Block chain, AI to lead the way

The past year was revolutionary in terms of technological uptake across industries. From education to healthcare, businesses across industries have begun relying on innovative technologies to drive business operations. Accordingly, the HR function around the globe is now focusing on hiring individuals who are technologically adept and possess relevant skills. 

The rapidly-evolving IT landscape is indicative of a transformation in the hiring trends over the next few years. Here are some of the key IT hiring trends to look out for in 2019:

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning 

AI and machine learning were the buzzwords within the global business landscape in 2018. These cutting-edge technologies have simplified and streamlined several business processes, freeing up time for human agents to focus on more creatively demanding jobs. This has driven the demand for professionals equipped with skills in AI and machine learning. 

According to Gartner, AI alone will create 2.3 million jobs globally by 2020. Fast-growing large economies such as India will account for a sizeable chunk of these job openings. Intel expects the demand for AI and machine learning in the country to grow by 50-60 per cent in 2019.

Data analytics

Companies have identified data analytics as a means to generate quantifiable insights that can optimise business processes. A study by NASSCOM suggested that India’s data analytics sector will skyrocket to $16 billion by the year 2025.

In 2018, the year-on-year demand for data scientists within the country grew by 400 per cent, while the supply inched up by only 19 per cent. With the demand for able data scientists on the rise, expect greater focus on upskilling in the data analytics domain in order to bridge this gap.

Blockchain

In a short time since it first came to the fore, blockchain has become a widely-used technology that facilitates transparent P2P transaction networks across industries, including entertainment, fintech and logistics. With the technology expected to find greater adoption in industries such as healthcare and cybersecurity, the global market for blockchain-related products and services is expected to reach $7.7 billion by 2022. This will cause the demand for professionals possessing blockchain skills to shoot up in the near future, particularly in emerging digitally-led economies such as India.

Cybersecurity

A recent IBM report revealed that the Indian business ecosystem currently requires three million cybersecurity professionals. However, there are currently just 100,000 professionals skilled and working in the sector. Bridging this gap will require India to train and hire multiple network security engineers, cybersecurity analysts, and security architects in 2019 and beyond.

In a scenario where specific technologies are driving growth, businesses will also look to hire individuals with relevant skillsets in technologies such as those mentioned above. Such value-based hiring practices will be the highlight of the trends dominating IT recruitment in 2019, and this practice is likely to remain in vogue for years to come.

Initially, the technological revolution was thought of as a threat to the human workforce. It is clear now that human jobs will only be displaced, and not replaced. Technology is merely creating new roles for human agents that require completely different skillsets than most currently possess. Continuous learning, unlearning, and re-learning will become a common practice, as professionals will be required to continually upgrade themselves to remain relevant in a fast-changing business landscape.