Three out of every four Indians worry that technology may eventually replace their jobs if they do not continue to advance their skill set. The professionals in healthcare, manufacturing, software & IT services, banking & insurance, and, to a lesser extent, software are most worried about technology taking their jobs away, a study released on Monday showed.
According to Emeritus Global Workplace Skills Study 2023, released by professional courses and services platform Emeritus, digital marketing, data analytics, finance, management and artificial intelligence (AI) are among the most sought-after topics for professionals.
The study was based on a survey of 1,720 professionals across 20 tier-1 and tier-2 cities in India aged between 25-65 years.
According to the study, tech disruption across sectors is evident through professionals from across sectors taking a keen interest in improving their hold on technology.
While 94% of software and IT professionals and 93% of those working in technology and innovation are interested in upskilling around tech subjects, 86% of manufacturing sector professionals also showed an interest in learning how they can leverage technology tools.
Among those in professional services and consulting, the interest for pursuing higher education stood at 85%. For those in software and IT services, it stood at 77%. About 76% of professionals in manufacturing also took to further education to stay resilient against global changes.
The key motives for Indian techies to upskill were the need to increase self-confidence, increase their job security and enhance their skill sets.
Moreover, about 80% of the respondents said they would be more loyal to their employer if they invested in continued education.
One in every three Indians from various industries was also interested in pursuing further education to better comprehend opportunities and strategic implications of new technologies in their organisation.
“We learn from Indian professionals across sectors that the fear of job displacement due to technological disruptions is a growing concern. However, it is encouraging to note that 83% of the Indian respondents are keen on upskilling through a reputable learning provider as it allowed them to achieve their career goals,” said Mohan Kannegal, chief executive officer for India and APAC at Emeritus.
Many worry AI is coming for their jobs. “I don’t think the quality of the work that I’m producing could be matched by a machine just yet, but still apprehension is there. Give it a few more years, and I imagine a world in which a chatbot does my job just as well as I can,” said Sameer Kumar Upadhyay, a Delhi-based computer science professor.
