A key to unlocking the true potential of 5G

With India’s young population and a large pool of technology talent, the country has the potential to become the world’s cradle for 5G skills.

Today, it is widely established that 5G, as a disruptive technology, will reshape the entire communications value chain. It is expected to play a crucial role in the total enterprise reinvention journey of every modern enterprise, enabling cloud-based infrastructure, advanced data, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities, as well as applications and platforms.

As India embarks on its 5G-led transformation journey, it is critical to bridge the skills gap and ensure the availability of an industry-ready workforce.

In India, business leaders are notably enthusiastic about the potential of 5G and its ability to streamline operations and enhance productivity. These advancements will be particularly essential to keep pace with an increasingly complex and dynamic business landscape that necessitates seamless integration and intelligent digital networks capable of real-time communication to swiftly address customer needs. In essence, the future of business, and consequently the future of our digital economy, is heavily reliant on the widespread adoption of 5G.

While there is extensive discussion around 5G and its potential applications, an overlooked aspect is the availability of skilled professionals who are capable of comprehending and managing these applications. For example, if a large FMCG company decides to use 5G to improve its manufacturing processes, who will possess the necessary expertise to operate it once the initial deployment by the partner or a telecom operator is complete?

5G will require broader skill sets and businesses need to think about how to bring together a wide range of services and vendors to build their 5G capabilities.

The fact is that 5G technologies are evolving at a faster rate than the skills required to effectively harness its capabilities. To illustrate this point, James Cameron created the concept and acquired the necessary skills a decade before he launched his film Avatar, as he awaited the advancement of technology to catch up. Conversely, the technology already exists in the case of 5G, but the skills required to tap into its true potential are currently missing.

A report by TSSC highlights a demand of over 1.5 lakhs in roles in 5G, Cloud Computing, AI and Big Data analytics, the Internet of Things (IoT), mobile app-development, and robotic process automation. The demand-supply gap pegged at nearly 28% is estimated to continue to widen. 5G will require broader skill sets and businesses will also need to think about how to bring together a wide range of services and vendors to build their 5G skills capabilities including global telcos, cloud and edge platform providers, IoT specialists, and device and application vendors, system integrators, operations outsourcers, and strategy and transformation advisory experts.

Telecom operators can contribute by collaborating with educational institutes to develop specialised 5G training programs and curriculum modules.

It is expected that 5G services will create millions of new jobs not just for the telecom industry, but in other areas like data analytics, human-computer interaction, and varied industries of healthcare, retail, energy, and education. With India’s young population and a large pool of technology talent, we have the potential to become the world’s cradle for 5G skills, creating numerous job opportunities and fuelling the country’s digital growth- but for that, we must get skilling right.

Building a 5G skills advantage

Organisations and the larger tech ecosystem must prioritise initiatives to develop a workforce skilled in 5G and its related technologies across industries. However, this can only happen when there is a concerted effort across the ecosystem. Here are some of the ways how this can be done.

#1

Updated academic curriculum: Just as computer science and artificial intelligence have become integral parts of India’s STEM academic curricula, updating educational programs to include 5G skills will equip students with a thorough understanding of the technology and its potential, so they can effectively contribute to future 5G-powered industries.

#2

Corporate upskilling and intervention: 5G is expected to have applications in almost every industry. It is no longer the bastion of tech or telco or hyperscalers, and organisations across sectors will need to take proactive steps to integrate 5G skills into their learning and development programs. For example, the logistics and shipping industry can make use of smart 5G technology for goods tracking, fleet management, centralised database management, staff scheduling, and real-time delivery tracking and reporting.

The people working on these use cases need to know how to run them, and what their limitations might be. To maintain these platforms, companies will need user interface experts and technicians. They need the capabilities to explore new use cases made possible by 5G connectivity and will require additional investments in research and development to open doors to new business opportunities and innovative products and services.

#3

Industry academia collaboration and continued government support: To overcome the skills gap and drive the skilling agenda forward, collaborative partnerships between telecom operators, educational institutes, enterprises, and the government are vital. By working together, these stakeholders can develop a skilled workforce that meets the demands of India’s 5G-propelled digital future.

Telecom operators can contribute by collaborating with educational institutes to develop specialised 5G training programs and curriculum modules with their domain knowledge and infrastructure. As evidenced by programs such as Skill India, which will include various areas of skilling related to 5G, the government has already begun discussions on the subject.

Moreover, as organisations prioritise net zero goals, those that embrace 5G skills will be able to drive sustainable growth in the digital era. 5G technology has the potential to significantly reduce energy demand and carbon emissions - yet another reason for organisations to prioritise the adoption of 5G skills to achieve the goal of total enterprise reinvention, driven by a strong digital core.

Overall, the transformative potential of 5G is expected to reshape industries by driving efficiency, innovation, and sustainability. As India embarks on its 5G-led transformation journey, it is critical to bridge the skills gap and ensure the availability of an industry-ready workforce. India’s large population and world-class technological advancements have the potential to place it at the forefront of global 5G skills, giving the country’s businesses and economy a significant digital advantage.

By Saurabh Kumar Sahu

The author is MD and Lead – Communications, Media, and Technology with Accenture in India.

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