In an exclusive interview with Higher Education Review, Rency Mathew, People Leader, India and South Asia, Global Capability Center, Bengaluru, Sabre Corporation, shares her valuable insights on the talent shortage in the Indian engineering domain, importance of nurturing leadership skills in students, workplace stress, and more.  

According to Man Group’s report of Talent Shortage 2020, 63% of the companies in India report a shortage of capable talent, especially in the IT and engineering space. Considering this, how do you view the Indian engineering education landscape? 

Having a deep understanding of abstract theories and ideas is nothing without knowing how to apply them in the real world. We are living in an age where the change in science, technology, and society is not constant, but is accelerating at a pace that humankind has never seen before. An ever-growing part of the world’s population is becoming digitally connected, has access to unlimited knowledge, and continues to add to it while collaborating globally. University education must change and play an important role in this transformation.

Graduates should be equipped with knowledge and skills to effectively deal with and employ artificial intelligence, working with intelligent machines, rather than against them. They must prepare students for a labor market being massively transformed by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and is undeniably moving towards the development and use of key enabling technologies. It is important that engineering education prepares students to thrive in this world of flux and be prepared for whatever lies ahead. It must empower them to be leaders of innovation, to not only adapt to a changing world, but also be able to change it. It is they who can make the difference by combining technical expertise with personal and professional traits for effective leadership.  

IT industry is one of the most dynamic ones in terms of business strategies and the risk involved.   How do you see the growing importance of leadership skills in the enterprise technology domain?

The future of work is heavily supported by technology. The leaders of today need to inculcate the right skills to help organizations maintain a sense of competitiveness, in upskilling as well as initiating mentoring for the betterment of the teams. Every day, technology evolves, so organisations must constantly adapt to maintain cutting-edge technology to remain competitive. This involves responsive leadership, and organisations need proper leadership structure in place to enable this progression. The company’s resources need to change for a growth mindset that can ultimately drive the leaders to strategise things along with the latest trends and innovation.

Companies and organisations should be able to pivot themselves before their competitor does. It is vital for leaders to be strong advocates for their teams, so that individuals and the team can achieve their set goals. The leader needs to equip the team with the right resources and direction, understanding their strengths and weaknesses to coordinate effectively. This can be beneficial in delivering training or additional workforce with the right expertise.

In the current scenario, communication skills play a vital role in helping us achieve the above. The team members need to receive constant feedback so that they can adjust their goals while moving ahead. Frequent communication means more transparency, which is key in developing strong collaborative teams. The leaders of the future need to be able to provide a clear direction and strategy to the staff. They should be competent enough to inspire and manage people. Read More

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This article was published in Higher Education Review and features interview excerpts from our team member Rency Mathew