How Important Is Skilling And Reskilling With Changing Skill Demands In The Indian Job Sector?

The industry is undergoing rapid change with emerging technologies taking the centre stage in developing a new generation of products and services. To keep up with the transformation, it has become necessary for freshers and young professionals to match up to the new skill requirements of organizations.

India is known for being the IT, ITES and service sector hub the world over and the country has constantly met this demand for skilled professionals by generating job-ready individuals. They were equipped to address some of the most pressing challenges through the development of tech-enabled services for the entire world. However, we are now heading towards automation, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning integrated platforms, which require qualified professionals to upskill further and the trend is likely to pick up momentum in the coming months.

How the current trends vary from established practices

Unlike the earlier years, where pupils entered the workforce fully aware of the skill requirements and expectations of the assigned role, the speed at which new technologies are being adopted puts the onus on a new generation of professionals to drive the next phase of global disruptions. Moreover, the current COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in all major processes moving online. While people adhere to social distancing norms, they are being serviced by e-commerce companies, social media apps, and video sharing platforms for everything under the sun. Even employees have been asked to work from home, utilize their time judiciously, and hone themselves with newly emerging skills.

Consequently, we are witnessing an explosion of e-learning platforms that are spearheading efforts to upskill employees and graduates. There is an emphasis on gaining a thorough understanding of the subject, while the application of the knowledge is left to the organization willing to hire and exploit this talent. Even EdTech companies are bringing data scientists, analysts, soft skills trainers onboard to tutor students and workers, to introduce them to a job market whose dynamics have shifted drastically.

Skill expectations, hiring patterns

There is a dearth of Data Scientists and engineers and companies are on the lookout for professionals who can cater to this burgeoning demand. The pandemic has enforced new realities upon us, as everything has moved online. This brings additional challenges to the fore, as organizations are struggling to keep up with client expectations, as there is a shortage of skilled employees. Even employees in high positions run the risk of falling behind global trends if they choose not to explore new possibilities.

In fact, the scale of application of automation and other technologies is unprecedented, as it spans across sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, education, e-commerce and BFSI sector, among others. Furthermore, contemporary skill requirements are not just confined to technical skills. There is a renewed focus on training employees with soft skills, owing to the disruptions around us. Some of these skills might seem trivial at face value, however, organizations consider them to be essential drivers for a nuanced approach to client, employee and customer relationship management.

As intangible as they may seem, it takes effort to instill soft skills such as business ethics, empathy, leadership, team management, and self-assessment etc. It could determine success for an organization, as they rather have individuals who are sensitized to new world realities than professionals who have the skills, and yet, lack a deeper understanding of leading a workforce. It could instead be the deciding factor for leadership positions, as they could become the face of the organization.

What to expect in the coming months

As we continue to reel under the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations will continue to expand their operations with the limits imposed by health and safety. However, several opportunities are opening up for everyone with the requisite skillsets, and the hiring patterns are bound to only compound. As long as the gap in skills and companies’ growth targets aren’t fulfilled, this trend is unlikely to cease.

Individuals who exhibit both technical know-how and the new-age soft skills stand to benefit the most from the current trend with companies willing to hire professionals with a holistic skill profile. Indian Industry experts realize that we are at the cusp of facilitating innovation for the world once again, and it can only be backed by employees who possess a willingness to learn, unlearn and relearn.

Divya Jain

Guest Author Co-founder, Seekho