IT-ITES Industry continues to be the net recruiter, 'automation has not replaced workers': Report

Indian information technology (IT) and IT-enabled Services (ITES) industry, which employs 41.38 lakhs people as of FY 2018-19(E), added about 1.7 lakh employees from last year, a report said.  Technology automation has not replaced workers, but improved productivity and provided workers time to focus on other tasks involving complex decisionmaking and social interactions, a Ministry of Labour & Employment statement said citing NASSCOM report.

Rather, the adoption of new technology creates jobs, increases productivity, and pushing up the demand for skilled labour. The Indian IT-ITES industry continues to be a net hirer and provides on the job training, the statement said.

"IT industry is undergoing a transformative change. The stakeholders covering industry, academia and Sector Skills Councils are working to ensure that the existing workforce is re-skilled/up-skilled in emerging technologies and job roles. To cater to these requirements, a ‘technology-enabled Re-Skilling/ Up-Skilling Framework’ for the employees of IT sector has been evolved in consultation with NASCCOM, Industry and Academia, with Government acting as an enabler/ facilitator," it said.

The industry and the government have come together to re-skill/ up-skill a total of 2 million employees of IT sector over a period of five years. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has also signed a MoU with NASSCOM to collaborate and strengthen cooperation in re-skilling and up-skilling of employees in new and emerging technologies, it said.

Further, Director General of Training, to keep pace with technological innovations has also introduced new trades in 2018. Geo-Informatics Assistant, Aeronautical Structure and Equipment Fitter, Additive Manufacturing Technician (3D Printing), Drone Pilot, Electrician Power Distribution, Technical Mechatronics, Solar Technician (Electrical), Internet of Things (Smart Agriculture, Smart Healthcare and Smart City), Soil Testing & Crop Management and Firemen, etc, are some of the new technological areas on which trainings are being imparted.

Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Union Minister of State (I/C) for Labour and Employment, provided these information in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.