Five education destinations to check out in 2017

The next decade will see a transformation of career choices and global workplace practices. Students gearing up for this transformation are looking for courses which can ‘give you more’ across a range of non-traditional education destinations. Tushar Sharma, who chose to study Software Engineering at Athlone Institute of Technology, Ireland, says “I found my undergraduate and postgraduate studies at AIT to be industry-driven, providing me with the necessary skills to pursue a rewarding career in the software industry.” He has completed his journey from being a student in New Delhi to being a part of the global workplace, working for Hewlett Packard in Dublin, Ireland.

Ireland:

Ireland has emerged as one of the new education destinations popular with students looking for courses from Computer Science, Cloud Computing, Data Analytics, PharmaMBA, Business Management, Biotechnology, Biomedical and general sciences. Student enrollments into Irish institutions have gone up by over 200 per cent in the last three years with over 2,000 Indian students currently studying there. This is not surprising considering that students have lucrative post-study options at leading companies such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, Apple, Abbott, Allianz and Ericsson which have their European or EMEA HQ in Ireland. With the one year stay-back option, students can seek jobs in over a 1,000 multinationals based in Ireland.

France:

Similarly, other European countries like France and Germany are becoming the first preference for students who want to explore education through paths not so commonly taken. Eisha Mathani, who wants to pursue a course in Luxury Branding says, “France (as an education destination) is the first choice for me. There seems to be no other country that knows the world of luxury as much as France does and the location only makes it better”. With a large number of scholarships, world-ranked institutions and comparatively lower tuition fees, France now has over 4,000 Indian students studying across its institutions. According to the new scheme agreed upon during PM Modi’s visit to France, Indian students will now have a stay-back option for 24 months on the completion of their course.

Germany:

Colleges and universities in Germany have always enjoyed an excellent reputation for post graduate courses in Engineering and for their research and innovation. With over 10,000 students going from India to Germany each year, the numbers are expected to grow even further primarily due to two factors – one, Germany’s advancement as a hub for scientific research in the world, and two, students no longer need to have the knowledge of, or be proficient in the German language. Students who complete their higher education in Germany can apply for an 18-month visa which helps them seek employment with international and German companies.

New Zealand:

At the other end of the spectrum, New Zealand has seen a tremendous growth of Indian students with almost 30,000 students pursuing their studies in the non-university tertiary sector or the ‘Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics’ (ITPs). Traditionally associated with Hospitality courses and specialised programs in sports – from medicine to marketing, New Zealand has emerged as a destination for science and technology as well. Students can choose from universities and the ITPs for their courses, apply for scholarships and even avail a post-study work visa for 12 months on the completion of their course.

West Indies:

Students looking for niche or highly-specialised programs can opt for institutions or destinations focussed on these courses, such as studying Medicine at St. George’s University (SGU)Gernada, West Indies. Specialising in just three areas of medicine – MBBS, Veterinary Medicine and Public Health, SGU has enrolled more than 90 medical aspirants and Indian students into their programmes in the past couple of years. Students who complete their course may get a visa to stay back for up to one year based on the discretion of the visa officer. Students gain their clinical training in countries like the US, the UK and Canada and usually find themselves placed well on the completion of their programmes.

Amazed by Dazzling Luxury and Fashion Stalwarts

To some, fashion is an art, while to others; it is almost like a religion.

For most people though, fashion is a method of utilizing clothing, accessories and grooming to enhance their style statement as a individual personality. Fashion can be an extension of your personality, allowing you to introduce parts of your personality to the world without saying a word.

It was like dream come true for me when I got a chance to meet perfectionist and designers of the Indian fashion industry.

         

LCBS arranged a visit to the CII-ET Luxury Conference for us at the Leela Palace Hotel, New Delhi. There is no word which can define the magnificent beauty of the hotel - it has a royal and rich aura. As soon as we entered the hotel, we saw a delicately decorated Christmas tree. Marble has been used for chair and table that was giving a royal touch to the hotel interior. Lobby has been accessorized by silverware, used in vases placed there and ‘jharokha’ on wall, which describes lavishness of the hotel. We were escorted to explore the hotel through which we got to know about Le Cirque, the grand landmark restaurant of New York; also its avant-garde bar as ‘Library Bar’. Another one was Qube, which adds a contemporary touch to its ambience, giving it an alfresco feel even within its cool comforts. Adding to the experience of dining, it feels good to watch the chefs at their live stations and creating exotic dishes.

