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During a year-end call, Mayank Kumar, the co-founder of edtech major upGrad, told FE that 2024 has been a year of remarkable progress for the education and skilling sector, defined by a strong shift towards personalised and outcome-focused learning. “In 2024, the integration of AI and data analytics empowered educators to align learning content more effectively with the evolving demands of learners and employers, making skilling efforts more precise and impactful,” he said. “Looking ahead to 2025, this emphasis on outcomes will become even more critical.” On how education systems must adapt to deliver meaningful results, Kumar said that a combination of online platforms and offline touchpoints will be vital in providing closer support and delivering a well-rounded learning experience. Kumar added that the demand for specialised skills in areas like financial services, artificial intelligence , design, and project management is expected to rise significantly in the coming months, nudging education institutes to remain agile, incorporate hands-on, internship-driven approaches to equip learners with the right skillsets. “This aligns well with government initiatives in skilling and internships – which aim at fostering stronger partnerships among education/skilling companies, educational institutions, and corporates – ensuring that learning stays relevant and practical,” he said. “Additionally, South Asia’s growing skilling demand presents a unique opportunity where a young workforce and rapid digitalisation converge to enable talent development. Collaboration across industries will be essential to preparing a future-ready, AI-focused workforce.” In 2024, Kumar added that there was also rising demand for AI-skilled talent across non-tech sectors such as retail, manufacturing, and even electric mobility. “Hiring sentiments for jobs that require one to at least interact with GenAI tools – irrespective of the sector – will continue to soar,” he said. “This demand necessitates more strategic skilling programmes that equip young India with the most relevant and market-ready concepts.” This year, upGrad also launched a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) to train CXOs in Digital Leadership (with San Francisco’s Golden Gate University). Kumar said that this DBA is a 36-month programme that aims to empower executives with essential technology, innovation, decision-making and leadership skills, for driving enhanced business outcomes. None
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