Rethinking Talent for Traditional Sectors

Over the past 25 years, India’s employment story has been largely shaped by the IT and services sectors. This unprecedented demand spurred a wave of new engineering colleges, and computer science emerged as the most coveted branch of study. Even students in other disciplines rushed to add IT skills, lured by the booming job market.

But today, the sheen of the IT sector is wearing off. Young professionals increasingly voice concerns about stagnant salaries in the industry, as media reports frequently highlight. The math isn’t hard to understand: while the supply of IT professionals has skyrocketed, demand has slowed.

Economic uncertainty and the rise of AI and automation – capable of performing tasks once handled by junior coders – have compounded this slowdown. AI isn’t just a disruptor for industries; it’s redefining the skills needed to thrive in the workplace.

A Talent Gap in Traditional Sectors

This shift has left traditional business sectors grappling with a growing challenge: a lack of skilled talent. For years, fields like mechanical and civil engineering were overshadowed by the glitz of the IT sector. Now, as India sets its sights on becoming a global manufacturing and infrastructure powerhouse, this talent gap has become a glaring issue. Consider these trends:

1. Manufacturing Growth: With India’s push toward becoming a global manufacturing hub, industries like EVs, renewables, and electronics are seeing an explosion in demand. However, companies are struggling to find enough skilled professionals in these fields.
2. Infrastructure Boom: The government’s focus on infrastructure – roads, metros, airports, and more – requires a massive pool of civil engineers, project managers, and site supervisors. Yet many young people shy away from these careers, daunted by the idea of working on-site or outside the comfort of urban life.
3. Electro-Mechanical Expertise: As industries evolve, so does the nature of jobs. We now need professionals at the intersection of multiple disciplines – electro-mechanical engineering, power electronics, and automation – but we lack enough candidates with such expertise.

Shifting Preferences: Challenges for Employers

At GlobalGyan Leadership Academy, we’ve observed this trend firsthand. Manufacturing and infrastructure companies are doubling down on management development programs, hoping to nurture in-house talent and retain their best people. This is a pragmatic response to the talent crunch, but it also highlights a deeper issue: many young professionals are unwilling to take on roles that demand physical presence at plants or sites – locations often far removed from the comforts of metropolitan cities. Unlike IT jobs, these roles come with challenges that today’s workforce isn’t always prepared to embrace.

What This Means for the Future of Jobs

The current talent mismatch holds important lessons for India’s youth and education system.

1. Think Beyond Today’s Hot Jobs: The last two decades were dominated by IT. But the next 10-20 years will look very different. Fields like EVs, renewables, space technology, and smart manufacturing are set to create massive opportunities. Today’s students must look ahead, not just at the sectors that have historically been popular.
2. Interdisciplinary Skills will Win: The future of work lies at the intersection of disciplines. Job roles will demand expertise that spans engineering branches, like integrating electronics with mechanical systems, or designing AI-powered manufacturing processes.
3. AI and Automation are Inevitable: Young professionals need to move up the value chain. If the work is purely repetitive, like basic coding, AI tools will always do it faster, cheaper, and better. The focus must shift toward creative problem-solving, leadership, and high-value tasks that cannot be easily automated.

The Call to Action: Preparing for Tomorrow

As India continues its trajectory toward economic growth, the talent question looms large. For employers, this means rethinking how they attract, retain, and develop talent in sectors that will define our future. For students and young professionals, it means making smarter career choices today.

The jobs of the future won’t come from chasing yesterday’s trends; they’ll emerge in new industries, in hybrid roles, and through the ability to adapt. The sooner we align education and career aspirations with these realities, the better prepared India will be to seize the opportunities of tomorrow.