The bell of ‘Aatmanirbharta’ has been rung. Ever since Prime Minister Modi stressed on the need for self-reliance and strengthening the country’s digital landscape from within, there has been a major push across all sectors.
From the general public looking to consume products that are Made-In-India to businesses pivoting the way they procure or even the way they have been working over the years, the writing on the wall seems to be clear. India is well on its way to becoming less and less dependent on others, especially in terms of technology.
Ever since the ban on several Chinese mobile apps, the biggest among being short-video platform TikTok, many Indian platforms such as Roposo and Chingari have had to scale up and fast to deal with the surge in users looking for alternatives.
Earlier this week, technology behemoth Google said that it would invest $10 billion in India over the next five-seven years to strengthen its position in the country’s digital ecosystem.
These developments would potentially mean more jobs and an increased need for skillful individuals, the pillars of the future. On World Youth Skills Day, it is time one takes a look at some of the skills that would come in handy going forward.
Coding
Needless to say, the first on this list has to be coding. The need for those who can code and are good with programming languages is expected to increase significantly as more companies ride the digital wave. There are edtech platforms that have come up in the recent past with courses to make learning coding more accessible.
Cloud Infrastructure
The Coronavirus outbreak has shown it is likely that many businesses would voluntarily choose to go fully remote going forward. What this means is more demand for those with the ability to handle databases and developmental operations. You can choose to use platforms such as InterviewBit to solve problems related to these topics to see where you stand.
Web and Mobile App Development
An obvious outcome of a digital push would be an increased demand for web developers and mobile app developers. While the former have already enjoyed a broadening landscape in the last few years, the latter too are likely to find a lot more scope as many businesses go mobile-first. In a country like India, where a majority of first-time internet users are mobile-first, the opportunity is massive.
Understanding Data
As the idea of a digital India becomes realized, the need for individuals that can see data and make sense of it would become even more important. Data flow will increase, more people will turn to the web for more, and companies will need to use the incoming data to optimize their products and compete with global giants.
Cybersecurity
Despite the many pros of going digital, the disadvantage is that everything is out there in the open and vulnerable to cyber-attacks. During the pandemic, there have been reports of an increase in these kinds of vulnerabilities, and expecting any different as more people and businesses come online would be foolish. Equipping yourself with cybersecurity skills as a techie could add a lot more to your resume going forward than ever before.
Apart from the ones mentioned above, there are also many other business areas which would look for skilled professionals. For example, 5G is an up and coming technology that keeps finding honorable mentions in multiple presentations. In a year, it could well become a reality in India.
In fact, Mukesh Ambani on Wednesday announced that Reliance has designed a Made-In-India 5G solution from scratch and that it will be ready for trials as soon as the spectrum was available.
This and many more such technologies will soon find their way into the country, as homegrown companies rise up to the challenge thrown at them. The idea of emotional intelligence, where one is self and socially aware, and possesses the ability to handle relationships in general would also come in handy as online interactions become more prevalent. And with the world seemingly in the middle of a once-in-a-lifetime disaster, what better time to learn something new, upskill yourself and be future-ready?