ABB, NASSCOM collaborate to help companies hire IoT professionals

Swiss engineering group ABB has developed a standardised qualification criterion for two internet of things (IoT)-related job roles in collaboration with the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM).

Called qualification packs (QPs), they will bring uniformity and formalise the evaluation and hiring process of jobs in the IoT network communications and IoT cybersecurity space, the Zurich headquartered company said.

“With the number of businesses adopting IoT technologies constantly growing, the industry is in need of a qualified workforce that can deliver intelligent solutions for changing consumer and business behaviour,” Amit Aggarwal, CEO, IT-ITES Sector Skills Council, NASSCOM, said.

Additionally, the QPs also provide a framework for academic institutions to design their course curriculum, the company said. The framework has been approved by the National Skill Development Corporation, National Skill Development Agency and National Skills Qualifications Committee, it added. 

These standardised assessments will help companies pick skilled and certified individuals, and therefore, cut hiring costs and give them more time to be productive, ABB said. 

“Our joint effort with NASSCOM has led to the creation of these qualification packs that will serve as a guiding light across the industry. Recruiters, educational institutes and prospective recruits can use them as guide rails both for the curriculum and recruitment,” Rajarshi Banerjee, head of ABB Ability (customer experience and innovation for the AMEA region), said.

NASSCOM said that nearly 40% of the country’s workforce needs to be reskilled if they are to work in the IoT, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and blockchain spaces.

On Monday, the industry body made two new appointments: it elevated Infosys COO Pravin Rao to the post of chairman for 2020-21 and appointed Accenture chairman and senior managing director Rekha M Menon as vice chairperson for the same period.