By Vinay Pradhan
In the era of disruptive technology, upskilling is the only way to keep up with innovation and complete tasks efficiently and effectively. This will not only determine an individual’s ability to perform a job better, adapt to new situations, but also succeed in his or her career by increasing one’s competitiveness in the job market. Having a diverse set of skills can help individuals adapt to changing circumstances leading to better job opportunities and career growth.
As we continue to navigate a dynamic job market, it has become more important than ever to equip professionals in India with the skills they need to succeed. Rise of new-age technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), online digital platforms, machine learning, robotics, automation, etc, has created a high demand for professionals with emerging skills. This can create a skills gap that needs to be addressed on priority.
Immense promise for technology skills development
Virtually every role and field is impacted by technology. The AI industry alone has the potential to add $957 billion to the economy by 2035 and is projected to reach $190 billion by 2025 in India. The budgetary allocation on education of Rs. 1.13 lakh crore this year looks to tap emerging potential in AI and 5G technology, and upskilling the population so they remain competitive despite economic uncertainty. Many companies have incorporated agile skill-building solutions as part of their HR and L&D programmes, providing opportunities for employees to gain hands-on experience and access to dynamic content.
India has immense potential where AI can add an estimated $450-500 billion to the country’s GDP by 2025, according to a NASSCOM report. India will continue to invest in creating Centers of Excellence (CoE) coupled with skilling in areas like robotics, cloud computing, etc. to keep pace with the evolving workflows across all sectors. These CoE are adept in providing leadership guidance, best practices, research, support, and skill training. In addition, the Skill India Digital Platform announced in the Union Budget, will enable industry-ready talent to grow and will aid in bolstering entrepreneurship.
Adoption of different modes of learning
As the job market evolves, it’s important to stay informed about workforce trends and job roles that are expected to command high salaries in the coming year. For example, roles focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are becoming increasingly prevalent and are expected to continue to grow in demand as more organizations look to automate and streamline their processes. This is expected to become more widespread over the next five years, particularly in industries such as gaming, retail, and education.
With the shift towards hybrid learning, businesses of all sizes will continue to invest in and expand their online learning options, which may include the use of interactive and immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality. With 5G shaping the future of communication technology. Its proliferation will drive demand for related hardware, software, and services.
Use of more personalized and adaptive learning technologies
With the increasing availability of data and analytics, organizations may begin to use more personalized and adaptive learning technologies that can adapt to the unique needs and learning styles of individual learners. At Udemy, we are seeing a trend in companies adopting different modes of learning with a heavier focus on skills-based learning. Varied learning modalities support diverse individuals that may obtain and retain knowledge through different methods, such as immersive and cohort learning.
The growing importance of digital technologies placed the onus on organizations to identify the most in-demand skills and offer learning opportunities around futuristic courses such as cybersecurity, automation and data privacy, machine learning, natural language processing, and robotics. In fact, Udemy’s Q4 Learning Index noted an increase in the demand for the following skills among Indian employees in Q4 of 2022:
Snowflake SnowPro Core Certification
Software Practices
Pointers in Programming
Additional topics we’ve seen a spike in course consumption in 2022, particularly among Indian professionals, are Tailwind CSS, DevSecOps, TkInter, Microsoft
More focus on interdisciplinary and cross-functional skills
It is becoming increasingly important for professionals to have a broad range of skills and knowledge that can be applied across different fields and industries. Organizations today are placing a greater emphasis on interdisciplinary and cross-functional courses that teach learners how to think and ask questions critically and creatively, solve complex problems, and work effectively in diverse teams. These “power” or “soft” skills can be particularly pertinent to younger workers, both millennials and Generation Z employees. Completing courses in these topics can help professionals develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are essential for success in today’s world.
Investment in infrastructure and upskilling for the youth is a step towards building a competitive workforce. Skilling programmes under the Government of India’s “Skill India” initiative are aimed at opening up more opportunities for youth to continuously learn new-age skills on topics such as coding, AI, robotics, machine learning, animation and graphics, and cybersecurity.
We are at the cusp of a big ‘Technology Leap’. The future is technology, and we must ensure that when the question is posed to us, we have all the answers ready. There can be no better solution than a trained and skilled workforce.
The author is country head of Udemy, India and South Asia. Views are personal.