Enough and more has been written about how the COVID-19 crisis has ushered in unpredictable and unprecedented times for the humanity and nations across the world. The pandemic has acted like an agitator in the evolution of many industries and technologies. This situation perfectly describes the world as VUCA, which stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity.
It does not seem difficult to imagine now that as soon as COVID-19 is under control and the human race starts to invent the new normal, organizations and businesses around are going to be very different from what we have witnessed so far. With the financial gridlock, the ability to reboot will be barely limited and this will adversely affect the services dependant economies.
The truth is that every crisis contains the seeds of opportunity with it. Having led career services team in my previous professional experience and placing thousands of graduates across sectors every year, there are few positive trends that students should prepare themselves for:
Considering the circumstances, it is evident that hiring in e-commerce and e-logistics sectors is bound to grow in the coming months
There will be demand for workforce with knowledge in the field of e-commerce, e-learning, data analytics, augmented reality and machine learning, etc. will exhibit exponential growth
For Gen- Zers the job market is going to be precarious. They should utilize the lockdown period to assess their skill sets and work on developing necessary skills through various courses available online
It is also a good time to realize the power of networking and personal branding and work towards these important aspects
Students can search for different virtual industry projects, industry awards, junior fellowships to keep themselves updated on industry. It can also open up job opportunities for them.
As a society, we will triumph over COVID-19, and as individuals, we will come through this current crisis. However, considering the pace of change, India, and its industries, will require a tech-savvy workforce, which is agile, quick adapters and completely cued on the industry front. The collaboration between academia and the industry will act as a vehicle to develop the workforce of tomorrow for the nation to stay ahead of the curve during these difficult times.