The conference ‘CII- ET Dialogue on Luxury’ started sharp at 10 o’clock.   Along with Luxury Experts, many designers were part of the conference. They shared their point of views on the Indian Luxury. We got a chance to interact with many designers like Ritu Beri, international fashion designer, Rohit Bal, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Sabyasachi, and Pernia Qureshi, Indian fashion

entrepreneur. Ritu Beri addressed on flashback of the Indian heritage and also told about history of luxury through Indian Maharajas and Maharani and their indulgence in luxury at that time. She also shared about a tree, which she got to know about in Paris where every country’s luxury heritage was branched off the tree except India. So, she added India’s heritage in that tree and showed us how she projected India a hub of luxury. Rohit Bal shared that he gets inspiration from Indian heritage for his designing. On why he had collaborated with premium brands, he shared that people from middle class could also buy Rohit’s designs at premium prices. We also were introduced to the designer, Rajesh Pratap Singh, who said that we are in safe hands as students of LCBS. Pernia Qureshi addressed about the rising e -commerce and digitalization preference in India, which helps working women to shop online, and hence contributes in the growth of Luxury in India.

In a nutshell, it was a highly enriching experience for me since we got to meet many designers and helped accelerate our thought process on luxury.  

By Richa Singhal

Why to do a Luxury Management course?

"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." - George Bernard Shaw. 

As we see in today's world, change has become an important part of everybody's life. But there are masses who fear change irrespective of what type of change it is. In my past say 6 months of experience,  I must have counselled some 500 students who sort of show interest in our special program of ‘Luxury Brand Management’, but are unable to break the routine mould of general MBA program.

The reasons vary from any of the below :

•  They do not understand the program & their future.
• They do not want to leave the crowd and stand out.
•  They have the peer pressure of doing the same old Management program.
• Parents play an important role in deciding a child's career and even if a student wants to do the course, parents may not be as receptive.
• Lack of industry knowledge.
•  They are still confused as to what to do after an MBA because a routine MBA does not guarantee you good employment.

Putting it simply, they are RISK AVERSE or not open to change.

As a matter of fact, India's Luxury industry is predicted to grow from $18.5 billion currently to $50 billion by 2020 and to $180 billion by 2025. By sheer logic, if the market grows,  so would be the associated job opportunities. As per the studies, Indian Luxury retail would require the manpower of 5.6 million heads by 2022 !  And, an average starting  salary of a Luxury specialist could be from 6 Lakhs per annum upwards !

if you compare the salary packages of other B-schools the largest chunk just gets the salary of nothing more that Rs. 3-4 Lakhs per annum.

A luxury management course can be done by any student who is interested in making his career in the field of Luxury. This can be into any industry sector ranging from  Automobile, Fashion, Hospitality, Luxury Real Estate, travel, health, fitness and wellness etc.   A student can choose any career opportunities in any of these sectors, and work with options like retail chains, design houses, export houses, independent designers, media houses or even start their own venture.

Typical job roles could vary from Front-end profiles - Such as

Luxury Sales Advisor,

Luxury Retail Marketing Executives,

Luxury Senior Sales Advisor,

Visual Merchandisers,

Assistant Store Managers,

Customer Relationship Manager,

Store Manager,

Store Director,

Area Manager,

Associate Retail Head,

Retail Head,

Brand Head,

Fashion Marketer.

There could also be Back-end Profiles:

PR Consultant,

Event Planner & Manager,

International Conference Manager,

Retail Merchandiser,

Logistics Manager,

Supply Chain Manager,

Wardrobe Manager,

Luxury Consultant,

Fashion Buyer,

Brand Manager,

Country head etc.

In a nutshell, doing a Luxury management program will fetch a promising career as we see the tremendous growth in the Indian Luxury market.

Curating the Creative Interest with Luxury Connect

“The ultimate of being successful is the luxury of giving yourself time to do what you want to do.”

Whenever life gives us something new there is so much excitement around. When I got selected for PG diploma in Luxury Brand Management at Luxury connect business school I got super enthusiastic and opened myself to the world of my dreams. I am passionate about all things unique and I am so glad to have found this college and be a part of it.

As I waited with bated breath to start my journey, arrived 17th August, day 1 of induction session. That morning was different than others as it was filled with a lot of new hopes and aspirations. My mind was filled with numerous thoughts about the induction session, my new classmates, new professors etc. Finally, the wait was over and arrived Mr. Abhay Gupta and Ms. Nitika Kapoor. All of us introduced each other and we talked about our interest in the luxury sector. As the discussion went on I expressed my interest in women’s apparels and they suggested me the various path I can take to achieve my goals. 

The thing I liked the most about LCBS is they really care about you. I have never seen a beautiful person like Nitika ma’am, she is very humble and always concerned about our future and I have also never met a person like Abhay sir, he has so much experience and wisdom to share with us. I have no words to describe the respect that faculty at LCBS commands. We are like one big family working together in one direction of giving talented and well-trained personnel to Luxury industry. Soon there were ice breaking games where we had a lot of fun getting to know each other better and explored our aptitude for luxury. This was followed by meeting with alumni of PGDLM course. They all are working with luxury brands in Delhi and NCR and took a lot of joy in sharing their experiences, learning and special memories at LCBS.

