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The pandemic has disrupted the world in myriad ways with both people and their livelihood severely impacted. With economies coming to a virtual halt due to the extensive lockdowns and restrictions imposed globally, many business enterprises were forced to down shutters. This resulted in scores of people around the world losing their source of livelihood. According to the ILO, more than one in six people are not working anymore due to the pandemic. Further, there have been interruptions in skill development training for youth resulting in lost opportunities for new candidates looking for jobs or existing candidates moving up the career ladder.
Now with post COVID recovery in progress and the dynamics of business changing with new technologies and paradigms being put in place, the youth need to adapt to the emerging order by learning new skills. This can help mitigate the job crisis faced by youth during the pandemic. Here, the role of digital technologies should be foregrounded in enabling candidates to pursue online learning and earning.
There has been a renewed focus on skill development in digital technologies such as those run by Anudip, a non-profit organization established in 2007 and working for socially disadvantaged groups. The digital skills training programs should collaborate with stakeholders across sectors. For instance, Anudip works in conjunction with its employer partners such as IBM, EY, Infosys, Nielsen, TCS, Walmart, Wipro, Accenture, Capgemini, and others, to train youth in various skills and let them earn aspirational livelihoods through digital inclusion. Let us discuss the skills to be imparted to the youth and make them capable of getting jobs – in the formal and/or informal sector.
New skills for youth in the post COVID world
Remote working using digital platforms has been the hallmark of the pandemic with contact jobs having gone out of favor. Work from home became the new way of working for a large number of people. Now, with the pandemic showing signs of ebbing, business enterprises are looking at the hybrid model of working. Consequently, the youth should upskill themselves in courses or jobs that can be done remotely. The following are the new skills the youth can learn to leverage the job opportunities that shall be available post-COVID-19.
Critical thinking and problem solving: The world is getting wired and increasingly competitive with each passing day. Business enterprises the world over are looking for candidates who possess critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. These skills can help employees find out-of-the-box solutions to emerging challenges. This skill-set is going to determine if a candidate is employable. Again, there are institutes such as Anudip that offer futuristic courses to people looking to earn aspirational livelihoods.
Effective communication: English has become the language for upward mobility and is the common link language that is prevalent across business enterprises. Since effective communication is the key for remote working, apart from the other associated skills, the youth should update their communication and interpersonal skills (both spoken and written) to fit into the demanding job roles of the future.
ICT: Since the world moves on Information Technology, the youth should gain proficiency in ICT (Information and Communication Technology). This means learning courses in digital marketing, programming, hardware, and networking, among others.
Conclusion
The disruptions caused by COVID-19 have upended the way we work with digital technologies becoming the predominant platforms for business enterprises to operate. The youth should adapt themselves to the changing scenario and learn new skills to leverage the new job opportunities that are going to be available in the post COVID world.
