Tech job seekers leverage lockdown to learn new technologies

Over 84.48 per cent engineers and tech graduates are utilising the lockdown to reskill or up-skill themselves to stay updated, according to a survey.

An equal percentage of men and women engineers have unanimously acknowledged the skill gap, and are leveraging the lockdown to enhance their knowledge, according to a survey by IP-driven incubation lab BridgeLabz Solutions LLP.

Over 84.48 per cent of the total respondents, said they are learning new technologies relevant to the jobs they seek, it added.

BridgeLabz surveyed over 1,500 fresh tech graduates and working professionals online across the country during the lockdown.

As per the survey, 71.95 per cent of the respondents representing almost equal numbers of men and women are currently looking out for a job.

Finding a job amid the nationwide lockdown emerged as the top challenge for fresh tech graduates and experienced professionals with a majority of engineers, at 76.89 per cent, presently bearing the brunt of the economic slowdown.

It also showed that 24.92 per cent of the working engineers who were planning to switch their jobs are currently stuck as the pandemic has affected the hiring process in organisations across the country.

In addition, the survey revealed that 15.53 per cent of engineering graduates are struggling to stay relevant in the industry with their existing skill set.

Thus, it can be concluded that the ever-evolving technological space and cut-throat competition requires constant upgradation of the skills to survive in the industry, it added.

"An obvious impact of the pandemic-led lockdown can be seen in the employment space. Today, fresh tech graduates and experienced professionals are equally facing the challenges arising out of the demand for newer skill sets in the industry.

"Viewing the current market situation and the inevitable competition in the near future, it will be only wise to strive to improve your learning curve. However, it is good to see that a majority of candidates are utilising this period to enhance their knowledge and accentuate their portfolios to succeed in the impending competition," BridgeLabz Founder Narayan Mahadevan said.

The recent survey findings reinstate the dire need for institutions aimed at experiential learning and enhancing industry-relevant skills that could better the job prospects of engineering candidates, it added.