Jobs In Robotics Sector Higher Than The Demand: Sashi Kumar, MD, Indeed India

Global demand for AI talent has doubled in the past three years, and hiring in India alone is expected to see a 60 percent rise by the end of this year. There has been an increase of 186 percent in the number of job seekers looking for work opportunities in the robotics sector in India between May 2015 and May 2018.

With necessary skills, job seekers can look forward to a number of opportunities for their career in robotics, believes Sashi Kumar, Managing Director, Indeed India.

What are the chances of landing a job in the robotics sector for candidates?

Following the government’s investment of $13 billion in robotics under its Make in India initiative in 2015, the robotics sector has seen a significant boost in terms of job growth. In fact, India’s use of robotics is currently growing at 12 percent, almost twice that of the global rate. According to data from Indeed, there has been an increase of 191 percent in the number of job postings in the robotics sector in India between May 2015 and May 2018. Robotics also has a key role to play towards attracting global players to invest in the country. There is therefore tremendous potential that is yet to be tapped when it comes to the scope for application of robotics. With the requisite skills, job seekers can look forward to ample opportunities to build a career in robotics in India.

What are the chances of robotics affecting human jobs?

While automation is likely to take over tasks that require a relatively low level of skill, robotics can, in fact, boost demand for highly specialized talent across different verticals. As access to internet connectivity and open source platforms improves, a favourable environment for the sector’s growth and development is being created. There has been an increase of 186 percent in the number of job seekers looking for work opportunities in the robotics sector in India between May 2015 and May 2018, which is indicative of not only increasing interest but also increasing scope for employment in the sector. Some of the most searched job titles in robotics include robotics engineer, software engineer, application developer, and business process analyst, among others. 

What is the skill gap situation in the job market?

From May 2015 to May 2018, the number of job postings for robotics profiles has on average been higher than the number of job searches for these profiles, which implies that the talent mismatch ratio is greater than 1, which implies that there are more job openings than job seekers in the sector. This could be seen as an indication of talent mismatch in the sector, wherein despite available job openings, there is a lack of adequately skilled talent to take on the role.

What is better for employers: to train existing employees or to find an already upskilled workforce?

With the advancement of technology, companies are constantly adopting newer modes of incorporating the same into their existing business models. While firms across industries are adopting a technology-forward approach, and hiring talent with specialized skills, it is crucial that they also prepare their existing workforce by reskilling and upskilling employees in the requisite capabilities. In order to achieve optimum productivity, the focus needs to be not only about finding talent with the right skills but also on equipping existing employees with the required skills to work with new-age solutions.

What sectors lead the robotics boom and the segregation of robotics jobs?

Several industries, predominantly construction, manufacturing, and surgery, have contributed to the integration of robotics to a large extent, leading to the creation of new jobs in the sector. Surgery is one area where robots are making a breakthrough, with the sector expected to grow at a rate much higher than the global average. India’s surgical robotics market is estimated to grow at a rate (CAGR) of 20 percent between 2017 and 2025, as compared to the global rate of 12 percent. Another sector that is seeing increasing reliance on robots is the construction industry, given the thrust of government initiatives such as Make in India and Digital India. With a market of for close to one thousand robots annually, the sector offers huge potential for experimentation.