Wanted: skilled professionals

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media education in India had largely been developed within a closed industry scenario dominated by large government-owned broadcasters. Things changed once private broadcasting took off. The need for more professionals arose.

As a result, there was a surge in the growth of media schools. Most have, however, focused on the ‘content’ side. It is at the business end—the operations, scheduling, ad-sales, brand management, media planning/buying or strategic levels—that the gaps are bigger. Here are some trends that will help the media and advertising industry attract and nurture talent:

Trend 1. Rising popularity of unconventional careers: Young people are increasingly steering away from conventional careers like engineering, medicine, law etc. Vocational courses like interiors, event management, media studies and retail management are gaining popularity.

Trend 2. Skill enhancement on-the-job: Enhanced skills help move up the growth curve, which is why a lot of media companies have started encouraging professional learning among employees by sending them on various executive development programmes that are related to the skill-sets needed in their tasks. Media companies have started sending promising employees on international stints to give them exposure.

Trend 3. Specialised higher education critical: Gone are the days when one degree fitted all. The youth are fast realising that specialised degrees are the key to recognition, marketability and success. Educational institutions introducing courses like BMM (Bachelor of Mass Media) at the under-graduate level is a step forward in the right direction. Over a dozen media schools, have come up in the last three years.

Trend 4. Cross-recruitment and the emergence of new media: With the emergence of new media, be it Internet, mobile or even media in consumption spaces like malls, multiplexes etc, media companies will need to go beyond the media industry and recruit from other industries such as FMCG, IT. This trend has taken off and will be the way to go.

While these trends indicate the positive direction the Indian media and advertising industry will follow in years to come, the underlying thought I’d like to leave behind is that media companies need to participate actively in designing curriculum and training based on their needs. The rapid pace of globalisation will see media companies demanding skilled professionals at all levels, whether junior, mid or senior.