India is the fastest-growing large economy in the world. This creates millions of jobs every year. Lakhs of undergraduate students join companies at the entry-level every year. After a few years, most of them stagnate or do not grow fast in their careers. Some of them are lucky enough to be able to quit their jobs and do a full-time MBA. However, many of them do not have the luxury of this option due to family and economic reasons. They may not be in a position to quit their jobs due to these reasons. What then is the way out for them? How can they upskill themselves and advance in their careers?

The answer is an Executive MBA (EMBA) program.  

An EMBA provides the interested employee the option of “earning when learning”. Employees who are yearning to learn while earning can do just that with an EMBA.

Many leading institutes and Universities offer EMBA programs in the country. Employees with a UG degree can seriously consider doing an EMBA for the following reasons:

-          It gives them functional knowledge

-          It gives them an excellent network

-          It allows them to learn and earn at the same time

-          It improves their soft skills

-          It enhances career growth considerably.

Consider Rahul. He did his EMBA from a good institute and within 5 years, his earnings went up from Rs. 5 lakhs a year to Rs. 35 lakhs a year. This is by no means an atypical case. Companies look for employees with the right skills and qualifications and an EMBA is the route to acquire these for numerous employees who cannot quit their jobs.

An EMBA typically has weekend classes. Some EMBA programs also have residencies, but many companies may find it difficult to send students to those programs with residences. Hence, interested students may weigh their options carefully and choose the one that is best for them. Some programs are exclusively online but this prevents students from enjoying the wonderful in-class experiences (who does not remember with fondness the fun classes in college?) and the peer learning and networking. At the same time, a full face-to-face class may be difficult to attend, given longer commute times and busier work schedules. Some institutes give a PG Diploma while others grant an EMBA degree, the latter being more sought after by corporates and students.

Therefore, students may consider the following options while choosing an EMBA:

-          Does it offer a hybrid option with the flexibility of online classes mixed judiciously with the power of face-to-face learning?

-          Is it affordable?

-          Are the faculty good? Is there a mix of visiting industry and full-time faculty? A mix would ensure a blend of theory and practice.

-          Does a student get an EMBA degree rather than just a PG diploma?

-          Are there an adequate number of specializations?

In sum, an EMBA has numerous advantages, and employees that cannot quit their jobs may seriously consider doing one, and while choosing which one, they may keep the above points in mind.