As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into core business operations, organizations are beginning to see a demand for dedicated AI leadership roles. According to the 2024 Work Trend Index annual report by Microsoft and LinkedIn, 60% of leaders express concern about inadequate AI strategies.
According to a report by the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) titled, “The Future of Data Science and AI in India 2023”, the AI market in India is expected to reach USD 7.8 billion by 2025. These reports aptly highlight the crucial role that AI will play alongside digital capabilities.
The growing demand for AI-driven decision-making across industries has highlighted the growing need for skilled professionals who can transform raw data into actionable insights. However, as highlighted in NASSCOM's 'State of Data Science and AI Skills in India' report, there is a huge 51% gap between the demand and supply of AI/machine learning (ML) BDA technical talent in India.
According to the Analytics and Data Science Jobs in India report 2023, job openings for data science professionals with 2-5 years of experience have increased by 34%. Another report by Grand View Research 2023 predicts that the global AI market will witness tremendous growth by 2030, resulting in a surge in data science job openings. These data aptly highlight the need for advanced courses in AI programming.
Amid concerns that AI will take over jobs, many community colleges and tech companies are turning to new two-year AI programs.
Tech Panda We look at the skills development efforts the tech industry is making to keep up with AI and ML.
Global Alliance Providing Scrum and Agile Training and Certification
edForce, a workforce skilling accelerator, has partnered with SCRUMstudy, a globally recognized certification body for Scrum and Agile training and certification, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
SCRUMstudy is renowned for providing comprehensive training and certification programs on Scrum and Agile methodologies, helping professionals across the globe excel in project management, IT operations, and DevOps practices. Committed to providing high-quality education, SCRUMstudy offers a wide range of certifications including Scrum Master, Scrum Developer, Scrum Product Owner, Agile Master, Scaled Scrum, and more.
Through this partnership, edForce will offer SCRUMStudy's AI-powered SaaS platform to its customers to enhance the learning experience and provide hands-on exposure to the project management tool. Additionally, the partnership will also deliver the industry's first Scrum certification tailored for IT operations and DevOps environments, ensuring relevance and applicability in today's business context.
Chief Digital and AI Officer Program
ISB Executive Education, in collaboration with Emeritus, has launched a Chief Digital and AI Officer programme, which it claims is the first of its kind launched by an academic institution in India.
“The rapid evolution of digital technologies and increasing integration of AI into business operations requires leaders to navigate this dynamic landscape effectively,” said Mohan Kanegal, CEO Emeritus, India and Asia Pacific.
The 30-week online Chief Digital and AI Officer program is targeted at senior professionals at CXO level and mid-to-senior professionals at pre-CXO level. The program aims to provide seasoned digital transformation leaders with the expertise to strategically leverage advancements in digital technologies and AI for the advancement and innovation of their organizations.
Eligibility includes Graduates (10+2+3) and Diploma Holders (10+2+3) from recognized universities (UGC/AICTE/DEC/AIU/State Government/Recognized International University) with a minimum of 10 years of work experience. The programme will commence on 30th June 2024 and the fee is INR 6,00,000 + GST.
The program will include live online sessions with top ISB Executive Education faculty and industry experts, real-world case studies, a capstone project, one-day on-campus training at ISB Executive Education, and peer-to-peer networking opportunities.
This includes modules such as the digitalisation landscape and the impact of disruption, key emerging technologies, continuous innovation with AI, business models for AI-driven businesses and generative AI business applications.
Upon completing the program, participants will receive a certificate from ISB Executive Education and earn ISB Executive Alumni status.
70 Skills & Incubation Hubs for Global Employment in Drones, IoT & Agriculture Sectors
National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and AVPL International have partnered to set up 70 skilling and incubation hubs for global employment in drones, IoT, agriculture and allied sectors across India.
With this partnership, AVPL International will upgrade 50 existing training facilities across 12 Indian states into Global Skilling and Incubation Hubs (GISHs).These hubs will offer accredited courses from prestigious institutes such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) in collaboration with NSDC Academy.
Additionally, dual certification programs with international accreditation bodies are also offered through NSDC International. These initiatives aim to equip the Indian youth with the skills required for global employability opportunities.
The comprehensive training programme will include cutting edge areas like drone technology, Internet of Things (IoT), agriculture, allied sectors etc. The initiative aims to train 140,000 candidates per year with IIT-accredited courses and internationally recognised certifications.
A 12-month incubation initiative to accelerate the growth of early to growth stage AI/ML startups
MATH, an AI and ML technology hub and a joint project of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and T-Hu, has launched the MATH Nuage programme, a 12-month incubation initiative aimed at accelerating the growth of early to growth stage AI/ML startups.
“The Indian AI market is projected to reach $17 billion by 2027, increasing the need to provide essential support to startups,” said Rahul Pais, CEO of MATH.
Startups interested in participating will need to submit an application online with detailed information about their technology, team composition and specific operational requirements. The selection process includes a rigorous initial screening, followed by interviews and a presentation to an external jury. The program will start on August 1, 2024, with a mid-term review planned for February 2025 and a graduation ceremony and demo day planned for July 2025.
Startups will receive personalized, one-on-one mentoring from industry veterans. The program also facilitates direct connections with potential investors. The program helps startups identify and tap into their target markets.
Participants will have access to discounted GPUs and cloud credits. The program will feature NAIM (Nurturing AI Minds), a specialized Learning Management System (LMS) that offers customized educational resources and training modules. Startups can also leverage extensive datasets through access to a data lake to train and validate their AI models.
The MATH Nuage program begins with an intensive onboarding phase aimed at assessing and tailoring support to meet the specific needs of each participating startup. Startups then enter the implementation phase, where they are provided with personalized mentoring, essential infrastructure, and access to critical resources. Throughout the program, regular evaluations ensure that support is continually improved to optimize startups' readiness for growth and independent expansion.
Data Science and AI Program to Train the Next Generation of AI-Powered Data Scientists
Recognising the need to bridge the demand-supply gap for AI/Machine Learning (ML) BDA engineers in India, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Bengaluru, has announced the launch of its Data Science and AI programme.
Our 16-week online Data Science and AI program is specially designed for entry-level professionals looking to gain a solid foundational understanding of Python, Data Science, Machine Learning and Generative AI applications, as well as mid-level managers looking to apply these concepts to their own Data Science, Machine Learning and Generative AI projects, equipping them with the skills they need to excel in a rapidly evolving digital environment.
VIT introduced this program to equip learners with the essential skills required to become AI-powered data scientists. By integrating open source libraries such as Pandas and Matplotlib in the curriculum, participants master the industry standard language, Python, and gain expertise in leveraging AI techniques. Machine learning algorithms enable participants to tackle real-world challenges and unlock the hidden potential of data. By bridging the gap between data analytics and intelligent decision-making, VIT helps professionals excel in the rapidly evolving digital environment.
The program includes an in-depth study of ML algorithms like supervised and unsupervised learning, time series analysis, etc. Delivered by renowned faculty from VIT Bangalore in the field of Data Science, ML and AI, the program offers recorded and live sessions and an industry-aligned curriculum.
It also provides hands-on Jupyter Notebook exercises, real-life case studies of Python-based Data Science Exploration, and live interactive masterclasses on Generative AI and other modules to help learners understand the concepts effectively.
Moreover, the program is offered at a cost-effective price, making quality education accessible to a wider audience.The program includes modules such as popular data science packages in Python, data visualization with Matplotlib, and an introduction to machine learning and Python libraries, as well as GenAI modules such as fundamentals, Python implementation, data science applications, and synthetic data creation.
