How Technology is Evolving
Around 15 years back when I was working in IT sales, an OEM approached us to find leads for its Cloud based ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software solution. While trying to get leads for the cloud-based ERP, we found it hard to pitch it to prospective buyers as IT Heads would decline outright; instead ask for an on-premises solution. It was unthinkable that an organization would put their data on cloud. “The data has to be on premises; cannot risk putting it in data centres”, was the majority response.
Cut, to today. The only way to make sure that business growth and transformation is on track is for businesses to opt for cloud solutions. The pandemic accelerated the move to Cloud 10x resulting in a multi-fold increase in demand for talent with cloud skills. According to a NASSCOM report Titled “Cloud Skills: Powering India’s Digital DNA”, while India is growing its cloud talent at the fastest pace as compared to all other countries, the demand for cloud skills is estimated to be over 2.2 Mn by 2025. India would need to accelerate its cloud talent supply by 30%-35% to meet this demand shortfall.
The waves of technology are coming upon us relentlessly. What was emerging tech ten years ago is mainstream today. If someone had said ten years ago that you will be able to make payment through your phone, you would have laughed it off. Would you have believed that your phone will one day replace your camera, clock, calendar, tape recorder, radio, and calculator etc? The buzzwords of today - Metaverse, blockchain are going to be mainstream tomorrow. Are you ready for the new world order? How are you going to prepare for the unknown?
What Talent Acquisition Heads say
During a series of Digital Adda* round tables where we invited Talent Acquisition Heads of IT services companies to determine the key skills and competencies required for a candidate to get hired, there is one term that cropped up across all conversations. Each one of them stressed on learnability or learning agility, a skill which recruitment specialists across IT services look for.
What is this learning agility?
Learning agility is the desire and capability to learn new things, adapt your skill set to continuously grow and the ability to apply it in different situations, enabling you to remain employable throughout your working life. Organizations need employees with high learning agility. Employees who are skilled in one technology and can quickly apply these skills across different technologies. It is this skill which is called “learning agility”. Learning agility is the single best predictor of executive success, above intelligence, and education, according to a survey by Management Consultancy firm Korn Ferry.
What does it mean for you?
You may be studying in college, a fresh joiner in any organization or have many years in active service, at no stage in your life can you think that you have learnt enough. With technology evolving faster than you can blink your eyes, tasks are getting automated and throwing up different kinds of talent requirements. If you want to remain employable, you need to keep your eyes on the ball and not be complacent about the skills you have.
Conclusion:
It is an exciting as well as scary time for aspiring and existing tech workforce.
Why?
If you take the time to skill yourself in emerging technologies, you have an ocean of opportunities waiting for you. If, however you refuse to the acknowledge the trending technologies and are too lazy/ smug to learn new skills, you need to be very very scared! As Alvin Toffler predicted, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” So, the sure-shot way to surf the waves of technology coming upon is to be prepare by being agile to learn and continuously keep upskilling and reskilling.
*Digital Adda is a monthly skilling specific round table session with thought leaders in the IT ecosystem to showcase future possibilities and latest trends. Organized by NASSCOM FutureSkills Prime, the technology skilling hub of India, the sessions provide a forum for Academia, CEOs, HR Heads, Recruitment Heads, EdTech Business Leaders to interact with each other.
About the Author
Kaamna Jain is a journalist by education, a communications professional by trade and a blogger by choice. A lifelong learner, she is passionate about creating awareness for skilling in emerging technologies to become future-ready. She's fascinated by the small things in life but can't resist the allure of the new and the undiscovered.