It is a clear indication of new opportunities in Automotive Electronics segment
Automotive India industry is ready with an electric car road map, which can be seen in Auto Expo 14 at Noida. It’s an indication of a great future for the Indian Automotive industry as strong support from the government in the setting up of National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP) centres are also there. Making the most of this positive push are private players like Hyundai and Suzuki who have already expressed a keen intent to set up an R&D base in India.
India’s potential plan to sell only electric cars by the end of next decade would require nearly eight times the global stock of such vehicles, according to the International Energy Agency, which further informs that the country would need to sell more than 10 million electric cars in 2030, compared with the almost 1.3 million on the road worldwide in 2015. The goal also equals 10 per cent of the 2030 target for electric
It is a clear indication of new opportunities in the Automotive Electronics segment. Automotive technology careers are the buzzword in recruitment circles, with segments like R&D & Engineering leading the demand for talent in the next 2 years. Also, software integration will be a major challenge in the Indian automotive industry. Fortunately, India’s expertise in Software development will be a big boon in managing this challenge. In fact, it is being projected that India will be acting independently by 2030 in the field of automotive R&D.
The push towards electric vehicle manufacturing is already visible as most of the electric engine manufacturing companies are either already in India or are planning to step up their presence in India, which is a demand of market going forward as OEMs seeing India third largest Automotive Industry by 2026. This time it will be more realistic as the Indian government is also supporting the electronic vehicle by government policies and infrastructure.
Recruitment Needs in the Auto Industry
Naturally, employers prefer to hire candidates with automotive experience. But an additional demand these days is for candidates who hold or can qualify for professional certifications in Electronics. Currently, we are working on an assignment for Head Quality (Electronics) for a renowned auto ancillary firm, where the employer is asking us to hunt the only candidate who had his/her Bachelor in Electronics. According to them, the only candidate with specialized skills and learning in electronics will be able to perform the correct analysis.
This example also highlights that going forward, employers will be very specific about technical domains and hiring niche skills sets. Which is logical as well, as the employer is looking for value addition from mid-level management not that they come and learn the things.
Automotive technology encompasses careers in developing new technology in 2W, 3W & 4W electronic systems. Workers in this field also might choose to specialize in a specific automotive area or equipment, such as ECU, VCT, AMT, Electric Motor, batteries, EBS & EFI etc.
Due to the increasing complexity of automotive technology, most automotive employers prefer that applicants come with unique ideas on new technology, such as an automatic charging in the vehicle itself. Many community colleges and technical schools started to focus on electronics stream in India which was not so popular in past. Common course topics within these programs include steering and suspension, heating and air conditioning systems, transmission, drivetrains, braking systems, engine performance and electrical systems.
Challenges to forsee
As India gears up for the bold new era of clean energy and electric cars on roads, our government must learn from the mistake of other developed countries, already ahead of us in this initiative. For instance, India is a highly populated country and a challenge could be fast charging of electronics vehicle along with charging stations availability… Especially when India is struggling to fulfil the domestic demand for electricity. We have to start working on it from now onward if we really want to see the success of electric vehicles in India.
Another challenge will be after-sale services, an area which is not organized even for Diesel, Petrol & CNG vehicles. After-sale service must be grown by the time we start having an electronic vehicle on roads.
