Tech Mahindra CEO
While laying the foundation for the next level of growth at his company, Tech Mahindra CEO C P Gurnani stated that the skillset of manpower in new-age technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, cyber-security and machine learning remain the biggest challenge for Indian IT players. Gurani mentioned this in an exclusive interview to Times of India.
The Trouble in the IT Industry
When asked if hiring in the IT sector is in any kind of stress, Gurani said that there is a shortage of engineers with the right skills. He gave an example of a city like Delhi wherein a person with 60% marks cannot persue BA but can get admission in an engineering college. He further said that the Indian IT industry wants people with skills. For example, Nasscom says 6 million people are required in cybersecurity by 2022. But there is a shortage. If a company is looking for people in robotics, they will get people who are specialized in mainframes. This is the biggest challenge.
The Skill-gap situation
He informed the TOI about the five-acre tech & learning centre which was created specially to impart the missing skills to Mahindra employees. Similarly, other companies have created similar centres too. Hence the onus of employability has been shifted to the IT companies. Despite these changes, top 10 IT companies recruit only 6% of engineering graduates. So the big question is – What happens to the remaining 94%?
What affects hiring?
Gurani says that there are changes can be witnessed in hiring trends. One reason is that the equation is no long simple and linear. There are various other factors to be considered. For instance, earlier for every million dollars of revenue, 20 people were required to finish the job. Recently this equation is changing due to automation, increased productivity and new tools. Thus the same million dollars need only 15 people to complete the job. That mean it take 25% less people to finish the same job.
The H1B issue – a cause of concern for IT Companies?
Gurani feels that in case of H1B, a small issue has been blow out of proportion. He feels that to shut doors on H1B aspirants and immigrants in general is a populist move. He further states that every company will come up with a strategy to deal with this issue. But US will soon realise that there is a shortage of labour and an equilibrium has to set in. If US does not want products to be developed on their shores, then they will be developed in some other country. So it is something that US as a nation has to decide and act upon.
He elaborated that other countries are already using this as a way to attract talent to their country. For example, the Canadian Prime Minister openly declares that, “Don’t got to Us. Come to Canada.”
