Top 5 Career Options After 12th: Your Guide to a Bright Future

We live in an era where education is evolving with technology, and almost all legacy careers are now fading away. In today’s economies marked by AI, ML, Gig workers, and data analytics, choosing the right career option is critical for a bright future. Whatever course you choose after 12th, remember, you need to understand the relevance of the course, the demand, and the monetary benefits that come with it.

For instance, the IT industry requires software professionals and a BCA and a B.Tech in Computer Science to fulfill their requirements. Corporations require management students and BBA students to meet their needs. The design, film, VFX, and branding industry requires animation professionals and a B.Sc. in Animation and Visual Entertainment to fulfill their needs.

Programs like B.Sc (IT), BBA, B.Sc in Animation, B.Tech in CS, and BCA are the most demanded ones now. These courses are built to tackle corporate challenges and real-life workflows for businesses.

Let us detail the top career options after 12th in terms of courses and professions:

Popular Career Paths After 12 (Courses/Programs/Job Profiles)

1. Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)

Students can complete the BBA program in three years or opt for a four-year honors program that includes research opportunities. This program builds essential management skills to shape future business leaders. The program (if done from reputed universities like SKIPS) offers industry internships, leadership workshops, live projects, etc., that provide industry exposure and help students become corporate-ready. Graduates of BBA become adaptable professionals who switch between various industries and business roles. The degree creates a solid base to pursue entrepreneurship or specialize further with an MBA, paving the way to high-paying corporate jobs.

You can pursue the following job profiles after completing a BBA:

1. Management Executive: This is an entry-level role where you move through different parts of the business to learn how they work.
2. Marketing Executive: Create and plan strategies to market products or services.
3. HR Coordinator: Help with hiring, support employee needs, and assist in developing the organization.
4. Financial Analyst: Study financial information and create reports to guide business choices.
5. Business Development Executive: Spot new ways to grow the business and maintain relationships with clients.
6. Entrepreneur: Use your management skills to start and run your own business.

2. Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA)

This undergraduate program is three years long and emphasizes computer applications alongside software development (from ideation to implementation). Students develop strong project portfolios and learn skills in popular programming languages like JAVA, C++, Python, and tools like VMware, Tableau, Power BI, Hadoop, Azure, and Google Cloud. The course introduces subjects like mobile app development, blockchain basics, and IoT. Graduates of BCA enjoy opportunities in the tech sector, SaaS companies, and AI/ML companies.

BCA will help you in getting any of the following job profiles:

1. Software Developer or Engineer: Build and manage software programs by writing code in different programming languages, then make sure they work.
2. Database Administrator: Handle and protect databases that store key company details, while ensuring they run smoothly.
3. Network Administrator: Manage a company’s computer networks to keep them secure and working without interruptions
4. System Analyst: Study current IT systems, then find ways to improve them so they match what businesses need as they grow.
5. IT Security Manager: Create and run plans to secure information systems.

3. B.Sc. in Information Technology

B.Sc (IT) is one of those new-age programs that are built for IT job profiles. Students in this three-year full-time program learn IT concepts, software development, cloud computing, data analytics, and AI/ML basics. The program blends classroom learning with hands-on work in areas like cybersecurity. You get to learn tools like  Tableau, Power BI, TypeScript, Kubernetes, and more.

You can get the below job profiles easily after a B.Sc (IT).

1. Web Developer: Create websites and online tools for companies or groups by designing and coding them to fit their needs.
2. IT Support Specialist: These are the support systems of the IT infrastructure and take care of servers, networks, computer systems, etc.
3. IT Project Manager: Manage tech projects from start to finish (from ideation and research to deployment and post-implementation). 
4. IT Consultant: Help businesses use tech to grow and improve.
5. Cybersecurity Analyst: Defend organizations against cyberattacks and protect sensitive information.

4. B.Sc. in Animation and Visual Entertainment

This program, offered as a 3-year degree or a 4-year honors course, provides two areas of specialization to choose from. Students use professional-grade tools like Autodesk Maya, Cinema 4D, Cartoon Animator 4, Moho Animation Software, and build portfolios through hands-on projects on 3D graphics, CGI, and AR/VR. Growing fields like OTT platforms, gaming, and the metaverse have led to a huge need for skilled animators. You learn to use tools like Blender,

Explore the profiles below with a B.Sc. in Animation and Visual Entertainment degree:

1. 3D Animator: Make 3D animations that move for games, movies, or ads.
2. VFX Artist: Build and apply visual effects to movies, shows, and other media.
3. Game Designer: Come up with ideas and game mechanics for video games.
4. Motion Graphics Designer: Design animated visuals to use online or in media.
5. Visualization Specialist: Create visuals to help architects and product designers.
6. Digital Content Creator: Create engaging visual content to capture attention on social media and for marketing purposes.

5. B.Tech in Computer Science

The B.Tech program runs for four years, broken down into eight semesters. It aims to help students succeed in technology and innovation fields. It provides access to advanced labs, hands-on hackathons, and projects supported by industry leaders. The coursework includes certifications valued in the tech world and internships with top companies. Graduates often land high-paying jobs, pursue further studies, or launch their own startups in the booming entrepreneurial space.

B.Tech in Computer Science can provide you with the following job roles:

1. Software Developer: Develop plans for software systems, create apps, software solutions, and products
2. Data Scientist: Work with large datasets, data extraction, data scraping, data mining, etc., to find patterns and help in making better business decisions.
3. Cloud Computing Specialist: Develops cloud solutions, helps in cloud migrations, knows AWS, Google Cloud environment, etc.
4. DevOps Engineer: Connect teams of developers and IT staff to speed up and improve software delivery.
5. Artificial Intelligence Engineer: Build AI solutions using PyTorch, and other AI models, LLMs like Claude, GPTs, etc., to solve problems.

Final Thoughts

Many students face the dilemma of choosing the right career option after the 12th. Your teachers, parents, friends, and relatives may all suggest different career options, and you may get confused about deciding what is best for you. Whatever you choose, consider the relevance, monetary benefits, future growth, current and future demand of the program, and industry demands to make a future-proof decision regarding your life.

The courses mentioned earlier are designed to meet industry needs, as technology continues to evolve. With industries being reshaped by things like digital transformation and automation, it’s essential to keep learning and adapting to stay relevant in future careers.

For more guidance on the above, you can connect with the career guidance cell at SKIPS University.