Wiley, a global leader in research and education, has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur for developing and offering a slew of industry 4.0 courses and certifications.
Along with the programs, the brand Wiley will also collaborate with IIT Jodhpur’s iHUB Drishti Foundation and Jodhpur City Knowledge and Innovation Foundation to develop competencies in industry-relevant 21st-century skills. The move is aligned with the company’s vision of building an ‘Atmanirbhar’ talent and shaping the workforce of the future.
The MoU was signed between Wiley and IIT Jodhpur in the presence of Prof. Santanu Chaudhury, Director IIT Jodhpur; Prof. Surajit Ghosh, Dean, Research & Development, Dr. Krishna Kumar Balaraman, Head of Department, School of Management and Entrepreneurship, Prof. Suril V. Shah, Associate Dean (Academics), and Prof. S. R. Vadera, Deputy Director from Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur.
According to the IT industry’s apex body, the National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom), India’s information technology (IT) sector is facing a talent crunch for niche digital skills leading to a war for talent among firms. These digital skills include emerging technologies such as big data analytics, data engineering, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing, cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), and robotics. The number of workers in India requiring digital skills will need to increase nine times by 2025. At present, digitally skilled workers represent only 12% of India’s workforce.
Another credible study and survey found that 55% of HR and L&D employers believe there is a skills gap within their organization, with upskilling and/or reskilling employees coming in as the top choice for addressing the skills gap (57%) over hiring new candidates (56%) or outsourcing (33%). More traditional forms of education were found to be the most effective strategies for upskilling/reskilling employees. Tuition reimbursement or scholarships, university-sponsored discounts, and industry certifications ranked as the top 3 most effective methods among all respondents.
Attuned to the market demand, IIT-Jodhpur & WileyNXT, under this MoU, will jointly curate and offer a suite of Executive Programs with IIT Jodhpur Credentials and Alumni Status for professionals in the areas of Data Engineering, AI & Machine Learning, Digital Transformation, AR/VR, and Healthcare Analytics to name a few. The design and delivery of the programs built on the premise of a unique conceptual and contextual learning model will enable the learners to map the taught skills directly to the business environment and be employable from Day 1, thereby bridging the massive talent-employability gap in industry 4.0 skills. The partnership will enable IIT Jodhpur and Wiley to string together research excellence and industry expertise into skill based Executive Education programs for technologists, managers as well as entrepreneurs to guarantee Day-1 job readiness.
Commenting on the development, Vikas Gupta, Managing Director, Wiley & mthree in India, said,
“We are honored to collaborate with the Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur in our endeavor to help professions upskill and enhance their employability skills. We are certain that IIT-Jodhpur & WileyNXT professionals will help make the talent and workforce truly self-reliant. The industry reports cite that nearly three in four Indian enterprises (74%) today feel that the lack of skills impedes overall innovation and about 30% organizations plan to focus on artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) as key areas to hire or reskill their workforce.
We are on the cusp of an industry revolution and Wiley, as one of the leaders in the research, education and training sector, aims to contribute towards India’s growth story by nurturing and shaping the workforce of the future and closing the existing skill gap. This could only be possible by empowering today’s generation with requisite skill sets and knowledge.”
Prof. Santanu Chaudhary, Director IIT Jodhpur, said,
“The Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur has always remained committed to the advancement of the technological thought and action through the power of quality education delivered with a contemporary and highly professional curriculum. Aligned with the demands of the industry, we are happy to have partnered with Wiley, an organization with a legacy of over two centuries, to impart industry relevant knowledge, skills and expertise to the aspiring professionals. We are confident that our collaboration will add value to learners interested in upskilling and lifelong learning.”
WileyNXT is Wiley’s innovative learning solution built to bridge the skill gap. It offers professional learning and education programs in new and emerging technologies, which are relevant for today’s workforce. WileyNXT programs are designed by Wiley Innovation Advisory Council (WIAC), a body comprising of 40+ industry and academia leaders.
