Engineers: The Harbingers of the Tech Revolution

The rise of technology and its consequent advancements are now accepted as the prerequisite for growth and prosperity. Engineering is very closely linked to this rise in technology, in fact, engineering is the backbone of the advancements in technology. Most of the services and products available to us today have had some form of engineering involved in their conception. From mobile phones to cosmetics, it’s all down to engineers and their input.

Today’s engineers move at lightning speed and are paving the way through innovations to long, fulfilling, and healthy lives for the people influenced by them. They play a fundamental role in facilitating the functioning of modern society, as they have a clear understanding of what the requirement is and what the design is going to evolve into. It is therefore imperative to ensure they are well equipped with the correct skill set and know-how to excel in their role.

Will innovation pay the price in this talent war on tech?

As India's IT industry flourishes, we must strive to leverage our digital transformation agendas to create job opportunities and ensure sustainable upskilling to meet new tech trends head-on. Since the pandemic hit, every organization has transformed into a digital one. Cloud initiatives have been adopted with great urgency to ensure businesses across all industries can adapt to this new landscape.

The fierce war for talent among big IT and technology companies in India is beginning to draw attention to the talent gap that still remains at large. With accelerated digitalization across organizations and sectors, the demand for niche skills in emerging technologies has also increased. Technical strides in capabilities such as artificial intelligence, hybrid cloud, machine learning, blockchain, Internet of Things, cybersecurity, and data analytics demands individuals with a competent grasp on these concepts. With the increasing adoption of cloud solutions, there is also a burgeoning need for organisations to scale up their Intelligent Data Services requirements to ensure its data is secured and always protected. These constantly changing organizational needs calls for a more people-centric learning and development approach to deliver innovation, productivity, and change at the scale they require.

More companies are adopting disruptive technologies to create more value, achieve operational efficiencies, and enhance the overall experience across the enterprise. For example, the use of AI in healthcare has helped industry professionals make precise, efficient, and impactful interventions at the right moment saving countless lives; while blockchain has upscaled business operations across accounting, finance, taxation, banking, and international trade.

To realize the full potential and benefits of disruptive digital technologies, organizations need to pay more attention to the process of recruitment and retention in creating and maintaining an effective talent pipeline.

Learning and relearning increases value

A successful engineering career is no longer about mastering one particular skill, but being open to learning newer technologies and expanding your skill set and knowledge of different products and services. Upskilling your workforce ensures that their repertoire does not become obsolete in the face of new technological developments. It also encourages outside-the-box thinking which leads to greater innovations being created.

For example, when certain skill gaps were identified in our software development team, the management realized it as an opportunity to try to reskill the existing workforce so they could be competent in the technology and the skills required to increase versatility and productivity. They curated a programme offering one-on-one mentoring, workshops, onboarding boot camp, and followed up with a week-long hackathon event apply this sharpened skill to develop production worthy code to finish up many pending projects.

This process of continuous learning not only feeds a business’ bottom line, but it also ensures efficiency across operations. When working with a team of people equipped with the right competencies and knowledge-driven aspirations, it fosters an environment that celebrates creativity and innovation.

The shortage of digital skills in the current marketplace is unprecedented. Emerging disruptive technologies have not only improved business operations but have also changed how people work, interact and live. With these fast-approaching developments in AI, nanotechnology, logistics, biotechnology, and high-performance computing, our demands from engineers will only skyrocket. Engineers are agile thinkers, problem solvers, entrepreneurs, and the minds behind all tech-driven innovations. This means the future will be full of new opportunities for engineers.

According to a NASSCOM report, the combined IT-Business Process Management (BPM) sector employed 4.5 million people as of March 2021 and IT services companies alone are expected to hire over 100,000 people, following the demand for talent with digital tech skills.

Though there have been debates around machines taking over human-led work, there remains a shortage of talent who understand these technologies and the know-how to make the best use of them. Although the competition will be fierce for qualified tech talent, companies can start laying the groundwork now to keep their pipeline full of viable candidates based on their potential to grow and not just their existing skill sets. Engineers are the harbingers to our future; they hold the key to unlocking prosperity and continuity for enterprises across the globe. As the world becomes ever more digitally connected, it calls for more of these harbingers to be at the forefront, orchestrating these changes.

Author: Joe Sabu, Vice-President, Development, Commvault India