An active workforce is significant to a country's social and economic development. There are studies stating that 92% of employees in India believe that the skill gap exists and 76% of them express that they are personally impacted by it. Over 60% of the Indian population has been of the working-age i.e., between 16 to 24. The workforce should be equipped with the skillset that is significant to the needs of the industry. When a new role is created, it will require a new set of skills, for which companies tend to train youngsters whose talents will get adapted to their policies. New-age technologies which demand advanced skillsets become the cause of concern among the senior employees of organisations.

It is not an argument that machines will have a massive role in determining our workplace in the future. That does not mean that humans will be jobless. In the past, when ATMs were introduced, there was a popular misconception that the tellers in the bank will lose their jobs. The advent of Automatic Teller Machines was not terrifying at all. On the contrary, the number of bank tellers nationwide has increased in the post-ATM times. This is because, when a new technology is introduced, it transforms the work description and creates a new set of job roles. The bank tellers, instead of counting money became more involved in the customer interactions and managing accounts. The intention of technology is not to replace human beings, but to become an aid and make the day to day life of man more efficient.

However, it is significant to prepare our public for the changes coming ahead. Despite their age, gender or generation, people should be informed and trained to adapt to the ever-changing technology. In the post-budget webinar organised by MeitY, founder and CEO of Fractal Analytics Sreekanth Velamakanni had mentioned the need for preparing India for what is coming ahead, as one of the four vectors for a sustainable future. This according to him will ensure sustainable technology and mankind.

Skill Gap in India

Soon after the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a sudden shift in our economy. Every industry implemented, remote-working and virtual operations which resulted in fast digitisation. Alongside exploring the importance of computer literacy, digital skills and cyber security, several shortcomings on the foundations of various organisations were brought to light under the pandemic. The post-pandemic period demanded a need for skilling and strategic planning. According to a survey, only 12% of India’s workforce are digitally skilled. Today, organisations around the world demand professionals trained in ML, AI, digital marketing, cloud computing and other emerging technologies. According to a Times survey, India’s employability rate has remained below 50% for the last few years. Many undergraduate students after their course are found to be unemployed or underemployed while several others are the victims of college education that failed to equip them to keep up with the current fast-paced world.

How to upskill the Indian workforce?

Steps for skilling and upskilling in India should be enabled despite the age group. However, the approach should be different. A senior professional must be given training and should be made aware of the changing trends in technology. Colleges should train their students to fit into the mould of innovations. In schools, technology-related subjects should be added to the curriculum to make children aware of the options that lie ahead of them in the field of STEM. The educational institutions should work to generate a curiosity in their students to be updated about the changes in the field. 

Programs such as AI for All by the government of India, are being introduced to break the barriers and raise public awareness about AI in the country. It is important to embrace initiatives that aim at skilling the public with emerging technologies as it ensures a fearless and sustainable future.