Technologies that one must be skilled in to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow

The growing pace of digital technology adoption across various industries spells huge opportunities for graduates and young professionals in the current and future job landscape alike. With technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning playing a key role in enterprise automation, both start-ups, as well as tech giants around the globe, are increasingly looking for people possessing the digital skills and knowledge to facilitate a smooth transition into a new, agile business landscape. However, the jobs of tomorrow will require aspirants to arm themselves with the relevant skills to capitalise on emerging opportunities. At the same time, it’s crucial for one to be informed about the emerging technologies in order to stay ahead of the game.

Here are the top technologies and skills that one must train in to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow and capitalise on the emerging prospects across both the domestic and international markets.

Self-Driving Car Engineering

The last century has seen a tremendous amount of innovations in the automobile industry, but few can be deemed as revolutionary as self-driving cars. The development of machine learning, cutting-edge robotics, and engineering has led to the creation of self-driving systems capable of operating cars in a completely autonomous manner. Autonomous or driverless vehicles are being marketed not only to consumers but also have significant scope in the logistics industry. Such vehicles have come to be regarded for their ability to make transportation more efficient while helping to keep the roads safer. Some of the key skills and concepts one must have knowledge of to be an expert on self-driving car engineering include robotic control systems, sensor fusion, path planning, and perception, among others.

Artificial Intelligence

Technologies like Machine Learning and Deep Learning have made great strides in the recent past and have come to command a significant position in the digital landscape. Artificial Intelligence, the broader technology on which these tools are based, boasts advanced capabilities like self-learning, interpreting and processing natural language, and even carrying out conversations with humans. AI’s cognitive abilities that enable it to learn how to think like humans make it an ideal tool for businesses to automate manual processes for faster and error-free outcomes. AI is also well-suited to mass manufacturing as it allows for better optimization of resources and inputs, lower production costs, and incrementally higher profits. According to research firm Gartner, AI will generate 2.3 million jobs worldwide by 2020, which is more than the number of jobs it will replace.

Machine Learning

Machine Learning has been a veritable game-changer in the technology space, helping to develop software and systems capable of learning to perform various tasks with minimal human intervention. A subset of artificial intelligence, machine learning plays an important role in the creation of automated technological tools, allowing computers to read and interpret large sets of data to derive detailed insights. At the same time, machine learning can be applied to complex data models to conducting predictive analyses of possible outcomes based on specific sets of inputs. Machine learning algorithms can also offer relevant recommendations on how to optimize various processes, boost efficiency and productivity, and identify trends to focus on for sustained growth.

Robotics Engineering

Robotics and automation are being leveraged in fields like manufacturing to take over tasks that are too dangerous and physically challenging for humans to perform. AI and machine learning are the underpinning technologies of robotic systems that enable automated machines to perform laborious and intensive tasks like warehousing, security, and all kinds of heavy lifting. This frees up humans to perform more creative tasks that require human intelligence and add real value to the organization. Those aspiring to make a career in robotics engineering must possess skills that include but are not limited to writing software, control algorithms, computer vision, hardware integration, and kinematics.

Blockchain

While blockchain’s application in fields like data security or privacy attracts many businesses, others find its potential to help make business transactions and processes transparent and efficient to be significant importance. No matter what the motivations may be for these businesses and sectors to adopt blockchain, the transparent and immutable nature of the distributed ledger technology (DLT) has businesses lining up to reform their IT strategies to make way for this innovation. New applications of blockchain are constantly being explored and developed, most notably to make digital payments and data sharing more secure, build cybersecurity systems, creating smart contracts, to secure intellectual property, copyright protection, etc. Blockchain experts are currently in high demand, especially in the banking and fintech industries where companies are looking to build more secure and trustworthy products and services. Blockchain experts are also among the top five highest roles that command the highest salaries in India currently, thus making it one of the most sought after job roles among graduates and young professionals.

Data Science

Data is often referred to as the new oil in the digital business landscape, with quintillion bytes of it being created each day. However, all of this data, just like oil, cannot be utilised without processing it and refining it, and requires the help of experts skilled in converting raw data into a usable form. Businesses are increasingly leveraging data science and data analytics technologies for better customer service as well as to develop better quality, micro-targeted products to reach very specific segments and target higher conversions. Organizations from around the world are, therefore, looking for data science experts to help them with their digital business strategies. Individuals with an analytical bent of mind and with a background in mathematics and statistics, along with a knowledge of programming languages like Python, are best positioned to capitalise on the job opportunities in this space.

Students and young professionals looking to acquire the skills and train in these technologies today have access to several life-long learning options online. Some of the leading online educational platforms give learners the chance to train with the help of the best quality content and top faculty, along with relevant industry insights as part of their holistic reskilling programs. With technology adoption rising across some of the biggest industries across the globe, professionals have a huge opportunity before them to further their careers with new skills and knowledge.

Mr Ishan Gupta, MD, Udacity India