

Above is standard learning method, which every education institute in the world must adapt, but most important is that what knowledge are we transferring them, what basics are we teaching them. Basics of English Language is ABC, basics of mathematics is 1234 but basics of robotics?

There are many schools in developed countries who have introduced Raspberry PI3 as mandatory tool for students to learn robotics from 1st standard, this computer is said to be ABC of robotics, programming or computers.

I will enlighten this further in some other post, but to end I must say, can our teachers teach the students what should be taught today? Answer is yes and no both.

Today anyone can study from distance using e-learning platforms, teachers can use that platform but as I mentioned 7 stages of learning, e-learning misses some of the stages and e-learning can’t be considered as best tool, that is the reason e-learning or distance learning has not yet replaced education institutes. But at the same time, it is important for teachers to learn new knowledge to teach their students, and students should be taught how to learn new knowledge.

You can teach programming to students, but he can develop many programs using that language, same way you can teach students how to write an essay, once he learns he can write essay on any topic. Therefore, teachers must apply the same logic for transferring knowledge.

“In this age of technology, where everyone can’t learn everything, so teach the students how to get new knowledge than focus on learning only specific subject”

Future of IT Jobs

Future of Information Technology Job market is always a concern of many IT Professionals globally. The pace at which technology is growing no doubt the industry will need many qualified professionals.

If we look at the IT Industry boom in 90s we could see C and C++ language skills were most demanded Programmers. Then Computer Operators and Network Administrator. Trend changed in between 2000 till 2010, Web Developers, App Developers, Database Experts and Integration experts were highly demanded by industry and Java as programming language remained on top.

Since 2010 till 2020 programming languages changed and I can clearly see Python is at top but there are languages like Java, Java Script, PHP etc remained under discussion with Data Science, Big Data, AI and Block chain buzz words at top.

But what is going to happen in 2020 onward. Technology and Industry experts are saying that Computing Technology will still grow and will enable many invention in various industries but Information Technology experts will still be highly demanded. But the major concern is that what kind of Jobs will be available and whether today's professionals/students will be fit for tomorrow?

I predict 2020 till 2030 highly Data Scientists will be highly demand with various skills including programming language like R and Python specific to data science. Then Block chain and AI Technology will still grow making the highly demanded skills. Therefore, today IT Professional should focus on programming skills like Python, R, Swift, Go, Kotlin, Java Script and Java. Data Science which was buzz word between 2007 till 2014 is now getting very popular and still many experts are needed for big data.

In conclusion, If you are building your career in Computing, Information and Communication Technology, make sure you know, your career path. Here is the list of designation in various fields within main, that can help you to remain on right track in your technical career path. I am sure the following designations will remain in market till 2030;

System of Education is flawed

System of Education in many developing countries has fundamental weaknesses and imperfections. Education Departments are rarely focusing on latest trends of innovation causing serious issues in School Industry.

System of Education in Pakistan

Today Pakistan is suffering because of various reasons and one of the major reasons is lack of skilled professionals, many may not agree with this but it is a bitter truth that we have to accept it. My major concern of writing this article is to enlighten Education system of Pakistan in general where literacy race is 47% estimated in 2019 and Azad Kashmir where literacy rate is 74%. Not just this Azad Kashmir has many degree holders (Bachelors, Masters and PhDs), but with no practical exposure and skills except few. Fact that Pakistan is ranked one of the worst countries in Education System, imagine where Aazad Kashmir will be, and our Education system will never help our nation and economy to grow, until we take some steps now.

If we see top brands and products in the world whether it belongs to Computer and its components, Plants and Machinery, Cars and Engines and other motor vehicle specific products and brands. Top electronics brands. Nothing is from Azad Kashmir or Pakistan, though Pakistan has less literacy rate than Azad Kashmir but still Pakistan has Industries and some products that are well known, but why nothing comes under Azad Kashmir. I will elaborate this further, somehow it is related to Pakistan, but my major target will be Azad Kashmir.

Firstly, Azad Kashmir’s total population is more than 4 million which is more than many developed countries in the world and literacy rate is also more than many developed countries in the world, but fact is that a single company in developed countries has more revenue annually than our 10 years development budget. We don’t have any industries despite many degree holders. Now there are many Questions in one’s mind. Why Azad Kashmir is neither a developing or developed region? Can Azad Kashmir become a developed region? Can Azad Kashmir have industries? Can we export our Products? Do we have products to export? Do we have ability to find natural gifts hidden in our soil? Answer is big NO. There is various reason, I will not discuss them all because these all can be treated like political issues, religious differences, caste system etc, but my major I will raise my concern on a specific area which is our Education System.

Our Education system has flaw, our system is producing degree holders, but not the Skilled professionals, we know how to debate on politics but we don’t know how to improve production of our crops which is less technical. We have many degree holders in Science & Technology, but we don’t have scientists who can convert natural energy in electricity. We couldn’t make dams or reservoirs where water is major visible natural source we have.

I am not generalizing it, because we do have many Kashmiris who are living everywhere in the world and they are skilled, but the fact is that they got higher education either in Big cities of Pakistan or in Europe, US, Australia, Canada or any other countries.

If I list few random brands or products here e.g; (Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, Google, LG, Canon, Kodak, Toyota, Honda, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Acer, Dell, HP, Garmin, Casio, Hyundai, Tanks, Helicopters, Micro Controllers, Computers, Servers, Washing Machine, Fridge, Television, Motor Bike, Cycle, Bottle, Crockery and Needle), the fact that can be seen from my short list is that we are even unable to manufacture a needle even we have Masters and PhD degrees. Now, you might be thinking we don’t have industries, I will not agree to it, tourism is our major industry but most ignored. This proves our degrees are useless, we got education but we didn’t get enough skills to develop our economy. Do you think Azad Kashmir can become Japan or China one day? I will say it can become if our Education System changes.

