Engineering students may seek non-core jobs, strategise upskilling: Experts

The evolution of AI has ushered in a departure from traditional mass-hiring practices towards more targeted approaches. (Illustration by Suneesh Kalarickal)

As companies moderate their campus recruitment, experts suggest that engineering students, including those from the Indian Institutes of Technology, improve their placement prospects by opting for non-core fields.

Typically, placements are categorised as core and non-core. If a mechanical engineer is hired by a manufacturing and engineering company such as Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. or automotive manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra, it is considered a core placement. However, if the person opts for a data analytics role in consulting firm JPMorgan with a hefty package, it is considered a non-core placement.

“Many skills acquired during engineering studies are transferable and industries often value problem-solving abilities and analytical skills,” Abhinanda Sarkar, academic director of edtech platform Great Learning, told Moneycontrol.

However, he said it's essential to recognise that career trajectories are increasingly dynamic and professionals frequently switch between industries and roles throughout their careers.

Useful upskilling

Sarkar said traditional engineering graduates are useful in emerging technologies when provided with the required upskilling. He said mechanical engineers with practical experience on drivetrains or chemical engineers knowledgeable about batteries are well-positioned to work on electric vehicles.

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Electrical engineers who have worked with medical images are valued in healthcare analytics, as are civil engineers familiar with sensors prepared to build IoT applications for smart cities. Several companies are looking for artificial intelligence (AI) talent despite a slowdown in tech hiring.

Moneycontrol reported earlier that demand for entry-level candidates in the IT sector, the major contributor to hiring, might fall 25-30 percent due to factors such as headwinds in the global markets, a funding winter and hiring backlogs.

Students, including IITians, fear onboarding delays will stall their career growth.

“Though placements have just begun, the number of recruiters has been very low compared to last year. We are in touch with our alumni in case things go south,” an IIT Delhi student told Moneycontrol on condition of anonymity.

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The trend is similar in private colleges, where students are scurrying for higher packages as major companies are missing this placement season, leaving them at the mercy of startups.

“The packages are very less compared to what we were offered in 2021 or even last year,” said a computer science student from a top-tier Bengaluru-based institute who got an offer of Rs 15 lakh per annum.

Further, the gap between salaries offered in the IT sector and the non-IT sector is narrowing. According to Aon, manufacturing, auto, retail, and BFSI recorded the highest annual salary for entry-level jobs for IIT engineers, at Rs 13.9 lakh, slightly lower than IT firms.

Experts suggest students should take a planned approach to upskilling.
According to Varun Gupta, head of D2C Sales at Hero Vired, an edtech company, graduates in programming and computer science can improve their employability by developing skills in machine learning and AI.

Industry trends

“While electrical engineers could concentrate on renewable energy solutions, mechanical engineers can explore 3D modelling and simulation tools. On the other hand, advanced project management software and sustainable design techniques could be options for civil engineers,” he said.

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Gupta said students should upskill to ride on industry trends. A software engineer with expertise in sustainable software development could become a green tech specialist.

The evolution of AI has ushered in a departure from traditional mass-hiring practices towards more targeted approaches. This shift is evident in non-technical sectors such as marketing and IT, where there is a discernible upward trend in tailored recruitment strategies.

“Nonetheless, select core jobs will continue to exist within mechanical or chemical branches. Lifelong learning amid such circumstances becomes critical as it makes talent agile and resilient to market conditions,” said Mayank Kumar, co-founder of upGrad, an online higher education company.