The IT sector, historically a powerhouse for tech talent, faced a significantly turbulent time in the last year or so. Amidst this volatility, non-IT sectors emerged as sanctuaries for India’s tech professionals, this shift provided an avenue for these professionals to explore previously overlooked niche career paths. These opportunities not only provided them relief in the volatile job climate but also paved the way for accelerated growth and thriving careers.

Non-IT Sectors Opened Doors for Stranded Professionals

Major IT firms scaled back on recruiting fresh talent due to a weakened deal pipeline amid lingering recessionary fears in the US. This adversely impacted several thousands of freshers from the 2022 and 2023 batches of engineering colleges who bagged jobs with IT services companies, and are now facing endless onboarding delays. As per a leading staffing firm Quess, there was a discernible trend in non-IT sectors increasingly seeking skilled tech talent to fill various roles in Data Science, Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, driven by the adoption of modern technologies. This prompted a migration of tech talent into these sectors. For candidates who secured job offers through Great Learning, close to half of them were in non IT companies. Amongst the recruiting partners of Great Learning, 49% are from non IT domains.

Success Stories

Vishnu, a Great Learning alumnus and deputy data engineer, transitioned from the IT sector to the automotive industry through upskilling. The shift not only allowed him to work in a tech role in a new sector but also resulted in a substantial salary hike of 150%. Sherin, another Great Learning alumnus, transitioned from being an Assistant System Engineer in the IT industry to an Analytics Manager in the banking sector. He found the banking sector placed a greater emphasis on the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. He also shared that as a tech professional, it is crucial to continually sharpen skills to advance in career. However, working in an IT company often involves a more generalised approach, without focusing on a specific domain. Since joining the banking industry, he has had the opportunity to become a domain expert rather than a jack of all trades.

Navigating from the IT to the Non-IT sector

Transitioning from an IT sector to a non-IT sector needs strategic planning. While a degree provides a solid foundation in tech skills for launching a career, many employers now prioritise skills over formal education. Excelling in a niche requires continuous skill assessment and upgrading, particularly in transferable skills, which can be honed by taking various courses to bridge any gaps. Continuous learning is the only solution for staying competitive in any field. Demand for niche technology skills like Data Science, Software Development, AIML, and Cloud Computing are consistently rising across non-IT companies with increasing digitization and data-led business operations. According to our 2023 Analytics and Data Science Jobs in India report, the demand for talent with skills in data science and analytics in the non-IT sector has been driven by the adoption of new technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics. This might be because India has seen a huge surge in startup activity recently, especially in non-IT sectors like healthcare, climate, and manufacturing. Not to mention, a greater talent pool is gradually becoming available to non-IT enterprises as the workforce in India has been actively encouraged to learn data science and analytics skills. This is another contributing factor to the increase in demand for niche tech skills in non-IT sectors.

While transferable skills serve as a significant incentive for employers in non-IT sectors to scout talent from the IT sector, thorough research into the nuances of these sectors is imperative. This will equip aspirants with the knowledge and understanding necessary to thrive post-selection, enabling them to unlock a myriad of opportunities in their field.