From Village School to Managing Director: Career Lessons Every Graduate Needs

What does it take to build a successful career when you don't come from privilege, don't speak fluent English, and don't have a clear roadmap for success? In this episode of My First Job, we speak with Karaiadiselvan S., Managing Director of CAD Centre, whose journey offers powerful lessons for students, graduates, engineers, entrepreneurs, and young professionals navigating today's uncertain job market. Rather than focusing solely on his rise from trainee engineer to business leader, this conversation explores the principles that created long-term success: continuous learning, adaptability, resilience, communication skills, entrepreneurship, and the courage to pursue opportunities others overlook. Karaiadiselvan shares how a simple conversation with an HR manager changed the direction of his career, why he chose learning over salary, how he overcame the challenge of studying in Tamil medium, and the mindset that helped transform a small training organization into a global network that has trained over 1.5 million professionals. Whether you're exploring engineering careers in India, looking for career guidance after college, wondering how to develop employability skills, or considering entrepreneurship as a career path, this episode offers practical advice that remains relevant regardless of industry or technology trends. You'll learn: How to make better career decisions in your 20s Why learning compounds faster than salary increases The value of staying long enough to master a craft How communication skills can accelerate career growth What employers look for beyond qualifications Why successful people create opportunities instead of waiting for them How to build a meaningful and future-proof career If you're a student, graduate, engineer, or young professional searching for real-world career advice, this episode provides insights that can help shape your next decade of growth. Subscribe to My First Job for conversations that help you make smarter career choices and learn from people who have built extraordinary careers from ordinary beginnings.