System of Education by Developed Economies

I discussed many times with many education professionals about Finland which #1 in world for education system followed by Japan and South Korea. These countries are producing skilled and technology specialist and degrees. Students from primary classes are focusing on developing their skills, even primary school drop outs can do some business without depending on anyone, and if you read about billionaires in the world, you will find most of them are college drop outs and have not even got their degrees, but because they had developed enough skill so they are billionaire today and many degree holders are standing in queue for hours to get job in their company.

Whiteboard and Blackboard concept is obsolete, though this is still being used as one of the tools for education but there are many other tools which such countries are using.

Tradition is not changing

Our education system forces child to memorize the lessons and then our bogus exam system is actually examination of memory, not the skills, whereas in modern education system even primary school students are given projects to complete and their system is task based and practical, where students become innovate and some are able to invent something that never existed, that is where IOTs, Smart Technologies, Facebook and Google were invented. I am not criticizing here but can you please look by your self, how many degree holders we have BBA, BCS, B.Sc, B.Com, BA, MA, M.Sc, MBA, M.Com, M Phil, PhD and many were shining stars in schools and colleges with toppers, even many with 100% marks, but can you identify any of billionaire from them or even any millionaire, there might be few but I don’t know any of them?

We are in fact increasing number of degree holders but reducing skilled person, even if you see in Azad Kashmir, those who have never gone to school are doing very good business, but all degree holders are looking for Government or private jobs. And those who want to start the business they focus in only one Industry which is Education. We have few companies in Azad Kashmir which we can count on fingers but countless private schools and colleges.

Nonexistence of vocational training institutes is also one of our major problem. Our traditional qualification is a career disaster. We even don’t have career counselling and skill development plans and programs. We force our children to be Doctor and Engineer but we don’t show them other paths.

We have education system with no vision, Kashmir has enough natural resources which can help us to become developed region in the world where as Pakistan had strategic port Gawardar, but due to lack of our skills, other countries are taking benefit from that.

I can list various countries in the world who were worst than Azad Kashmir but today their skills are being demanded everywhere in the world.

Field of Study

We generally say Kashmiris are overseas they are professionals, trust me there are only few Kashmiris who are doing white collar jobs or doing their businesses. Most of Kashmiris are doing blue collar job, even Masters degree holders too. You can see in Gulf many Masters degree holder are working as security guard and many other odd jobs, and this is because of our poor planning because we had no vision.

When I talk about vision, I mean here vision as an individual, as a group and as a society, if a Person does M.A. Islamiyat, MA English or any other common discipline and expects to get a job in overseas on a senior level because has Masters Degree, it is not possible. Take an example of people from Philippines, who are qualified in Hotel Management, Sales and Marketing. Most of the companies in Gulf and other countries prefer to hire them, do we have any hotel management course, degree, diploma, certification?

You might have noticed I used degree or diploma. Yes, degree and diploma are in fact a proof of your skills, but unfortunately our education system awards degrees and diploma based on the grades that we get by passing exam. That is the reason even a master’s in computer sciences or Information Technology can’t even develop a mobile app, If you don’t agree just do a survey that I already did.

Even we didn’t learn customer service and hospitality, we are not able to give proper welcome to tourists, a shopkeeper can’t retain a customer. We have many tourist attractions but with no facilities. Because our youth is more educated and less skilled that they struggle and hunt for job, but due to lack of technical skills they are unable to earn without job.

What is solution?

Solution is simple, our traditional education system must change, we have to focus on activity-based learning, introduce new subjects that can help our future job seekers to get better placement. I have already mentioned in a different article about Education System and New Industrial Revolution. Matter that we teach is also old, we need to introduce new subjects, robotics and software programming should be taught from primary. Skill should be developed from Primary Education. Introduce Raspberry PI Computer in primary schools. Technology is cheap these days, schools don’t need to invest a lot in computer labs now School Bag is costlier than a computer. If you child wants to be a Doctor, he will still need to learn programming and robotics. Even every job in future will be replaced by robots (Pilots, Doctors, Chefs, Drivers, …. A long list), but who will program these robots? SME (Subject Matter Experts) and to produce subject matter experts one must have enough skills.

When I gave examples of Finland and other developed countries, I must give example of China as a solution, there education reform is not very old. They brought revolution in their education system, they learn engineering in their primary school. They provide basic engineering tools (screw drivers, solders, wires, testers etc) to their students in additional to color pencils and geometry boxes. How china is manufacturing electronics with precision? it is because their engineer learnt engineering from primary school when they were given devices to open and check what is inside. From a child progress up to 4th standard parents and teachers can analyze that what field the child will most likely to chose so they chose the field and start developing the competency from the childhood, but we take 12 years to decided which field of education student will chose. remember there are countless fields to chose from, but later you decide more confusion you will create. We must consider Chinese education system as a benchmark to develop our nation's skills.

To conclude, education reform is most important aspect for an economy to develop, though we have various problems, in our society like poverty, terrorism, energy crises, political instability, inflation and various other problems, and fact is that these problems will not end if we don’t develop a skilled nation. An educated, skilled and civilized nation can only bring change, and first change to implement is change in our education system.

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