Why Hybrid Skills will Rule the World?
If there is one thing about human beings, it's that they can never stay static, a pattern that's also pretty evident in the global employment stratosphere created by them. You see, gone are the days when one standout skill could be the ultimate recipe for your success. Instead, employers' ever-present pursuit of greater value has led us to a reality where one skill is just not enough, birthing the concept of hybrid skills.
Before we begin our deep dive into what skills could prove critical in the long term, as well as how one can implement them, we ought to unpack the very definition of hybrid skills. Hybrid skills, in a nutshell, make up a mix of inclusive hard tech skills and soft, human-centric skills. But what’s triggering this sharp rise in their demand? Well, the answer stems from an evolving technical landscape and an enhancement in the awareness of historically overlooked subjects like emotional intelligence.
Take the job of teaching, years ago, it was just academics-focused and not an iota more, but if we talk about today, a good teacher is the one who comes bearing interpersonal skills to connect with every student at apersonal, highly granular level. A separate example may include how a sales department member was only responsible for selling the given product, but today, that same member also needs the know-how to leverage tools like data analytics, AI, simulation, SEO, and content optimization, etc, to actually thrive and just not survive in their job.
Taking a deeper view of skills that have now officially transcended the limitations of a singular domain, we begin with data analysis. Data has now become a centrepiece for almost every industry. We get to say so because, no matter whether you are a frontline worker or a procurement manager, data can enhance your operation in more ways than one can even imagine. For better understanding, a frontline worker can bank upon the prowess of data to gauge conversion or engagement rates, whereas on the other hand, a procurement manager can entrust it to generate historical cost pricing, draw comparisons with current market benchmarks, and reach upon a well-informed final decision.
A benefactor of data’s value, as well as another critical component for the modern workforce, would be AI. Running on spades of databases, AI goes one step by flipping the provided information for actionable insights. The technology’s broad focus, along with its ability to rejig itself according to the needs of a particular situation, means AI can be expected to become a part ofevery professional circle moving forward, with many industries already reporting heavy usage of the same. While AI technology is still, by and large, in its adoption phase, one skill which currently remains in high demand relates to SEO optimization. As pretty much the entire world is now a part of the digital ecosystem in some capacity or the other, it has presented an unprecedented opportunity for organizations to expand their brand and build a global customer base. However, in order to achieve that, they must find a way to separate themselves from the rest, and that’s exactly where your SEO optimization skills can be decisive. Considering it’s a marketing practice, SEO has a place in every industry, be it education, healthcare, fashion, electronics, and more.
Building upon that, the next skill becoming increasingly universal revolves around digital platform expertise. With digital transformation materializing across every frontier, it's now imperative for all employees to know its
underlying workings and how to get the best out of them. Someone well-versed in operating a healthcare-centric administrative software can help in optimizing their institution's operations, and therefore, leave more focus for patient care and other significant aspects. Beyond that, it’s the skill of coding which has witnessed a massive sprawl in its reach over recent times. Basically, if an individual has decent knowledge of coding, they can prove useful in the context of automating repetitive tasks, streamlining workflows, and communicating more effectively with technical teams, a requirement pretty prevalent in its own right. Design thinking also makes the cut when we talk about skills that can greatly complement your case in front of an employer, especially the ones involved in pioneering innovation. Establishing a razor-sharp focus on the end user's needs, design thinking makes it possible for professionals across all fields to create more effective solutions, whether in product development, customer service, or organizational improvements.
Turning our attention towards the contingent of soft skills, it includes the all-important concept of emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence essentially has its utility rooted in addressing emotions before they become problematic. A strong EQ can also play a humongous role when the agenda is to improve communication, foster collaboration, facilitate conflict resolution, and ultimately develop better relationships to cultivate a stronger teamwork instinct. Interestingly enough, the skill of storytelling has also clocked a staggering rise in popularity. Understood to be a well-known method to make information resonate with others, irrespective of whether you’re presenting data, persuading colleagues, or explaining a new idea, creating such a highly engaging narrative should enable your message to be clear, memorable, and actionable. Then, there is the timeless skill of people management. Unlike popular belief, the skill of managing people isn’t just critical for those in leadership positions. The stated skill can markedly scale things up at every level because, when deployed effectively, it can earn you the trust of others, a feat that is crucial to realizing improved career prospects over the long term.
The shift to a more diverse skillset is also validated by various studies. For instance, according to the 2023 LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report, 92% of executives believe soft skills are equally or more important than technical skills. Separately, the World Economic Forum would go on to reveal that professionals who combine technical prowess with strong communication, leadership, and emotional intelligence earn, on average, 20% more than their technically- focused peers. In case that wasn't enough, even research papers published by platforms like Harvard Business Review, Oxford Economics, and Deloitte Human Capital Trends come together to echo the same sentiment i.e. hybrid skills are really the way to go ahead, if you want to make it an already- competitive job market.
Having said so, there lingers one major question of what skills one may actually need to make up their own hybrid mix? Well, to begin with, you must evaluate the emerging trends in your industry to gauge the real, ground reality. This involves a thorough assessment of sources like research reports, industry blogs, news articles, and more. So, in line with that, a manufacturing industry worker will presently see a huge upside in mastering the art of automation, whereas, on the other hand, a healthcare worker stands to benefit from learning the ropes of telemedicine. Once you have conducted a macro analysis of things, it's time to narrow the focus down to you. Basically, this is where one gets down to analyzing their current strengths and weaknesses. The whole purpose of doing so is to shed light upon areas that are already ready to crack open important opportunities for you, along with areas that may need some brushing up. From an overarching standpoint, the idea here is to streamline one’s focus and cut out all the noise. Skill development can be a long and tumultuous journey. As a result, it's better to seek out meaningful feedback from mentors and specialists in your domain.
One of the biggest reasons why one must do this is to arrive at a conclusion that is honest and devoid of any personal bias. Let's say one might think they are a communicator, only to learn from a peer that they unknowingly stutter when talking in a language other than their native one. Mirroring the nature of hybrid skills, one can also aid their case by actively searching for cross-disciplinary opportunities. Hence, a UX designer can make a play at learning about CRM operations to better understand consumer expectations. Not just that, attaining such versatility can also go a long way to eliminate the risk of job obsolescence. Keeping abreast of this reimagined professional dynamic, we, at CGC University, Mohali have made a steadfast commitment to work with students and bring a more diverse edge to their skillset. Our state-of-the-art facilities, spanning cutting-edge laboratories, simulation hubs, and dedicated innovation centres developed in close collaboration with the likes of Bosch, Haier, and Ashok Leyland, etc, are all geared towards producing unmatched technical expertise among students. With more than 2000 patents filed, over 1300 papers published, and an annual research budget of 15 crores, CGC University, Mohali is poised to be a global leader in research and innovation for the next decade and beyond.
On the other hand, our various initiatives, dispatched through foundations like the NSS Club (fostering leadership, teamwork, and civic awareness), Rockers (encouraging creativity and cultural diversity), and Givers (striving to develop empathy among students), are all purpose-built to make sure that our students go out into the world with a well-rounded assortment of abilities.