Article by Puneet Dhiman, CEO & Founder, chaabi.ai
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a massive adoption of technology in the country. With India wanting more from the digital space, we are seeing a rapid increase in tech-integrated solutions for various needs in the country. India is also increasingly influenced by global advancements, enhancing our digital infrastructure. As more companies enter the market, it’s crucial to keep pace with these changes to remain relevant. In both cases, entering a market or staying ahead of the competition, companies need skilled and trained individuals now more than ever, creating a need for massive upskilling of both white & blue-collar workforces. As India aims to become a global force in various sectors, our population becomes our strength giving a significant boost to the upskilling industry as a whole.
Banking on this opportunity, various companies and even our government are choosing to digitally upskill themselves and India’s workforce, reducing the existing employability gap. With the launch of initiatives like “Skill India”, a lot is being invested in the upskilling sector giving rise to tech-integrated solutions for better and faster results. Given India’s significant IT and technology sector, upskilling in areas like AI, Machine Learning, Data Science, and Cybersecurity is essential to stay competitive.
The upskilling industry in India is highly dynamic. The 2021 World Economic Forum report estimates that substantial investments in Upskilling can cause the Indian economy to realize potential gains of up to INR 570 billion in the next decade. Many industries, including healthcare, IT, and manufacturing, are investing in tech-integrated upskilling programs to stay relevant and meet the demands. As countries prepare to overpower one another in talent development, upskilling providers are eyeing global competition. With constant developments in Technology, there will be a constant demand for individuals to upskill to stay relevant.
With upskilling being the need of the hour, we see trends forming and rapidly shifting as technology advances. However, the advancement of tech is not the only factor causing a need for upskilling, the push came from various other key areas, like
- The pandemic made tech-integrated upskilling a lot more relevant shaping the course for E-Learning solutions. With no access to the offline world, people were forced to focus on acquiring skills online more than ever.
- As businesses expand their reach across India and globally, the blue-collar job market is growing, leading to an increasing migration of workers from remote areas to urban centers. This necessitates vernacular training to enhance comprehension and module adaptation.
- Businesses are now prioritising hiring GIG workers over permanent employees, urging individuals to maintain job-ready skills.
- The utilization of AI-driven learning is expanding, offering personalized learning experiences, remote learning support, language customization, and more.
- Beyond technical skills, there is a growing emphasis on learning soft skills such as emotional intelligence, communication, and adaptability, which are increasingly valued in the workplace.
In conclusion, the trajectory of upskilling in India is undoubtedly on an upward curve. The tech-integrated upskilling industry in India has seen remarkable growth in recent years and provides a positive outlook with the proactive efforts of the industry. In this dynamic landscape, the future of upskilling in India appears bright. New trends will keep emerging with time but what we can foresee as catching on are a few things like advancement in technology, ML, AI, AR & VR, and the Gig economy is set to play a significant role in shaping the upskilling industry. The shift to digital has positioned India as a major player in the global upskilling market.
