How emerging technologies can steer you towards success?

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.


Source: Hindustan Times (Jaipur Edition) dated 12 March, 2019