A report by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), ‘Industrializing in the digital age’ released last year, put India in the elite company of countries such as the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore, Canada, Australia, etc. The report listed these countries as potential pioneers of Advanced Digital Production (ADP) technologies (Industry 4.0).
Technological innovation is rapidly changing the world. If one could go back in time enough to note every paradigm shift triggered by technology, the most common origin point would be the industrial revolution. The industrial revolution, in every sense, put us on the path to globalization and connectivity and helped create the foundation of modern society and wealth.
The Paradigm Shift
Through two centuries of change, we have now reached the cusp of a new industrial revolution – Industrial Revolution 4.0. The Coronavirus pandemic has triggered the initiation of an alternate supply chain system. Backed by Artificial Intelligence (AI), Automation, and the Internet of Things (IoT), the industrial process is undergoing a massive transformation.
The number of internet-connected devices in the world touched 26 billion last year and expected to shoot up to 75 billion by 2025. The confluence of digital technologies and cognitive computing is rapidly changing the industrial ecosystems and India is poised to be at the center of it.
The Emergence
The pandemic and US-China trade war have increasingly isolated China on the global stage. This has also led to individual islands of the global manufacturing chain to be moved to alternate stakeholders. Thanks to its large workforce, English-speaking population, young demographic, and newfound digital identity, India is all set to reap rich dividends in the coming years.
Globally, governments, as well as manufacturing organizations, are eager to diversify their manufacturing beyond China. India is also using the soft power of its bilateral ties to attract foreign investment in manufacturing. Japan, for example, is offering Japanese companies a fund of $2.2 billion to relocate their China factories elsewhere. Sensing an opportunity, the Indian government is readying land banks and offering substantial markdowns to foreign investors.
Taking into account all the above factors, it cannot be denied that India is set to become the home of digital manufacturing.
The Positioning
The digitization of the manufacturing process has enabled real-time control of the process and has opened a new set of opportunities. The Government of India, recognizing this opening had adopted a broad-based approach to Industry 4.0. For the same, the government has set up a number of initiatives like Make in India, Digital India, Smart Advanced Manufacturing and Rapid Transformation Hub (SAMARTH), and Start-up India.
SAMARTH’s Udyog Bharat 4.0 plan, especially, identified bottlenecks caused due to lackluster production process planning and outdated machinery. The Department of Science and Technology is aiming to bridge this gap by educating (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) MSMEs about technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and augmented reality.
Similarly, the Centre for Industry 4.0 (C4i4) in Pune is promoting digital manufacturing technologies amongst MSMEs to help develop their digital capabilities.
The Readiness
As mentioned earlier, one of the driving forces that will make India the epicenter of digital manufacturing is its massive workforce. India has a largely young and tech-savvy demographic. This demographic will spur the coming in of global manufacturing players, who in turn will create tens of thousands of jobs in the digital manufacturing sector.
The Indian IT sector too is slowly, but definitively, seeing a transition from exporting services to building in-house capabilities. This transition will blend traditional manufacturing with digital technologies. There is one roadblock though – the lack of resources.
Unfortunately, India’s academic sector hasn’t yet caught up with this change. Indian universities still do not offer programs or courses that can bridge the gap between IT and manufacturing. Indian graduates, equipped with either computer knowledge or traditional skills, find it difficult to overcome the challenges of a multidisciplined environment.
The Preparation
The present, as well as the future graduates of India, need programs that can upskill them beyond the traditional curriculam. Graduates and professionals alike must realize that the scenario of jobs will transform rapidly in the next few years. ‘Skills’ will trump ‘Academia’. The manufacturing jobs of the future will demand not degrees, but specialized skills – digital manufacturing skills (3D printing, self-operated assemblies, additive manufacturing processes), analytical skills (data engineering, data science), technological skills (automation software, 3D modeling), and soft skills (teamwork, creative collaboration).
Professionals equipped with these skills will have the first movers’ advantage as India attracts attention as the global hub of Industry 4.0. It is also imperative that companies that are looking to adopt digital manufacturing technologies and eventually make the transition to automated manufacturing, should understand the need to reskill or upskill their workforce to meet the challenges of this organizational transition.
The ADYPU Online Advantage
ADYPU Online’s Master Level – Post Graduate Program in Digital Manufacturing is designed to address this skills gap in the industry. It is designed for those who looking to learn advanced skills and competencies such as 3D printing, virtual manufacturing, and mechatronics. Apprehensions are bound to float considering that the adoption of digital manufacturing technologies is still in its infancy in India. But as discussed above, India is banking on a number of factors to bring about this radical change successfully. And one of them is the young workforce’s skill set for the jobs of the future.
ADYPU also offers M. Tech programs in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Blockchain, Full Stack Development, Automotive Product Engineering, Digital Manufacturing, Bioengineering, Cybersecurity, MBA in Advanced Program in Business Intelligence and Data Analytics, MBA in Advanced HR Practices, and LLM in Corporate Law, Constitutional Law, and Cyber Law and Cybercrime Investigation. For enquiries and admissions, get in touch with us now.
