Beyond the Classroom: Challenges and Opportunities of the Employability of Engineering Graduates in India

Every engineering graduate seeking a place in the overly large employment landscape of India has to sit back and ruminate over the realities and the challenges. Recent reports have been steering the limelight towards this very burning issue by emphasizing that the rates of employability, even for engineering graduates in India, are pretty low. The Economic Survey for 2023-24 mentions that only about 51.25% of youth coming out of college are really employable, starkly contrasting to the aspirations we hold as graduates. Naturally, the question that comes to mind is, what is it that we lack to let our dreams slip away?

Understanding Employability Through Skills

The "Relationship Between Employability and Graduates' Skills" research paper from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia provides valuable insight into how the very skills we acquire during our studies evade employability. It focused on establishing whether skills in programming, system development, soft skills, and entrepreneurial skills have a significant effect on employability among graduates from the Faculty of Information Science and Technology. Now, here is the interesting part.

One can learn from the findings that those who could do at least two programming languages had a much greater likelihood of getting employed. This perfectly relates to my personal experience: during my final year, I made up my mind to learn several programming languages, which gave me leverage in pursuing internships. Also, this research shows that soft skills—teamwork, communication, and adaptability—are important instruments in enhancing employability. I can personally attest to this: various college group projects and events that I was involved in taught me the importance of collaboration and effective communication, which later turned out to be very helpful during interviews.

On the other hand, it's distressing that the same research points to a considerable lack of programming skills in graduates and how that limits their employability potential. This mirrors some of those students whom I talked to who said they felt unprepared when put through technical interviews that required practical knowledge rather than theoretical understanding.

The Current Employment Scene

Moving into the very real scenario of current employment, the findings from the Economic Survey are quite jarring but not really surprising at all. While there has been a small amount of improvement in employability from 34 percent to 51.25 percent over the past decade, reality is not too encouraging. Being graduates, we find ourselves most of the time in an ecosystem laden with competition, desperately seeking roles wanting just a tick more than the education that was imparted to us.

It also cites that the Indian economy needs to create approximately 7.85 million jobs every year till the year 2030. While we are working towards it, it's important to bridge the gap between what we study in classrooms and what the industry demands. Most of the institutions are very slow in changing their curriculum, which in turns out to be a skill mismatch.

For instance, I remember one of the sessions whereby industry leaders themselves complained about the lack of practical skills among graduating students. Of course, technical knowledge is indispensable, but it will not suffice in today's fast-changing world. An engineering degree is just a step through the door; we should be engaging ourselves vigorously in learning and skilling initiatives that carry into our lives.

The Gig Economy as a Silver Lining

On a more optimistic note, with the arrival of gig economies, new pathways have been opened to graduates who are struggling for stable employment. The Economic Survey estimates that gig workers will be a substantial proportion of the workforce by 2029-30. The time is, therefore, on us to explore different avenues. Many of my friends have started taking freelance projects, which help financially as well as enhance their portfolios.

Flexible work conditions are instrumental in this change, more so as the Code on Social Security, 2020 creates scaffolding for supporting gig workers. I feel it opens new doors for all of us especially women and differently-abled people who desire work-life balance and strive to build their careers.

The Specific Shortfalls in Engineering

While all these new avenues are opening up, the bigger challenges are at hand, more specifically in the engineering sector, where a study by SIAM revealed that only 57.44% of B.E./B.Tech. graduates can be considered employable for the automotive industry—a shocking fact when considering the rapid growth and demands the EV market is pressing for.

Confronting this gap, SIAM recommended a total revamp of the curriculum more than 15 times in competencies. Reskilling, up-skilling, and skilling form an integral part of any dynamic field such as automotive technology. We are, therefore, standing at a juncture where this requirement of skilled professionals will manifold to as much as 2 lakh skilled professionals by 2030. Having taken up projects and internships in EV technology myself, I see the huge potential but also the immediate need for systemic change in how we are educated.

Action Items for Graduates

Looking forward, there are certain things we can do to make ourselves employable. First of all, develop the skills in programming languages and software development-related skills related to the industry to which you want to get employed. Online courses, boot camps, and workshops are great tools.

1. Internship and Projects: The internship or projects one will do give experience in dealing with real-world problems. Practical knowledge is often valued over theoretical understanding by most companies.
2. Networking: Through places like LinkedIn, one can easily connect to people in the industry. More often than not, networking can help one find invisible job opportunities and mentorship.
3. Soft Skills: Do not belittle the fact that you need to develop soft skills too. Make sure to participate in team projects or be involved in clubs that would help you develop your communication and leadership skills.
4. Relevance: The industries are changing and so are we. Keep current with the latest trends and technology updates in your industry so you will not miss being competitive.

And finally….

The employability landscape of engineering graduates in India is challenging but not without hopeful possibilities. In this regard, tailoring our skill sets concerning the needs of the industry, pounding the gig economy, and incessant adaptations to technological changes will be keys to better navigation. Let us use the power of our education and experiences to step confidently into the workforce—one opportunity at a time.

Yes, the journey may be tough, but the review of where we began makes every obstacle worth fighting for. Let's hang on to our dreams and take the steps to make them real.

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