Prashant Rahate is the Placement Officer at NIT College of Polytechnic. A Nagpur native, he holds a Diploma in Polytechnic, which he followed up with an Engineering degree from the Anjuman College of Engineering and Technology. Thereafter, he also earned an M.Tech. in 2022. He has several years of experience in the industry and in academia.

NIT College of polytechnic

As a management faculty what is your strength? 

The ability to connect students with worthwhile employment possibilities and arrange effective job placements is one of a placement officer's greatest assets and strengths. The relationships that I have with my students and with the corporate industries are important for the placement coordinator. Apart from this, an effective ability to communicate is crucial for a placement officer. Understanding student career goals, communicating employment needs, and facilitating successful placements are all made possible through effective communication with students, instructors, and employers, which are all my strengths.

What is your placement strategy?

I look over all the polytechnic placements, so I personally connect with the students to place them in suitable jobs. My team makes efforts to contact each and every student. We call eligible students through messages and voice calls for eligible job positions. This is our placement strategy at the moment, where we personally connect jobs and students.

Are there any programs or training sections for the student for placement?

We have training sections for the students, which can be used for placement interview practise. We hire some external trainers to take mock interviews of students, and our faculty members take training sections through aptitude tests and interviews too. We train them before they sit for interviews. Additionally, for the students, we arrange seminars that help them for clearing their doubts about placements.

What are the qualities that the successful placement coordinator should have that student get placed?

An ideal placements officer should have strong communication skills, intensive knowledge of the industry, and a wide network to get access to the best jobs quickly. They should also possess strong management skills and problem-solving abilities, possess a continuous learning mentality, and be able to understand the students.

What are the challenges that you face while placing the students?

Students at our college have more opportunities than we offer. However, certain students, like female students, have restrictions on going out of the city for interviews and jobs. This is a major challenge for us, as there are a lot of jobs available outside of Nagpur. To address this, we try to meet with their parents and convince them to let their children pursue these opportunities.

What do you think why your college gets more placement other than your competitors?

Most of the other polytechnic colleges do not offer student placements. They just focus on providing education and not on placements. Students have to network and apply for jobs themselves. However, we have completed over 30 placement drives. We have top recruiters across India visiting our campus to hire our students.

When you are most satisfied in your job as placement officer?

I am a people person. When I am connecting with community members, making sure I can meet their requirements, and providing them with the best comfort I could in a trying situation, that's when I am always happiest and most satisfied. This is my favourite aspect of the job. I'm interested in this position in part because I know I'd communicate with the public more frequently and critically. Apart from these, from the perspective of students, when they get placements, it feels like I have achieved something in my life. This is highly satisfying for me.

Do you have any message for the students?

In polytechnics, there are plenty of vacancies, but students hesitate to take admission. They think that placements are a long process and that they are not eligible for proper jobs. Additionally, most parents are not educated, so their belief about the polytechnic is outdated, that then influences the student’s decisions. Hardworking students can get placed in suitable jobs and build successful careers. I would advise the families and parents to fully support their children’s efforts.