There are rapid technological transformations at the workplaces along with the skills and competencies needed for success are also changing and soft skills such as communication and critical thinking are being prioritised across industries, said a senior executive of a digital recruitment platform.
Shifting Focus From Traditional Academic Qualifications To Demonstrable Job Readiness
Considering this changing paradigm, the employers are shifting their focus from traditional academic qualifications to a candidate’s practical skills and ability to immediately contribute to a role.
It appears that significant efforts are being made by industry, academia and the students themselves to address these skill gaps.
In the meantime, job seekers are focusing on acquiring soft skills that include communication and critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and leadership to ensure job readiness.
With all these changes in place, the next wave of hiring in India will be defined not by degrees, but by demonstrable readiness such as skills validated by projects, internships, and data-driven capability assessments, said Devashish Sharma, Founding Member and CEO, Taggd.
Further adding,”Employers, especially larger organisations, are actively looking to ensure job readiness by co-creating skill development programmes and co-designing the curricula with academic institutions.”
When it comes to the Indian employers, they are grappling with a significant talent crunch.
Bridging The Discount Between Academia and Industry
They need to bridge the disconnect between academia and industry as now the companies are building hiring pipelines and have it associated with finishing schools, bootcamps, and incorporated apprenticeship programmes.
Moving ahead, industry-academia collaboration can equip graduates with the real-world skills they will need to succeed in the workplace according to the experts.
For instance, the INAE-Infosys Foundation Centre for Engineering Education and Research (INAE-CEEE) at IIT Delhi and the partnership between IIT Hyderabad and Renesas for research, innovation, and homegrown talent development within the semiconductor space are examples of two such industry-academia collaborations, Sharma said.
Besides this, the government is also focusing on improving the employability of the workforce.
In this regard, they have introduced policy interventions like the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and the Apprenticeship Act.
This holds a great significance as rhese initiatives are crucial to the growing talent acquisition landscape in India, as they empower more professionals with access to the skills and real-world knowledge that they will need to build successful careers.
