When Army And IT Collide- Assistant Professor Arif Butt, PUCIT

Interviewed by Sara Waqar Khan

Any army personal turned into a teacher.

Have you ever heard this phrase before, or may I ask, have you ever come across an individual who left armed forces for his love of

1. IT
2. And for the fact that he knew that he can inspire and create true leaders.

A motivator, a mentor and a gold medalist in MSC and MPhil. We have brought a very interesting personality for you this week, who after serving 13 years in armed forces decided to change his track completely in order to join the IT League.  This week we have with us Assistant Professor Arif Butt, from PUCIT.

In our conversation, Professor Arif Butt highlighted his experience of a drastic change which came along his way.  His career in Information and Technology spans around 10 years. Shall we call him Major Saab?

CodeWeek: Your experience of changing from one profession to another?

Arif: This is the field where I received a lot of respect. Because this is my firm belief that respect is earned. It cannot be demanded through force. Direct interaction with students allows teachers to motivate and inspire them. I have spent almost ten years as an IT teacher and I am honored to be a part of PUCIT and especially of being able to encourage young minds. This is where we teachers specialize in making them a better person and an expert in their domain.

Many of my students have moved forward in their professional career and are leading prosperous lives. They are satisfied with their profession and have a desire to learn more. When I look back and realize that how my students (who once sat in front of me) are now successful in their domain, which is when I feel proud of myself and of them as well. Because that is when, the result of my hard work stands right before me.

CodeWeek: What do you think is the greatest threat faced by Pakistan’s IT Industry?

Arif: The greatest threat I believe is the “brain drain”. We have a lot of talent in our country, but in order to sharpen their skills students fly abroad. Unfortunately, only those return who realize that their PhDs are not up to a certain level. Others who do return make every possible measure to go back. Because when once you have seen the world outside, the advancement, the technology, the security then that is where you desire to be.

CodeWeek: There is a major hue and cry from the industry that the resource which comes in during hiring is not up to the mark. What is your take on that?

Arif: The problem with industry is cheap labor. Just for the sake of finding a job our students often end up in companies which require only cheap labor. We need to change the system. Times have changed so should we. This is where the theory of garbage in garbage out fits in. Because it is always true that the training we provide to our children, their development takes place in accordance with that. The way children are brought up today is very different from how they were brought up before.

Only leaders can make true leaders.

Also teachers need to love their profession. As I said, that the effort they put in results in form of a highly professional students. 90% of graduates wish to join the industry for better career opportunities, when compared to education sector. But when they face the opposite they turn towards the education sector in order to earn their bread and butter. They start teaching forcefully, only in order to support themselves and their families. This results in an unsatisfied individual. One who is not satisfied with himself cannot in any way inspire and motivate students.

CodeWeek:  Which particular area or field, which industry is in need of in future, must young students adopt to excel?

Arif: Students should not restrict themselves to specific domains. Because there are great opportunities in every domain. The greatest advantage today is that IT today has now been incorporated into every sector.

We tend to train students on particular tools because this is what the industry demands.  On the other hand, universities have the ability of enhancing their problem solving skills. Thus, it is my firm belief that IT Companies should hire students who have good problem solving skills, because these are the youngsters who can move forward quickly in every possible domain.

We are taking every possible measure to train our students in accordance with the demands of the industry. PUCIT is working very hard and making huge efforts in training its students for their professional career. It is in collaboration with the Industry and thus many seminars have been conducted in this regard on regular basis. The challenge comes in when we have to teach a lot of technicalities in such short span of time. More than half of our final semester students have already been hired by IT companies. From this you can understand the demand of IT as well as the standards that PUCIT is maintaining.

CodeWeek: In your opinion what is Pakistan ITs true value proposition?

Arif: If we want to prosper in the international arena then we need to setup research and development wings. Through this setup a lot of growth and development will take place as the main work shall be done and performed by the students themselves. This involves birth of an idea till it shapes itself into a final product. Funding also becomes an important factor in this respect. The more funds are provided the better research and development activities can be arranged. Also, there is a slow and gradual change in this respect as well. Funds are being provided by the government but then at the same time we need reliable people who should utilize these funds responsibly.

CodeWeek:  What are your personal and professional plans for the next ten years?

Arif: At PUCIT I want to dig out the leader ship traits of our student body and also ensure that they get equipped with the latest technological developments in the field of Computer Science. I wish to see PUCIT as the best IT centre in Pakistan and even in the world. This is one of my dreams and this is what I work for at PUCIT.

Any parting words

Arif: Time is just like money; the less we have it; the more wisely we spend it. So manage time as it is one of the most costly things one has.

Tagged as: IT, Jobs in Lahore, Lahore, PUCIT