They say that Indian engineers are not industry ready! What does it mean to be industry ready?

IIT Roorkee graduates.
Ready to take over the industry?

There are so many reports yelling out that Indian engineers are not industry ready. A lot of companies complain about huge training costs(and time) required without much return on investments as people leave by the time they start contributing effectively. What does it mean to be industry ready? Are we missing something? How can the bright minds of India with all the willingness to work be not ready?

We cruised through the school getting good awesome grades.. Got into a good college cracking one of the very examination in the country.. Cleared college managing good grades. We cleared the aptitude tests and eventually the interview.. Still not ready? The smartest minds of India. Is this gap real? The gap between the expectations of an employer and the skill set of even the smartest students from the country’s tier I and II college?

Lets look closely.

What was success in school? Your grades or the percentage.

Skill-set needed to get good grades? Understand/cram 80% of what you are taught.. write enough to score 8 out of 10.. 

A good score! Colleges (IITs) with the relative grading magnify this. With a percentile system at work, its more about doing better than 90% of your class. Score a 75 when everyone is scoring a 65 and you’re a 9 pointer. A really good grade but its much difficult to be a 10. And mind you, one needs to study just three days before exams.. That’s what we all do.

This changes as you enter the industry. My experience of 5 months with a really patient manager and team mates has taught me a lot. I have had a habit of working hard in short spurts. Still do, to an extent. Working very hard for a day or two before deadlines. It does help me deliver a good 80% complete project. The problem? 80% in not usable. It looks good but can’t deliver the expected results because it leaks. Because no-one puts money in a product that won't stay for long. That's doesn't hold good against expected assumptions, let alone the unforeseen issues. Its not about passing a mid term. Real money.

Half-hearted efforts don’t sell. This is a major shift. An 80% complete answer gets you 80% grades but a project that doesn't reach deployment.. then stands the test of operational issues is a no good project. 0/100.

Another difference is that you no longer have a syllabus to keep to.. Yes, initially you will get instructions on what to do and maybe even how to do it. But each employer wants you to take initiatives.. to bring new projects, take up the pain to improve the processes around and actually care about the work that you do. Instead of just appearing in your final examinations, a job needs a long term constant involvement.. And learning all this takes time, experience and effort.

The best thing to do is try to create things that work. Projects that are usable, finished products. Become someone who has instead of being someone who can. For example, if you are interested in Strategy.. Learn and create working business models, proposals, pricing sheets..etc. Similarly for a developer. Create a program that works. Its much more difficult to complete a course than starting it.

 Another way is to do as many internships as early as possible to understand the kind of work you require to do. The expectations of the employer. The expectations of the industry. And if its suitable to the way you like to work. Work part time, work in winters and summers.. Whenever you can. You’ll learn the art of getting the work done. And its a much needed skill. Most important in my opinion.

That’s how you can differentiate yourself, very easily. You will know how to deliver on the promises that you make.