By Divyansh Kumar
IT companies are back on campus for a new session of recruitment after a short break. However, companies are aligning themselves strategically Campus Recruitment Initiatives related to specific skills Emerging technologies. Graduates with expertise in fields such as Cloud computingArtificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Cybersecurity, and more have received offer letters with competitive salary packages.
All India Council for Technical Training (AICTE) Chief Coordination Officer Buddha Chandrasekhar highlights the change in recruitment as companies are now only considering engineering graduates with strong skills in new technologies. “With increasing demand for skills in AI/ML, data science, cloud computing, devops, cybersecurity, 5G/6G, blockchain, VLSI, and more, the job market is evolving rapidly. New roles are being created in corporates, offering diverse roles in data science. are doing, focusing on programming and emerging technologies,” he said. Education Times.
Sanjeev Jain, Chief Operating Officer, Wipro Limited says, “The hiring environment has always been dynamic, and this development has become more prominent in the last 2-3 years. There is a growing need for technical expertise, including proficiency in software development, data science, AI/ML, cloud computing, and cyber security. “
As every company strives to integrate AI, the demand for AI-related jobs in all sectors has increased. “AI will work hand-in-hand with humans and help deliver exponential business results for organizations. AI will take over repetitive, transactional, high-volume tasks, allowing the workforce to become more strategic and also realize their career ambitions.”
“With the launch of the Wipro AI 360 strategy, 2,30,000 employees have mastered basic Gen AI fundamentals with over 44,000 receiving advanced AI training tailored to their role. Apart from technologies, new recruitment is also based on soft skills, leadership skills, teamwork and problem solving,” says Jain.
Companies are keen to hire graduates with relevant experience and training in these critical areas. The evolving scenario has prompted HEIs to transform their curriculum to include courses that reflect industry needs.
To equip students with these in-demand competencies, IIIT-Bangalore has implemented a curriculum that is closely aligned with industry trends. “Firms have shifted focus to skill-based assessment, prioritizing coding tests, algorithm challenges, technical interviews, and problem-solving abilities,” says Professor Debbrata Das, director, IIIT-Bangalore.
Collaboration with educational institutions
Collaboration between AICTE and IT firms plays an important role in increasing student employability. The Technical education The regulator is implementing various initiatives to ensure graduates acquire employable skills. “We collaborate with industry partners to design relevant curriculum and support certification courses in emerging technologies like AI and cybersecurity,” says Chandrasekhar. This partnership helps refine training programs based on industry feedback, bridging the gap between education and the job market.
Wipro has collaborated with academic, technical and education partners and startups to ensure effective training for the next generation of associates. It has also collaborated with IIT Delhi, IIT Patna, IISc Bangalore, as well as the University of Maryland and the University of South Carolina to advance R&D. “We have also set up centers of excellence in several leading regional universities like Amity University, Anna University, Chitkara University etc.,” says Jain.
Vishal Khurma, CEO of Waxen University, Hyderabad, says internships offered by industries have increased in the last year. The placement model for the first BTech batch is based on internships, which were converted into full-time jobs. “The internships provided valuable work experience to support a seamless transition into the workforce. This approach has achieved a remarkable 100% placement track with our BTech pilot batch,” says Khurma.
Anil Joseph Pinto, registrar at Christ University, Bangalore, notes that internship and job opportunities currently focus on data analytics, cloud computing and cybersecurity, reflecting a shift from traditional IT roles to specialized technical skills over the past year. Prof Pinto says Christ University has been collaborating with IT firms by organizing workshops, hackathons and internship fairs and establishing industry-specific partnerships to facilitate placements.
Changing hiring trends
Kakandikar Ganesh, associate dean of external relations at MIT-WPU, Pune, says, “Corporates are engaging freshers by enrolling them in internships. There are three types of internships available: internship, internship + PPO (pre-placement offer), and performance-based internship + work. These opportunities enable freshers to enhance their technical skills while gaining exposure to industry culture.
The expectations of IT employers regarding graduate qualifications and skills have changed significantly. Prof Ganesh adds that all recruiters are looking for specific skills with a graduate, highlighting that freshers should be equipped with at least one global certification before joining a company.
Ashish Munjal, co-founder and CEO of Sunstone, a higher education company that works with top colleges and recruiters across India, emphasizes the need for well-rounded skills in today’s dynamic workplace. “We prioritize preparing students to develop a strong foundation in both technical and soft skills. Our focus areas include data management, product management, problem solving, communication, and adaptability,” he explains.
Preparing students for success
To prepare students for campus placements, educational institutes are offering personalized training programs, mock interviews, resume-building workshops, industry mentorship, and career coaching.
Acknowledging that the past year has been challenging for both the education and IT sectors, Lovely Professional University Chancellor Ashok Kumar Mittal says, “Over the past years, we have built specializations in our computer science and engineering programs focusing on areas like cyber security, data. Science, and IT employers have increased their expectations for candidates from engineering and computer application domains, including graduate qualifications and skills, especially from students from circuit and non-circuit branches.