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India though enjoys a major chunk of the outsourcing pie, it lags in quality manpower to meet high demand from customers. Very soon the significant advantage India enjoys in outsourcing will cease to exist, if the dearth of skilled manpower is not met with. India at present faces stiff competition from countries like China, Philippines, Mexico and Hungary specifically in terms of human resources.
Concerned about keeping India's HR advantage intact, software body National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom), along with several Indian technology majors began collaborating with the academia to bring fresh engineering graduates, especially those in Tier II cities, up to the mark. This initiative, started in 2004, is called IT Workforce Development (ITWD).
As part of the ITWD, Nasscom started faculty development and mentorship of institutes programmes, focused actively on creating industry-ready IT and ITeS talent. It also signed an MoU to this with the University Grants Commission and the All India Council for Technical Education. Several industry-academia workshops with leading technical universities across India, particularly in Tier II and Tier III cities, have also been held.
"Newer activities by the ITWD forum would include: review of curriculums, repository of IT projects that students can undertake, industry sabbaticals for faculty and a skill assessment programme that will be implemented in consultation with engineering colleges," according to Sangeeta Gupta, vice-president of Nasscom. Ongoing activities undertaken like industry-academia sessions and faculty training programs will continue.
Nasscom's ITWD Forum comprises 35 IT companies including BirlaSoft, Computer Associates, Infosys, ITC Infotech, MindTree, Polaris, Sapient, CSC, Satyam, TCS, TechSpan, Virtusa and Xansa. These companies have all been working with regional institutions in small ways. Now they are ready to take it forward.
For example, ITC Infotech India organised a faculty development programme (FDP) workshop at about 20 Tier II colleges from the East recently. ITC Infotech is also in the final stages of getting a couple of Nasscom-nominated lecturers to the organisation for a few months. Says Anand Talwar, vice-president, talent management, ITC Infotech: "This sabbatical would help them participate in actual projects and expose them to the working environment. Their learnings would find its way into the way they deliver their course curriculum."
Xansa India began with a mentorship programme with Guru Gobind Singh Institute of Information Technology. Its next move will involve a similar programme with Jammu University, identified by Nasscom. "We will give students a simulated environment by setting up techno-business skill development centres there. We are in the process of getting the MoU in place along with Nasscom and UGC", says Anjali Raina, head - resourcing & capability development, Xansa India.
R Narayanan, adviser, learning & development at TCS, informs that a feedback component is being proposed at the college level so that students are mentored in areas they need to improve to make the grade. "We are trying to work out the modalities and logistics involved in this effort as well as identifying credible agencies for outsourcing the design and delivery part. Companies are free to use this assessment as a first-level shortlist so that their hiring efforts are minimised. We hope to roll out this initiative by mid 2006," he says.
These initiatives are a step in the right direction to make the India advantage a win-win situation for all three stakeholders -- the institutes (Tier II/III institutes getting visibility), students (geography and institute of study do not matter if they possess the 'right stuff') and companies (widening their catchment area). As Talwar puts it: "Today, less than 10% of our graduating engineers is able to make it to the IT industry. With explosive growth and demand for qualified, knowledgeable resources, it is a national priority to improve this conversion rate."
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