Learning and skill-development initiatives have undergone a significant transformation today. Whether it is a fresher looking to equip his/her tech skills or an existing corporate workforce aiming to upskill or reskill to remain relevant, there is a widespread reliance on digital learning. This is where the 5G network is going to redefine the experience.

Currently, telecom giants like Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel are rolling out 5G services in Indian cities. They are also gradually expanding 5G support to new cities as they are becoming 5G-ready. Therefore, now more than ever, companies need to attract and utilise the skilled labour required to implement the new technology. 

According to the telecom skills body, technologies like IoT, AI, machine learning, big data, cloud computing, and robotic process automation will require 22 million workforces to skill or upskill themselves to match industry demand by 2025. 

Commenting on the advent of 5G in India, Amit D Mishra, CEO and Founder at iMocha said, “A technology like 5G will ensure greater access and a superior experience for trainees in the corporate world. Smarter training rooms and classrooms at professional training institutions will enjoy increased bandwidth, reduced latency, and more robust support for the security framework. Using digital training and skill assessment, platforms will deliver a highly immersive, convenient, and memorable experience for corporate trainees.”

Since the last year, employee training has had to evolve because the workplace has become complex. Companies are onboarding new employees without stepping into an office. On-the-job training takes place in homes without the face-to-face instruction that was commonplace pre-pandemic. 

"Upskilling and development continue remotely, allowing the opportunity to improve upon the old models. Now is the time to examine how we can provide better training programs in the hybrid workplace and get employees up to speed faster than ever before,” said Mr Prashant Deshpande, Corporate Head - HR, Borosil Group. 

Significance of internal education programs

Since 5G has come into play now, companies will have significant leverage as the technology will help build possible remote workplaces. Similarly, it can improve the employees’ training experiences and allow them to learn new skill sets. 

Companies also need to develop their pool of skilled labour to accommodate 5G. “One of the ways that they can do this is through internal education programs. With the proper educational practices, companies can update their employees to understand the new technology and give them the skills they need to install it on a large scale while being sensitive to the needs of each carrier,” said Mr Deshpande. 

How can 5g help businesses grow? 

4G brought mass video streaming, real-time media consumption, reliable payment processing, multi-player gaming, and always-on social networking, which enabled new business models. Now, 5G is expected to revolutionise the new-age industries and transform them in multiple ways. 

“Technology-wise, 5G can empower businesses by helping better customer experiences and increasing employee productivity. With different technologies such as the cloud, IoT, and edge computing, 5G will change how business is done or even how entire industries operate – finance, manufacturing, travel, retail, or healthcare,” said Corporate Head - HR, Borosil Group. 

“With 5G technology, the demand and scope of job creation will also increase. It’s the right time for our workforce to take up this challenge and upskill themselves for the future,” he recommended. 

How 5G will benefit the IT sector? 

With the advent of 5G technology, blockchain and data science advancements have created many opportunities for IT companies and firms that cater to the IT sector. The number of skills in blockchain, I/O, and data science is in the millions. Talent must be developed and upskilled to meet the challenges.

5G and HR tech 

At the scale at which skills are getting transformed, HR tech will become skills focussed. Skill assessments will increasingly become digital, courtesy of 5G's ability to deliver up to 100X data speed compared to 4G. 

“This will redefine the timelines, tools, and hardware required to manage operations in the 5G era. We will see a significant rise in the corporate need for well-trained resources in the IoT, Edge, Cloud, RPA, and virtualisation fields. The HR personnel must be equipped with the latest technologies to assess the applicants' skills in applying for these roles,” said the CEO and Founder of iMocha.

Also, employee skills intelligence will be critical in identifying people with adjacent skills who can be deployed quickly. It will empower talent teams with data-driven, skills-first, and bias-free decisions across hiring, upskilling, and managing people.