Shift from IT to skill-based jobs, Revanth tells youth

Hyderabad: With many US-based IT companies announcing thousands of layoffs, and many Indians losing jobs with the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI), Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy advised the youth not to go after IT or Computer Science-based jobs, asking instead to shift towards skilled jobs that have greater demand in various countries.

“The US is a consumer economy and manufacturing of various US brands are being done in the countries like China, Taiwan or Telangana. Don’t go after white-collar and IT jobs, shift your focus to blue-collar jobs,” Revanth Reddy suggested to the youth, especially those who were aspiring to work in the US. He said lakhs of Indians and thousands of Telangana people who had studied Computer Science and IT in the 2000s and working in the US are now facing job threats. In the changed scenario and that too with the evolution of AI, he said the Telangana govt is also shifting focus on creating and training the youth on skilled jobs. He expressed confidence that AI cannot replace a skilled worker.

Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat on Thursday, Revanth Reddy said the Skills University is coming up with various courses and training that help the youth to take up skilled jobs. “IT-based jobs may offer ₹1 lakh a month, but a skilled employee will get ₹2 lakh a month, that too with job security,” the CM said.

Revanth Reddy said there are countries like Japan, South Korea, Germany, Singapore and China that are looking for skilled individuals. “These countries are not Anglophone, but are ruling the world now with innovations and technology,” he added.

Revanth Reddy said the state govt would come up with a policy for providing employment opportunities to the youth in Gulf countries, where there is a huge demand for skilled workers. “The govt is planning to provide facilities and assisting the job aspirants right from getting a passport and other services, apart from providing training in various skills in the Skills University. This will put an end to people getting cheated by agents. Since we deal with the govt of that country, they will get minimum wages, and will also have job security and other facilities like insurance cover in case of emergencies in those countries,” the CM stated.

Minimum wages increased

The CM announced revision of minimum wages to the workers in the state with effect from June 1. He said the minimum wage will be from ₹16,000 to ₹20,000 a month. The revision will benefit 1.11 crore workers, working in the private and public sectors.

The employees were divided into four categories – unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly-skilled. Of the 1.11 crore workers, 75 lakh are unskilled and 21 lakh workers are semi-skilled.

The CM said the cabinet sub-committee has recommended enhancement of minimum wages of unskilled workers from ₹12,750 to ₹16,000 per month; semi-skilled persons from ₹13,152 to ₹17,000; skilled category workers salary increased to ₹18,500 from ₹13,772 and highly-skilled category workers salary increased to ₹20,000 from ₹14,607. He said the areas were also revised – from two zones (urban and rural) earlier to municipal corporation limits, municipalities and rural areas for the workers.

Telangana labour minister G Vivek Venkata Swamy said the Telangana govt revised the minimum wages as per the promise made to the public, alleging that the previous BRS govt did not increase the salaries in its 10-year rule.