LIRC@SFIT

Till about a decade ago, if you specialised in mathematics, you would end up being a teacher or a researcher. That has changed dramatically. Specialists in the field in India are now among the most sought after in the financial and technology world. Many of today’s leading digital technologies – artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, big data, cyber security – need strong foundational knowledge of mathematics. “Data science is based on three skill sets – a background in math or statistics, exposure in computer science, and business or domain knowledge,” says Ashok Kalidas, head of data science & innovation at research firm Kantar’s analytics practice. “Where a math graduate adds value is in the ability to understand the mathematics behind the models and innovate on top of that.” Kalidas says AI and deep learning solutions can be implemented using software, but you need mathematics to understand the inner workings of these solutions. “A mathematics graduate will be...

Although the current working population is tech-savvy and comprises quick learners, they still require indepth training to develop new skill-sets and, thus, adapt to be prepared for the work culture of tomorrow The future of work or the jobs of tomorrow is one of the most common topics of discussion among today’s crowd. The traditional working culture is rapidly reshaping with automation taking charge. No doubt, these innovations will enhance the key processes of a business, and thus deliver customer satisfaction; these advances also raise an interesting question: is our workforce geared up for that shift? Organisations, therefore, must go for an agile approach to learning, which is the need of the hour in today’s job scenario. MINT/FILE ■ Automation may be the future but human presence will still be required in some jobs Although the current working population is tech-savvy and comprises quick learners, they still require in-depth training to develop new skill-sets and, thus, a...

India finds itself at a unique advantage when compared to other nations due to its young population. However, a young population is both an opportunity as well as a problem depending on how the advantage is utilised to boost the economy. The rapidly growing population indicates the urgent need for skill development in order to enable the growing population to have meaningful employment. An education that places an emphasis on imparting skills over rote learning and memorisation is necessary to ensure that the youth are gainfully employed. For India to maintain its stature of being the largest provider of skilled programmers and technologists, we will have to ensure that its populace is skilled accordingly so as to remain competitive in the global arena. What follows are five important skills that will continue to be in high demand in the Indian job market in the years to come. CODING Coding or programming in languages such as Javascript or Python has consistently been a ski...