An Engineer’s Tale

As of 2023, India consistently churns out half a million engineering graduates each year. Yet, not all of them take the 'Rancho' path; some opt for the real-life 'Farhan' journey, pursuing their lifelong passions even after securing the coveted degree, embodying the 'All is Well' philosophy.

Adarsh, an engineering graduate with a MBA degree, explains that the popularity of engineering is often driven by the IT industry's success and the enticing news of high salaries, making it a preferred choice for many young minds in India who hope for a secure future. He also highlights the significant influence of parental pressure in this decision-making process. Adarsh, now working at a startup, adds that many of these engineers eventually change their career paths when they realise their true interests.

He points out that in India, engineering has become a popular career choice. This has led to a surge in the number of colleges and institutes offering engineering courses. However, this rapid expansion has negatively affected the quality of education and has resulted in limited exposure to real-world industry scenarios for students. As a result, many graduates find it tough to adapt to demanding job roles.

Expanding on this point, he mentions that engineering degrees impart a variety of transferable skills. This equips engineers to explore opportunities in different career fields such as project management, communication, sales and more. Such diverse exposure is not commonly found in other academic disciplines.

Most industry reports suggest that over 80 per cent of engineers consider changing their jobs. Notably, Indeed’s hiring tracking reports highlight that the IT sector remains resilient and remains the top choice for employees, accounting for 18 per cent of job preferences during Q2 2023. Reflecting on these divergent findings, Siddarth, an engineer at Deloitte shares, “The longer one stays in a company, the more likely they are to conform to the established work patterns. However, it is also essential today to break free from stereotypes and explore new opportunities.”

Siddarth emphasises that many engineers who have transitioned out of their traditional roles have achieved legendary status in different career areas. Notable examples include individuals like Anil Kumble, Shankar Mahadevan, Ashton Kutcher and many more.

Tejas Chopra, senior software engineer at Netflix and co-founder at GoEB1 says, “In my case, I realised that engineering alone is not sufficient for my career. I had to enhance it with brand-building, which came about through conferences, podcasts and books.”

He adds that he has spoken at more than 50 conferences covering topics related to engineering and leadership. During this time, he recognised a common desire among engineers to cultivate their personal brands. This insight led him to join forces with Mahima Sharma to create GoEB1, a platform dedicated to helping immigrants build their thought leadership brands.

“Engineers Do Everything Except Engineering" – Is It True?

As per a recent TalentOnLease report, there has been a notable shift in employability trends, accounting for 50.3 per cent of the change this year. This transformation sheds light on the often-heard adage, “Engineers do everything except engineering.”Infographic: TalentOnLease 

Adarsh says the quote might not be accurate. “Engineers are solving complex problems and building things. While a lot of people move out of engineering, people moving into engineering from other disciplines are not common. The number seems high because of the high number of engineering graduates.”

Chiming in on this topic, Siddarth says, “To say, that engineers do everything including engineering would be more apt – although we have not reached the ‘Jetsons’ level of progress, we aren’t far from it. We might not have a robot maid, but we do have a ‘Roomba’; we might not have jetpack the size of a backpack but there have been considerable strides in that direction too.”

A Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) computer science teacher, who has seen a lot of her students change vocations after studying engineering weighs in. She says, “The quote needs to be modified as ‘average engineers are doing everything except engineering.’ It can’t be generalised, as it is not fair and just.”

Varied Opinions

The field of engineering offers a vast and varied spectrum of career prospects. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, growth projections for the engineering sector from 2020 to 2030 indicate a 14 per cent increase in demand for industrial engineers, an 8 per cent rise for civil engineers, and a 7 per cent uptick for mechanical engineers. A report from TalentOnLease also highlights that B.E. and B.Tech programs produce a higher percentage of employable talent, which stood at 57.44 percent in 2023.

The computer science teacher emphasises that although there is a surplus of employable talent in engineering, based on real-life observations, the majority of students are primarily focused on obtaining admission to prestigious institutions like IITs and NITs. Consequently, they opt for whatever stream they are allocated during admissions. Later, many of them pursue an MBA from an institution like IIM, primarily enticed by the prospect of securing positions in large companies with substantial salaries.

“The only ones who really enjoy coding in computer science never deviate and work as (software) engineers. I also know some really good programmers who have chosen to be chefs in some luxurious hotels. All this happens when passion prevails over a degree,” she adds.

Lakshmi Mittra, Senior Vice President and Head of Clover Academy says, “From the software that powers our smartphones to the infrastructure that keeps our cities running, engineers have been pivotal to the progress of our society. The ever-advancing technology landscape demands engineers to keep their skillsets relevant and industry-ready. So, it is important to embrace reskilling and upskilling of engineers on a priority basis to propel towards a brighter and more advanced tomorrow.”Infographic: TalentOnLease 

Industry Experts Weigh-in

Prasanna Anireddy, VP of Engineering at Progress, highlights that engineers switching careers can be attributed to two primary factors. Firstly, there's an imbalance between the number of engineering graduates and the available job opportunities, which prompts them to consider diverse career paths. Secondly, evolving societal norms now empower recent graduates to pursue roles that align better with their passions, talents and interests, rather than adhering strictly to traditional career expectations.

Additionally, addressing the formidable challenge of hiring engineers, Sanjay Jorapur, President of HR at HFCL, comments, “Numerous engineering graduates encounter unemployment because they find it challenging to continually adapt to the industry's relentless need for learning and innovation.”

Highlighting the telecom sector's increasing demands, Jorapur says that the evolving business landscape in telecommunications and technology now necessitates professionals to possess a comprehensive grasp of global megatrends, including but not limited to 5G/6G, Wi-Fi 7, Cloud network management, and analytics. This also entails proficiency in areas such as semiconductors and AI models.

Giridhar GV, Global CHRO, Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS) believes, “The engineering sector faces challenges in effectively harnessing young talent for several reasons. One key factor is that young engineers may lack certain skills and practical experience necessary for complex real-world projects.”

The HGS CHRO adds that many companies prefer hiring experienced engineers, primarily due to the perceived benefits they bring to the table making brighter minds discover their own path in some other field.

Talking about the traditional engineering patterns, Anjan Pathak, CTO and co-founder at Vantage Circle says, “The migration is a sign that we need to align our educational and career paths more closely with the evolving needs of the industry. However, we also cannot ignore the widening gap between the old engineering curricula and the rapidly evolving world of technology.”

“While valuable in its own right, the conservative engineering curriculum often falls short in preparing our engineers for the demands of the modern world,” he adds.

Anjina Murthy, Director of Technology Servers at Tally Solutions, believes that although engineering has traditionally been viewed as a stable career option in India, changing economic trends are altering this perspective. The growing prominence of entrepreneurship, opportunities in non-technical sectors, and the gig economy are luring numerous young individuals away from conventional engineering paths.

Sathesh Murthy, Managing Director and Engineering Head (India), RingCentral, agrees. He says, “Engineering is the driving force behind our nation's innovation, progress, and growth. Through engineers' vision and dedication, the world can be moulded to a brighter and more sustainable future.”