NIIT, IEEE partner to enhance employability of engineers in India

NIIT, a global talent development corporation, and IEEE Computer Society, the computing professional's source for technology information have entered into a global alliance to provide training based on the Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK) to create quality engineers to meet the industry’s requirement for job-ready talent.

Although nearly 1,300,000 engineers study in universities in India, around 80 percent of these graduates are considered not job-ready by employers. According to a recently published National Employability Report called Engineering Graduates - 2014, released by Aspiring Minds Assessment Private Limited only 18.43% engineers are employable for the software engineer-IT services role, while just 3.95% are trained to be directly deployed on projects. For core jobs in mechanical, electronics/electrical and civil jobs, only a mere 7.49% engineers are employable.

Therefore, there is an acute demand in the industry for a well-trained talent pool, certified by an internationally recognized neutral body. As IEEE Computer Society’s Premier Registered Education Provider, NIIT will introduce IEEE Computer Society’s suite of globally acclaimed, ISO compliant SWEBOK training content and assessment for the industry, institutions and individual students.

“With the changing global economic scenario, which is becoming more and more knowledge-intensive, we are faced with the challenge of creating a pool of professionals who are aligned with the needs of the industry,” said P Rajendran, Executive Director, NIIT Limited. “This significant partnership with IEEE is a step in addressing that issue. Drawing upon our past expertise in the skilling and training sector, NIIT will help improve the employability of engineers on a global scale,” he added.

Speaking on this development, Dr. Roberto de Marca, IEEE President and CEO, said “By forging this strategic partnership with NIIT, we look forward to taking the SWEBOK and other IEEE educational and skill development programs global. We are glad to have come together with NIIT to reduce the skill gap among engineering graduates throughout India.”

SWEBOK coursework is created by subject-matter experts from industry and academia globally, based on requirements from the industry, to reduce the skill gap. NIIT and IEEE Computer Society will provide three courses based on the SWEBOK certification:

· The SWEBOK Certificate Program (SCP)

· The Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA)

· Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP)

While the SCP certification gives engineering students an excellent foundation as they embark on a career in software development, the CSDA and CSDP certifications act as a stepping stone to a brighter future for working professionals. Several leading organizations globally and in India have integrated or adopted SWEBOK course content into their corporate training, for both graduate students and experienced engineers. A team of subject-matter expert volunteers around the globe continuously contribute to SWEBOK to keep it current.

Given that the industry is expected to witness robust growth in the coming years, the need for certified job-ready professionals will be even more critical. The Industry body NASSCOM expects the Indian IT sector to grow to US $300 billion by 2020, driven by new business models, service lines and availability of talents with higher value additions. Against this backdrop, this unique tie-up between NIIT and IEEE Computer Society will offer cutting-edge programs to improve the quality of engineering graduates.

“With an aim to bring engineers at par with the global industry standards, we plan to train over 40,000 engineers in SWEBOK training programs in next three years”, said Amitabh Lahiri, President, Futurz, NIIT Limited.

“This partnership will help deliver quality engineering programs to students across India,” said Harish Mysore, Director, India operations, IEEE. “Employers will value the IEEE and NIIT joint certificates globally,” he added.

Both NIIT and IEEE Computer Society will work closely to promote IEEE Computer Society courses and drive SWEBOK certifications among engineering students.