To combat the technology talent shortage and improve project readiness, technology firms are investing in comprehensive initiatives across the talent management value chain, including learning and development platforms, niche partnerships, and other strategies. Explore how Everest Group’s 3A framework can help firms assess, acquire, and activate project-ready talent at scale. Reach out to speak with us further on this topic.
With rapid technological advancements and an acute specialized talent shortage, IT firms increasingly recognize the importance of developing technology talent internally. As a result, they have accelerated developing comprehensive learning and development (L&D) frameworks backed by robust tech-driven learning solutions to upskill/reskill technology talent. These strategic investments are aimed at ensuring future readiness and resilience to technology disruptions.
However, even after these focused L&D investments, organizations still struggle to build a sustainable pool of project-ready resources. According to the Talent Readiness for Next-generation IT Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2023, IT service providers reported the lack of project-ready resources as a critical barrier in building a future-ready workforce.
Recent excessive hiring by technology firms has resulted in large benches with lower-quality talent unprepared to be deployed in client projects. Firms continuously train their benches on emerging and in-demand technologies while optimizing talent-sourcing strategies to improve project readiness, particularly in the entry-level talent pool. However, they still face several key bottlenecks in enhancing the project-readiness quotient, as illustrated below:
Solving the project-readiness puzzle: The 3A framework focused on Assess-Acquire-Activate.
- Assess – Effectively assessing project readiness is as critical as embedding it in the L&D journey. Most technology firms lack a dedicated project readiness assessment framework. Developing a robust framework to evaluate and identify gaps in workforce project readiness is crucial.
The framework must be holistic and able to evaluate granular-level details specific to a particular role, project, and service line. It must include all skill types, including technical skills, domain expertise, cognitive and interpersonal skills, and related attributes such as proficiency level and experience.
Additionally, it’s critical to move beyond the conventional metrics of gauging project readiness, such as certifications and skill tags to digital readiness quotient.
“We have invested in an in-house tool designed for conducting technical assessments of trainees. Customized assessments are created in the tool based on the skill matrix, and trainees are evaluated using these assessments to assess their level of upskilling. The assessments include scenario-based and coding questions to evaluate conceptual and hands-on expertise of candidates.” – Leading IT service provider
- Acquire – Leading organizations are strategically shifting their focus on developing technology talent at early stages. By adopting a train-hire-deploy talent acquisition model, companies aim to build project-ready pipelines. Here are some initiatives top firms are using to acquire project-ready resources:
- Forming in-depth alliances with academic institutions to focus on building talent from the ground up through tailored learning content, internships, apprenticeships, dedicated courses, or degree programs targeted at industry-relevant and in-demand skills
- Creating pre-onboarding programs with learning content and hands-on practice modules in simulated environments to prepare freshers for a streamlined transition and integration
- Partnering with training firms to acquire specialized talent equipped with niche or next-generation skills
“We have an exclusive job program for individuals looking for full-time jobs after high school, thereby making them financially independent. This is a hybrid training program focusing on the overall education and personality grooming of students to make them job-ready.” – Leading Indian IT service provider
“We currently have seven master’s programs running across six premier institutes in India to channelize the talent generation in the IT industry. We have handstitched the curriculum interventions and provide internship opportunities to students, which eventually leads to conversion to FTE.” – Leading global system integrator
- Activate – In addition to traditional learning interventions, firms should promote on-the-job learning opportunities such as peer learning forums, collaboration and knowledge-sharing platforms, and sessions to exchange expertise on niche topics, projects, accounts, and roles.
Further, firms can explore strategic partnerships with specialized technology providers to build and integrate tailored learning exercises into their L&D ecosystem. This may include hands-on projects that mimic real-world scenarios, customized simulated environments, and labs specific to particular use cases or industries.
“We partner with multiple providers of advanced-level technology programs who design and deliver training in boot camps as well as virtual instructor-led training (ILT) mode for training in higher order competencies. They also provide cloud labs along with the program, apart from personalized subject matter expert (SME) guidance. In fiscal year 2023, 33% of our deep-skilled learners were deployed in projects where they could use their new skills” – Leading Indian IT service provider
Following are some examples of the partnerships leveraged:
Future outlook
The sharp decline in the project-readiness quotient of the workforce in recent times and the ever-evolving client expectations have led technology firms to take holistic measures to ensure they have sustainable pipelines of ready-to-deploy talent.
To effectively tackle the issue, firms must continue adopting proactive measures to enhance the project-readiness quotient. These approaches can include comprehensive assessment frameworks, optimized talent sourcing strategies, and establishing a balanced L&D ecosystem.
Firms with robust workforce strategies that strongly emphasize project readiness will be better positioned to build and sustain scalable project-ready pipelines – giving them a competitive edge in the talent crisis.
To gain further insights into how leading service providers are transforming their workforce strategies to extensively focus on enhancing project readiness and technology talent, contact Arpita Dwivedi [email protected], Amit Anand [email protected], and Abhigyan Kumar [email protected].
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