CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Mr. Prateek Shukla, Co-founder and CEO for Masai School
India accounts for a massive talent pool in the IT Industry. In the face of a looming recession, how is Masai positioned to ensure best jobs for its students?
While India does have a huge “talent pool” for the IT industry, one must understand that most engineers coming out of thousands of colleges are not employable. Mostly because of their lack of skills. While India will be affected by the global recession, and perhaps see muted economic growth, the IT sector is expected to remain dynamic & vibrant. Digitisation still continues to accelerate as internet penetration goes deeper and deeper. Our expectation, and the early signs in 2023 from our placement standpoint appear strong. The focus of recruiters is definitely changing towards hiring for skills and adding talent that is ready to hit the ground running from day one. This has worked in our favour. As an example, one of the biggest professional services company hired a few graduates from us and were so impressed by our students’ discipline and mastery as freshers, they have actually come back and hired dozens of our alumni. Our focus on practice-based-learning is actually a huge asset for our students and recruiters, who are more cautious than ever before, are actually looking to hire basis demonstrable skills.
Was Masai the first in Jobtech space to offer a Pay after placement model? What inspired the idea?
Masai is widely regarded as the first Jobtech platform to provide a pay-after-placement model, allowing students to enrol in their program regardless of their educational background and pay us only after they get a job of 5LPA or more. We want to take the financial risk of education with our students which helps us focus on the outcome of the education we provide rather than just getting their tuition fee. This ground-breaking concept was inspired by the need to make education more accessible and affordable to all. It was inspired by the need for a better way to bridge the gap between employers looking for highly skilled talent and students who are passionate about technology and want to make a mark in the sector. We focus on curriculum and pedagogy, and not sales, which in turn benefits and leads to a positive impact on the student’s life. If that happens, we earn for that outcome.
How do you envision 2023 to be in the job market?
Down swings generally are a breeding ground for innovation. This is not only historically accurate, but also notionally too, the current conservative sentiment is just showing us that recruiters are looking to hire against the grain. They are not going into college campuses and picking up graduates in droves like they were because caution is making them assess candidates on demonstrable skills. This is something we will see as a trend. College degrees are a great marker when companies can spend money and resources to upskill their employees at jobs, but entry level talent is now expected to start delivering results from day one. This shift in focus can actually be a boon for the indian education set up for the longer run.
In the face of digitization, how much do you think the tech talent would contribute to the Indian economy?
The digitization of the economy has spurred the growth of coders and other tech talents in India. The country has become a hotbed for tech start-ups and innovation. The contribution of tech talent to the Indian economy is significant, and it is only expected to grow in the years to come. For the present and future workforce, it is imperative to embrace the emerging trends in the technology sector with the rise in digitization which accelerates growth in various industries. Upskilling and reskilling have become essential and will remain relevant in the years to come. Because of the rapid pace at which technology is evolving, it is nearly impossible for the workforce to thrive unless it is constantly learning. Hence, Masai School, with its diverse range of courses provides the skills that are required to cater to the growing needs of the tech industry and provides a sense of empowerment to all aspirants. The demand for skilled coders is growing and will continue to grow in the coming years, not just from large enterprises but from all company sizes and across industries. We are also well positioned to become the next biggest exporters of digital services like law, medical and education consultations amongst many other. Our talent pool will continue to remain a big contributor to the economy.
