The jobs challenge: Vast efforts are required to reskill new engineers

Automation and cloud computing have together drastically altered employment opportunities in the infotech sector. Indian IT/ITES companies are sharply pruning new hiring. In 2016, the sector absorbed 100,000 new engineering graduates. This year, it will make offers only to about 60,000 new engineers. Within a few years, it could start shedding jobs. Technology has led to a change in the profile for IT hires as well, and personnel needs have reduced in aggregate. Putting services on the cloud, which is a network of remote servers hosted on the internet, has led to the demise of dedicated systems departments. Automation has