Career Prospects Get Hampered By Lack Of Job Skills

Recruitment industry saw an eventful year around most of the world in 2018. A recent report from CMIE states that around 1 crore people lost their job in India. The increasing unemployment rate in the country is certainly a cause of worry. The reason behind it is the way jobs are changing with time and technology and are important to know what job may transform and in what industries. 

The year went by also saw the rise of several things from Data Science as a career option to research and development as a well-established industry in many fields. Also, a lot of fallout was witnessed too with the introduction of automation and other digital and mechanical technologies. This begs the question of finding the right jobs and securing your career in the long run.

Zairus Master, CEO, Shine Learning talks about upgrading skills for better jobs saying, "The recent World Economic Forum (WEF) report titled The Future of Jobs 2018 has also predicted that AI, robotics, and automation could potentially displace 75 million jobs by 2022 – while creating 133 million new jobs. This represents an unparalleled upskilling opportunity for professionals to accelerate their career trajectories and contribute to the socio-economic growth of the country. It is this constant technological innovation and disruption which is transforming the nature of existing jobs. State-of-the-art innovations such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, data analytics, robotics, the blockchain, and IoT are all paving the way towards the creation of a high-value, high-paying jobs landscape conducive to lifelong learning opportunities and rapid career progression.”

He added, “The growing integration of technology within business processes has driven significant growth for the sector. From a jobs standpoint, however, this growth is yet to fully translate into concomitant gains for Indian IT/ITES professionals. This disparity is not because of a lack of jobs; as per a recent report, there are around 50,000 unfulfilled vacancies in data science and machine learning profiles within India at present. A large segment of the country’s IT/ITES workforce is simply not equipped with the skillsets needed to avail newer and better professional opportunities. As a result, while the demand for new-age skills has never been higher, most professionals in the domain find their long-term career prospects severely limited by a lack of relevant skills".

Varun Dhamija, Vice President – Pearson Professional Programs (PPP) says, “In a future where technology seems to be taking the lead, ‘human skills’ become increasingly important. Over the last few years, digital advancements have radically transformed the working world. With the emergence of advanced technologies such as AI, Machine Learning, and IoT, we are on the verge of the Fourth Industrial Revolution that will require new skill sets for the workforce of tomorrow to thrive and be productive. Hence, it has become imperative for students to upgrade their knowledge and invest in skills that will help them to be relevant even after 5 or 10 years from now.”

Rajguru Tandon

BW Reporters The author is a correspondent with BW Businessworld with keen interest in HR and employee welfare.