The global workforce
is facing a serious talent shortage. With the emergence of new and rapidly
evolving technology, workers at all levels need new skills to meet the
everchanging market demands.
■ AI will be an important skill in the future workforce (Image)
Rapid evolution of
technology in the last few years has dramatically altered the jobs scenario not
just in India but also globally. India is experiencing a challenging
environment of rapidly changing skills requirements from industry combined with
a higher education sector struggling to keep up.
Emerging technologies,
like AI and Machine Learning have put the industry on a fast track towards
automation.
There has been a lot
of concern around students, new employees and even experienced IT veterans on
losing jobs to machines, which I believe is an extreme view. Rather the nature
of jobs will change, some will become obsolete while new roles get created. This
has, after all, been the reality of the industry since the dawn of the
industrial age.
The World Economic
Forum’s ‘The Future of Jobs 2018’ report for instance, estimates that 75
million jobs could be made redundant by 2022 as machines start to do more of the
work done by humans, but at the same time 133 million new roles could emerge
due to this shift towards automation. This shows that automation will have a
positive impact on job creation. In fact, people will have many careers within
a career.
To get a sense of what
skills will be needed in an age of accelerated innovations, we need to take
cues from the direction of technology’s evolution. Emerging technology like
cloud and cognitive big data require not only new skills, but “liquid skills”
to keep pace with rapidlyevolving technology development.
Cloud-based
applications, AI and Blockchain are already transforming industries and they
will become more widespread in the future.
We have already seen
how cloud computing has made businesses leaner and more agile. But the
intersection of technologies like AI, Blockchain and Data Analytics with Cloud
is opening up new applications, like ability to launch new products faster and
test them better. Therefore, cloud developers, network engineers and architects
will be in great demand.
The lack of blockchain
skills is a top concern and significant inhibitor to blockchain adoption in
companies across a variety of industries.
Businesses have seen
the potential of Blockchain, especially when deployed in conjunction with other
technologies like AI, Internet of Things (IOT) and data analytics, in having an
immediate and positive impact on business bottom lines. Considering it is still
early days, the demand for people with skills in this transformative technology
will only go up.
Similarly, AI and
Machine Learning has proven its potential across sectors from human resources
to healthcare, and again with each new application, the underlying technology
is getting more advanced and it is opening up new avenues of innovation.
Data analytics
specialists, with skills in Python, R and Apache, among others, will continue
to find lucrative careers in technology.
We are aware of the
importance of security of our networks and the data it handles. Yet, research
puts the shortage of cybersecurity professionals at just below three million
and these roles will need to be filled quickly.
The ‘Design Thinking’
and ‘Agile’ methodologies are now well proven. By placing a premium on user
outcomes and constant reinvention in the case of the former and on adaptive
planning, evolutionary development and early delivery in the case of the
latter, companies can transform their business processes and outcomes rapidly
and with minimum disturbances.
AI is viewed as one of
the most pressing workplace skills necessary for success in the coming years.
Organisations and
educational institutions have created tailor made courses focused on imparting
such skills to students and to those who have already embarked on a career in
tech. So upskilling and reskilling are not as great a challenge as before. For
those with the right skills and for those willing to gain these skills the
future holds great promise of being in a position to drive the next generation
of new technology. Skilling in the future will be a continues process and will
focus on contextual learning.
