A job in the water industry: deep-sea diving? Irrigation? Aqua Career, probably the country's only job placement firm that focuses on 'water-based jobs' could draw up a much longer list, making the specialisation seem almost commonplace.

Part of the Rs 50-crore (Rs 500 million) Earth And Water group, dealing with information and marketing solutions revolving around water, Aqua Career claims to have placed more than 100 professionals nationally and internationally in water companies in the year of its existence.

Is the demand for 'water professionals' high enough to warrant a fully dedicated human resource management service? "The demand far outstrips the current availability," maintains H Subramaniam, editor and vice-president of the group.

The requirement of the industry stands at more than 1,200 professionals while there are only 400 people available as of now, informs Shivani Gupta, product manager of the group handling the placement division. And the water industry, believe people at EA Water, is set to boom phenomenally. "It'll go the IT way," says Subramaniam with conviction.

That's because water is a critical requirement for most companies -- whether a pharmaceutical company, a semi-conductor plant, or a wafer factory that require expertise in water management, water treatment and purification, liquid waste management, desalination and water conservation.

Currently pegged at Rs 25,000 crore (Rs 250 billion), the highly fragmented and disorganised water industry is believed to be growing at a robust rate of 25-30 per cent.

"More organised international players are getting into this field ensuring higher quality norms," says Subramaniam.

Some sectors are growing rapidly, such as packaged drinking water, and industrial water recycling systems (growing at 30-40 per cent), he adds. That's where the professional manpower crunch comes in.

Being part of a bigger organisation that owns not just a web portal, a bi-monthly magazine, Everything About Water Expo, but a clutch of companies like Aventura, Fontus Water, Sargon Geosynthetics and Tanclean that offer complete solutions in water, Aqua Career understandably has an extensive database water companies looking for professionals and candidates looking for better career opportunities in the water industry.

Vacancies from leading companies in the water industry are put up regularly on the web portals, magazines and e-newsletters of EA Water.

"We provide placements for only middle and senior level professionals with a technical background for about Rs 5-10 lakh (Rs 500,000-1 million) for the former and anything beyond Rs 15 lakh (Rs 1.5 million) for senior technocrats," informs Gupta.

Clients include water sector companies like VA Tech Wabag, Ion Exchange, Forbes Marshall, Actaris, Thermax and Sudarshan Chemicals for positions in sales, marketing, projects, utility and maintenance.

Interestingly, the company is planning water malls as information and solution points where, apart from products and services like Dr H20 (to address water-related health queries), there will be water games and beverage outlets like Barista or Costa Coffee.

"We've already earmarked 22 locations which we plan to start in the current fiscal," says Subramaniam.

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