IT firms are enhancing their interaction with colleges and universities to ensure that the graduates who pass out from these institutions match the industry's requirements.
NEW DELHI: Fearing a massive shortage of skilled manpower in the next few years, the country's top IT firms are enhancing their interaction with colleges and universities to ensure that the graduates who pass out from these institutions match the industry's requirements.
Tata Consultancy Services, the country's biggest software exporter, as well as Infosys Technologies, Satyam Computer and HCL are among the companies that are either already working with engineering colleges or are planning to collaborate with the academia to churn out professionals with the right skills.
"One of the major challenges being faced by the Indian IT industry is the lack of qualified talent. Both the engineering colleges and the IT industry are realising the need to scale up students to meet growing demand," Somnath Baishya, Infosys Head (Global Entry Level Hiring & Campus Relations) said.
India produces over 3.65 lakh engineering graduates and 30 lakh other graduates every year, out of which hardly 20 per cent are suited for industry needs, Baishya said.
Industry estimates suggest supply of skilled manpower will fall short of requirements by almost 22 per cent by 2009 if issues around human resource development are not addressed.
"There is a gap between what is taught and what is required. The syllabus of engineering programme is outdated and students are not taught how to apply theory to practical problems," Nasscom President Kiran Karnik said recently.
To bridge the industry-academia gap, Hyderabad-based Satyam is expanding its 'Campus Link' programme to various educational institutions. The programme will provide soft skills and industry-specific training to students. Similarly, TCS organises student and faculty development workshops as part of its Academia Interface Programme (AIP).
HCL Technologies' Global Head (Talent Transformation) Anand Pillai also said the company was open to the idea of tying up with engineering colleges. However, he said, there were several issues that needed to be addressed before finalising such decisions.
"We have industry experts from HCL speak at institutes such as BITS Pilani and IIM-Ahmedabad, to name a couple. This trend is on the rise and tying up with engineering colleges is definitely in the pipeline," Pillai said.
The country's second biggest software services firm Infosys has also developed several learning aids and tools that will help meet specific college requirements and bring about uniformity in training.
Infosys' Baishya said the company has a program called the 'Campus Connect', through which it aims to align the needs of colleges, its faculty and students with those of the IT industry and create a forum where some of the best practices can be shared with engineering colleges.
While companies are focusing on coaching students, they are not leaving the faculty behind.
"To provide faculty development programs, our industry experts and architects do guest lectures on different topics in select campuses we will be building labs," S Padmanabhan, head of Global HR with TCS, said in an e-mail reply.
TCS has also developed a Faculty Development Programme (FDP) to collaborate with select universities in conducting custom made courses and curriculum to be taught to students in engineering colleges which are in smaller towns in India. It also sponsors academicians to sabbaticals at TCS.
Satyam's 'Campus Link' initiative includes faculty development programmes as well. The company would also build labs and centre of excellence in select campuses.
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