Induction Day two was a one of its kind experience for me. I found myself standing at the Christian Dior store at the DLF Emporio mall talking to the store manager about brand’s rich heritage and product lines. Next was Louis Vuitton, followed by Michael kors, Armani Junior and Corneliani. The practical knowledge and wisdom that one can get from the experienced people working at the luxury brands is extremely important as it will complement our learning during various modules at LCBS. It was amazing and inspiring to see  the passion and determination of every member in a luxury brand to create the romance around the luxury products that were no less than art pieces. The managers painted a picture of  nuances of an industry we were getting into. The orientation session had already proved to be better than my expectations.

On day three, we had the honor to eminent personalities from the luxury industry, Mr. Rolf Blaser, a country manager at Safilo India Pvt Ltd and Ms. Nalini Gupta Ex country manager at Burberry India. They not only shared their inspiring journey of reaching the top but also invaluable tips on how to be a good luxury brand mana

By-: Richa Singhal

PGDLM 2016-17

Flashes of Fashion Brilliance at Amazon Fashion Week

The focus of the spring / summer 2017 fashion week was undoubtedly, relentlessly, on the new. Untitled-1 copyIt was the ultimate experience for us. As we, the students of lcbs intent to make a foothold in the luxury industry, we were introduced to fashion world as we saw a live runway fashion show. The collections were inspired by European folklore & bohemian discipline

with explosions of color on them.

We got to know about many upcoming Indian designer & trends of the markets. The collections were designed by designer Shruti Sancheti and Ashish. There was an elegance & hauteur in the base fabric teamed with suede & mesh, they blended handwoven khadi denim & cotton with a European sensibility. The show was a perfect merger of aesthetic & inspiration.

The last but not the least, impeccable moment came when we saw singer Sona Mohapatra, who turned a showstopper for the label virtues, she was seen sporting a bright orange layered pleated dress, entered on the stage dancing to the song ‘Tere ishq ne nachaya’ sung by her.

We had an interesting & enriching experience indeed. These kinds of events inspire us to go ahead in our future and also we got to see many marketing activities around us like PR activities & advertising. The overall experience was very new & extravagant for us.

By-: Richa Singhal

PGDLM 2016-17

The Biggest Fashion Extravaganza of the Country

Recently, Delhi experienced the perfect combination of light, glamour and fashion folk held at the Amazon India Fashion Week spring/summer 2017 showcase. As the part of LCBS, we got the chance to see this extravagant show and glimpses of fashion world. Untitled-5 copyThe collection showcased was deeply influenced by the traditional vibes of continental, with a sense of current style, transforming old look into stunning styles.

Various news reporters and bloggers made their presence in the show as well as celebrities were present endorsing the dresses of the designers. They were handed over PR Kit to make a positive influence.

We got to know about many new brands coming in the fashion world about which we were not aware of in the past. The show involved the fabulous designs of latest collection by:

 Ashish N Soni (His collection focused on mainly in shades of black and white & Grey), Rajesh Pratap Singh, Anavila (who brought the sari brigade back to the ramp and she did it so gracefully! White being the most predominant shade, clubbed with kolhapuris and stylish top blouses), Virtues by Viral, Ashish and Vikrant, and last but not the least, virtues of Pinnacle Shruti.Untitled-4 copy

The cherry on the cake was Singer Sona Mohapatra who walked down the ramp humming the lines of her famous songs. She was promoting the rich culture and Art of our country  by wearing a bright orange layered pleated dress made of natural dye design by the designer Shruti.

The trip to amazon fashion India proved to be helpful for us to know a lot about the various new fashion designer brands, and determining PR activities done in the show by the designers such as endorsements, inviting prominent personalities from media to cover the Print world etc.

By-: Sonali Khanna

PGDLM 2016-17

Industry Connect Session

“KNOWLEDGE IS OF NO VALUE, UNLESS YOU PUT IT INTO PRACTICE”

Luxury Connect Business School always promotes practical approach towards learning of theoretical lessons. That’s the reason that we have so many industry connect people coming in the college to share their knowledge in luxury sector. On 16 September, 2016 we had opportunity to meet Mr. Pankaj Sikka, chief visionary and brand strategist of Invision Brand Consulting. In this Industry Connect Session, he shared his opinion about luxury marketing with students during this session.

He told us about the various marketing strategies opt by many brands for their success. We got a deep insight of Marketing segmentation, targeting and positioning methods used by companies for effective marketing. Although we have studied all these approaches in our classes, but to give students a pratical hand in this, the college organized that session with Mr. Pankaj, the expert of Branding and Marketing. He engaged with us by asking questions relating to our perception about marketing and also cleared our set of doubts by giving live examples of companies. In nutshell; we had to have vision to see marketing strategies from a new angle, i.e. more in practical way.

                                                                                                    BY:  SONALI KHANNA

                                                                                                             Luxury Professional
                                                                                                            (PGDLBM: 2016-17)