It is the youth of today that will be responsible for shaping the future. In India, the country abounds with young talent, and in fact, has one of the largest youth populations in the world. In a rapidly growing economy, their role in shaping the nation is tremendous and they have huge potential to drive change.
As we celebrate National Youth Day to commemorate Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary, leaders from across verticals share their views on how expectations from the youth, and how this can be harnessed for growth.
Bensely Zachariah, Global Head of Human Resources, Fulcrum Digital Inc. said “Over the past four decades, the Indian software industry has matured from providing cost-effective back-office support to becoming one of the mainstays driving the digital transformation agenda of most of the leading global companies. The rate of digital adoption among businesses and the growth and maturity of emerging technologies have significantly increased the opportunities available to the country’s emerging workforce. One of the major tech trends that would help them in this regard would be Artificial Intelligence (AI) based algorithms which enable all businesses to leverage their power for intelligent process automation, to create more intelligent products and services. The market for AI is expected to reach approximately $8 billion by 2025 and would be one of the major areas that would generate opportunities for India’s youth. With the vast amount of data created and exchanged between the smart devices that we use in our personal and professional life, improving their security capabilities will be a top priority for these companies, paving the way for many opportunities in the cybersecurity field. The past year has also been one of the worst ones from a cyberattack perspective for India. This has made testing security systems and implementing solutions that respond to security incidents an inevitable part of improving an enterprise’s cybersecurity capabilities and creating a safer cyberspace. This is also another area that will create a lot of opportunities in 2023 and beyond.”
Protima Achaya, India HR Head & APAC Talent Acquisition at NetApp said, “Employees seek purpose in everything that they do, including in the workplace. In 2023, employee policies will be framed with a human touch to ensure their financial, mental, and physical and emotional needs are met. As a part of delivering a holistic employee experience, it is important to factor in growth strategies to keep talent engaged and motivated. Employees should be provided with adequate avenues for development and growth. Whether it is through upskilling and reskilling initiatives, or soft skills training, these will go a long way in creating a strong employer brand image in the market. Investments in learning and development (L&D) will be important in the years to come.”
Lakshmi Mittra, SVP & Head, Clover Academy highlighted the importance of skilling youth in areas of AI and the increasing job roles in this space. She said, “The demand for AI skills is increasing each day. Technology fuelled by digital transformation is creating millions of jobs in AI every year. Those who utilize AI skills effectively will be in high demand and will find jobs in varied industries. Upskilling in some of these areas using online/ offline courses from reputed organizations will create a robust foundation and will help in finding the perfect job that matches the skills. By developing your skills in AI and ML, you will be well-positioned for a successful career in AI in 2023.”
