Military officers line up to enter corporate world

Bangalore, Feb 22 (UNI) The lure of the corporate world has led to officers of the armed forces, including commissioned officers from Brigadiers to young officers in short service, to queue up in front of the Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore (IIMB) to make industry their second career destination.

With the Ministry of Defence extending them a helping hand, the IIMB had embarked on teaching them the nitty-gritty of the corporate world. A six-month duration certificate course was in progress at the IIM-B, which had attracted 79 retiring or short term service officers from the three services -- Army, Air Force and Navy -- including 14 women officers.

According to the participants, who narrated their new experience and future strategy to reporters last night, the course was the most sought after by the officers in view of the giant strides the city had made in IT and the presence of most of the world IT majors here.

''Earlier, we were facing work pressure in the defence forces and now pressure of study, you merge the two that is what we are experiencing at the IIM-B now,'' Col M S Mann, Commanding Officer of 21 Para (Special Forces), said.

He said the core focus of the programme was to hone managerial skills by interfacing with their vast experience and strategic vision. ''The officers have already had an exposure to very diverse and uncertain environments and now they have to meet the aspirations of the industry. In Special Forces, we do not know the word 'impossible' as we work in the toughest environment. My experience will help me tackle the challenges in the corporate world.'' Mizoram Governor Lt Gen M M Lakhera, who was invited to talk to the officers on the occasion, told them that the officers had been the ''managers and motivators of men'' and had undergone training to face the worst and this would serve them well. However, their tendency to look ''over the shoulder'' for directions would no more be relevant in the corporate world as they would have to take their own decisions.

''Some times we tend to waste time in taking decisions during peace time by sitting on the files. In the corporate world, this cannot happen. You can't wait till tomorrow. Innovation will be the key to solve the problem in your next assignment,'' he said.

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