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College students are gearing up for the campus recruitment season as the end of the academic year approaches, much in the same way that employers from the tech industry are. On this year’s ‘National Technology Day’, industry insiders said generative artificial intelligence, automation, metaverse, blockchain 5G and quantum computing were the keywords right now.

Explaining what was trending and the demand for jobs across the country, Kunal Purohit, chief digital services officer at Tech Mahindra, said the convergence of technologies such as generative AI (artificial intelligence), automation, metaverse, blockchain, 5G and quantum computing was unlocking new possibilities for businesses and creating a more connected world leading to a significant reduction in the cost of doing business.

Similarly, Anku Jain, managing director of MediaTek, said AI, internet of things (IoT), machine learning (ML), and cloud computing were key factors in unlocking the true potential of the IT sector in the next decade of India’s growth in technology.

Since there was a present discourse around AI and other immersive technologies taking away jobs, there was a way to change the outcome, said Manav Subodh, managing director of 1M1B. “People in tier 2 and 3 cities can enter the virtual jobs economy. Virtual jobs and the gig economy are expected to grow exponentially, it is expected that over 1 million new jobs will be created in India in the next two to three years in this category. The animation, visual effects, gaming, and cartoon (AVGC) sector will also be booming in India in the next five to 10 years.”

One of the leading talent platforms, foundit, said the demand for AI talent had grown 11 percent over the past six months, which had led to a robust growth in hiring. “AI is expected to create newer roles and increase employment opportunities,” said Sekhar Garisa, CEO of foundit.

What are the most in-demand jobs?

According to data provided by foundit, the most demanded jobs and skills include software engineers, data engineers and scientists, Python developers, marketing analytics consultants, AWS data architects, ML engineers, AI product managers and BI developers.

“The growing demand for these roles across industries has created a setback in hiring due to lack of specialised skills in professionals. Although there is a lot of new talent in the market, organisations are finding it challenging to hire a candidate with the right fit for the job,” Garisa said.

But foundit said ML ops, natural language processing, Java, Python, DevOps, big data, Azure, Unix, TensorFlow and neural networks were top skills in demand as of now.

What are employers looking for?

Ahead of the campus hiring season, Sumit Sabharwal, CEO of TeamLease HRtech, said employers in the IT industry typically looked for a mix of technical skills and soft skills when hiring freshers. “On the technical side, skills such as proficiency in programming languages, understanding of data structures and algorithms, knowledge of web development and familiarity with cloud technologies are highly sought after. With the rise of AI, ML and data science, employers are increasingly interested in candidates with skills in these areas,” he said.

He added: “Cybersecurity professionals are also in high demand due to the increasing threat of cyber attacks. For these roles, knowledge of security protocols, risk management, network architecture and ethical hacking is important.”

Ankush Singla, CEO and co-founder of Coding Ninjas, said companies were likely to prioritise candidates with additional qualifications that made them industry-ready. “A candidate’s skill set still stands as the most important aspect in hiring, even more important than qualifications in some cases. Many individuals within our student pool are currently in their final year of college and are using our upskilling programmes designed to bridge gaps between traditional education and industry demands, to improve their odds of getting a job,” he said.

Another industry insider Aanchal Chaudhary, HR manager at mFilterIt, also said while hiring the IT industry will focus on technical skills and soft skills of an individual. “Given the rapidly evolving nature of the tech industry, adaptability, a willingness to learn, and a passion for innovation and problem-solving will also be highly valued by recruiters,” she said.

However, Harshvendra Soin, global chief people officer and head of marketing at Tech Mahindra — one of the top recruiters — said they were focusing on building talent across key verticals such as AI, IoT, XDS (customer experience), deep tech, space technology among others.

“We are reaching out to leading IITs and other engineering colleges to hire bright minds and passionate hearts to ‘run better, change faster and grow greater’ towards a sustainable future,” he told News18.

He added: “Engagement with universities and leading technical institutes helps identify synergies for collaboration, build employee capabilities, and hire talent, while also enabling R&D and new product development. We are also hiring in tier 2 cities including Bhubaneshwar, Nagpur, Chandigarh, Thiruvananthapuram and Kolkata in order to widen our talent pool and improve agility.”

Will concerns over layoffs impact campus hiring?

Concerns related to layoffs and the possible impact have once again come up ahead of hiring season. Dr G Pardha Saradhi Varma, vice-chancellor, at KL Deemed to be University believes that layoffs will play a vital role in the hiring season.

“Each layoff creates a unique ripple effect in the hiring market, impacting the supply and demand of available talent. As companies navigate in the aftermath, it’s important to approach the hiring season with empathy and strategic planning to ensure best outcomes for both the organisation as well as the individuals affected by layoffs,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rashmi Mittal, pro-chancellor at LPU, said layoffs had been a reality for many companies but it was important for recruiters to look beyond short-term cost savings and consider long-term impact on the industry.

“Hiring from campuses allows companies to tap into fresh perspectives and ideas, and to train and develop talent in ways that align with their culture and values. While the spectre of layoffs may influence some career decisions, it’s ultimately up to companies to demonstrate their commitment to employees and to the industry as a whole,” she added.