'There is a trick to retaining people'
10 Nov, 2007, 0407 hrs IST,Urmi Goswami, TNN
Excerpts from the interview:
The talent crunch is affecting almost every industry. Recruiting and retaining talent is particularly difficult for industries such as heavy chemicals, which may not be the most attractive businesses. But companies like Kanoria Chemicals are trying different ways to ensure that they remain in the reckoning for young graduates. R N Dravid, president HR, Kanoria Chemicals & Industries discusses the talent issue.
Do you find the best student in a graduating engineering class specialising in area of chemical, which is your area of interest? If not why?
As a rule, the best student in a graduating class has specialised in computer science or electrical engineering & instrumentation. Chemicals is perhaps number three in the order of preference. As it happens, mechanical and civil specialisation are even further down on the list.
When it comes to jobs, you need to understand that in the heavy chemicals industry, the young graduates will be serving in plants located in remote areas. Add to that they start off at an average salary of Rs 15,000-20,000 a month. Both these factors push chemical engineering down the preference list.
Having said that, it would be wrong to say that the best are not interested or that we don’t see exceptional graduates.
Your company is an old player. Do you find it difficult to hire from the best institutions?
Remember I said chemical engineering is not the first choice but for those who have opted for it, our company is a good option. We have the reputation of being an ethical company, which also has a history. We normally hire graduates from IIT Roorkee, Institute of Technology Benaras Hindu University, IIT Kanpur and HBTI Kanpur. We have a hit rate of 50% on our offers. At IIT Roorkee, we are placed at fourth or fifth slot.
What are the future areas of opportunity in the chemicals industry?
The growth areas are fine and specialty chemicals, basically in life sciences segment. That is where most of the chemical engineers want to go. Heavy chemicals, which is largely our area of interest, is again not the first draw. But things are changing. With the paper and aluminium industries experiencing growth, demand for heavy chemicals is also on the rise.
- Additional Links
- http://www.kanoriachem.com/