Youth in emerging economies most confident about career: Study

Young people in the emerging markets like India are most confident that they have the necessary skills for a successful career in contrast to peers in developed markets, says a study by Infosys.
"Currently some 78 per cent in Brazil and India are confident that they have the necessary skills for a successful future career. In contrast, the sentiment is lower in developed countries, including 53 per cent in France and 51 per cent in Australia," the report said.
The report, Amplifying Human Potential: Education and Skills for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, commissioned by Infosys and conducted by independent research agency Future Foundation, polled 1,000 young people per country, aged between 16 and 25, in the UK, Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, South Africa and the US.

As per the report, there is a large technical knowledge gap between emerging and developed economies.
For example, there is a 30 per cent gap between Indian young men (81 per cent) and their counterparts in the US (51 per cent).
Among female respondents, the gap is 28 per cent between India (70 per cent) and the US (42 per cent).

In developed economies, the youngest workforce feels acute pressure to find a well paid job.
According to the research, 76 per cent of young workers in France believe their job prospects are worse than those of their parents' generation.

This is in stark contrast to the emerging economies surveyed, where a minority of youth, for example 49 per cent in India, believe their job opportunities are worse than those of the previous generations.
The data also indicates the disparity between emerging and developed economies' technological understanding is linked to developed markets' long-established education, employment and economic strategies.
"Young people around the world can see that new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, will enable them to reimagine the possibilities of human creativity, innovation and productivity," Infosys CEO and Managing Director Vishal Sikka said.
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In his address, Sikka who completes 21 months as CEO, spoke about various initiatives like zero distance, design thinking, renew and new strategy.

He said the industry is at a point of fundamental change, and stressed on delivering of innovations and values that clients are looking for.
"I believe it is within us because of the values and the investments that we have made and I believe that if we are able to execute on this then the journey ahead...Will be an extremely rewarding one," he added.