"I have several responsibilities at IBM, so I'm taking several certified project management courses" Ranchhod Yagnik Industry Solutions Leader/IBM India

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The Money Makers

As the Indian IT industry continues on its rapid evolution (pardon the apparent oxymoron), tech companies are finding it imperative to hire people from other, non-it related sectors. Software engineers have been the industry's staple diet since its inception, but its transition up the food chain means that those employed in Old Economy industries, ranging from oil and gas to manufacturing to telecom to banking, are all being hired in droves by the it industry. So, if you're looking to join the IT industry, don't fret about your academic qualifications and work experience. "Domain experts constitute 10 per cent of our headcount and we have developed programmes to help ease them into the it industry. This includes a three-to-five day residential programme for some senior managers at IIM, Bangalore," says Aquil Busrai, Executive Director (Human Resources), IBM India. From operating in markets with a narrow focus, domain experts have to quickly get used to working in a global industry; they very often move from internal operations to functions that involve criss-crossing the globe on crucial customer-facing engagements. That's only the beginning; it's a completely different work environment (you can't pack up at 6 p.m.) and you're expected to be online and available all day, and often, all night.

Ranchhod Yagnik, 53, Industry Solutions Leader (Chemicals & Petroleum), Global Business Solutions Centre, IBM India, made the transition from oil & gas (where he spent nearly 30 years) to it in 2004; he has had to go through several project and people management programmes. "I have several project and people responsibilities at IBM, so I'm taking several certified project management courses online and in the classroom," he says. Yagnik has worked with companies such as Indian Oil, Reliance Industries and GAIL, and says the training programmes helped him get used to the dynamics of working in the it sector (compared to the relatively sedate petrochem industry). While programmes relating to the use of technology tools (to create proposals for a client or a case study for a successful implementation) can be undertaken virtually (using e-learning tools), some others required Yagnik to take part in two- or three-day programmes, including one from the Pennsylvania-based Project Management Institute, which is a globally recognised certification of a person's experience and knowledge of project management.

Patni Computer Systems has a three-tier programme to induct non-it pros into the company, says Milind Jadhav, the organisation's Senior Vice President & Head (hr), adding that these cover a range of technical and soft skill areas. "At the junior level, we have a non-it to it transition programme, at the mid-level, we have one for business analysts (MBAs from the Old Economy) and at the senior level, we have a programme for solution architects (who don't actually write the software code for an application or programme but create a blueprint for code jocks to follow while working on a project). The first programme trains non-tech people to become software engineers. "It runs for 10-15 hours a week for five months," says Jadhav. The IT industry, however, derives the maximum benefit from cross hires at the senior level, where they add industry-specific value to projects. "We train them to align their skills to the requirements of Patni and the it industry," he says. "These experts don't actually write code, but their inputs are critical while solving some of the business problems that technology tries to address," he explains.

"Our customers demand that we talk their language-in specific segments within specific industries" N. Radhakrishnan Director/Cognizant Technology Solutions	"Domain experts only know one subject and they know it well" Aquil Busrai Executive Director IBM India

According to Busrai, training and orientation programmes usually cover some very basic skills necessary for working in this sector (safety precautions while handling a printed circuit board, for example); they also impart some soft skills such as negotiating techniques, understanding alien cultures and making presentations; they also include a few tougher, customised, domain-specific programmes where the company connects subject matter expertise with the technology offered by IBM. "Domain experts only know one subject and they know it well. We provide them with a platform to influence decisions in these areas," he says. And, of course, having a domain expert on board adds credibility when pitching for contracts in some industries. Domain experts in Old Economy sectors, please take note, and remember when negotiating a move to the IT sector.

According to Selvan D., Vice President (Talent Transformation), Wipro Technologies, an engineering background (not necessarily in software) and a management degree are useful qualifications to have when you are contemplating such a move. "Most domain experts are expected to work with end-users," he explains. Part of the adjustment, he says, is in getting used to the lean operations practices adopted by most IT companies and reorienting oneself to work in this environment. "There are no secretaries; the organisational structure is flatter; and there are often no fixed roles," he adds. New recruits must also get used to frequent travel, often at short notice, to customer sites or for sales pitches, and a much faster response to both colleague and customer queries. "The it industry works in real time and people joining us from the Old Economy need to get used to its pace," says Selvan.

"We train (them) to align their skills to the requirements of Patni and the IT industry" Milind Jadhav Senior VP & Head (HR) Patni Computer Systems	"The short duration training focussed on the nuances of working with a diverse team" Rakesh Aerath Product Centre Manager/LogicaCMG India

Transitioning to it from the Old Economy remains a challenging proposition, especially if you are among the first to switch from a particular industry. Just ask 41-year-old Natarajan Radhakrishnan, Director (Domain Consulting Group), Banking and Financial Services Division, Cognizant Technology Solutions. A 17-year banking industry veteran, Natarajan decided to switch to it because of limited opportunities in his previous sector. "The transition was not easy. For one, I was among the earliest people to transition from banking to it. While it companies were clear that business knowledge and domain expertise were going to be key for development, they hadn't yet figured out the exact role and training needs for people like me. We received training in basic it concepts, project management and on tools used in business applications, but not all the new recruits could grasp the technology," he says. According to him, non-technical staff can expect to go through four-to-six months of training before going live on a project. "We want these experts on board because our customers demand that we talk their language, not just in specific industries such as banking and financial services, but in specific segments within those," he says.

Rather than getting bogged down in classroom sessions, some companies often let domain experts and Old Economy hands learn on the job and keep the formal training programme down to a minimum. "I moved from HDFC Bank; the short duration training focussed on explaining to me our portfolio of products in the banking space and on the nuances of working with a diverse team comprising engineers and other domain experts," says Rakesh Aerath, Product Centre Manager, Logicacmg India. A major part of his training has been on-the-job, including a stint at the company's UK office, to get a better understanding of the financial services unit he works in. "When I joined Logica, we had a suite of products whose development we wanted to move to India; so, it was critical for me to understand the technology that went into this business," says Aerath.

The Indian IT industry is rapidly moving up the value chain; it is simultaneously expected to face a shortage of around five lakh people by 2010. Given this statistic, the good times may be just beginning to roll for these non-it experts.

COUNSELLING
Help, Tarun!

Q: I am a 22-year-old pursuing PhD (Physics). My aim is to do something in the field of intellectual property rights. Do I need to do an MBA for that? Would it be a good move, considering that I am doing my doctorate?

You do not really need an MBA, but if you wish to be on the legal side, a degree in law would definitely help your cause. After PhD, the options open to you include joining the field of research or academics. Intellectual property rights is a specialised field and talking to someone working in this area will help you arrive at a decision.

Q: I am a 21-year-old science graduate and am currently pursuing a master's degree. I want to become a commercial pilot and am thinking of going to the US. My parents, however, want me to pursue a course in India itself. Are there any institutes here that can help me realise my dream?

You can do your training and certification here in India itself. To start with, get a student pilot's licence. Get yourself registered at any flying club recognised by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. The DGCA website (http://dgca.nic.in) has a list of schools where you can train. Then, try getting a private pilot's licence. After this, you become eligible to go for a commercial pilot's licence.

Answers to your career concerns are contributed by Tarun Sheth (Senior Consultant) and Shilpa Sheth (Managing Partner, US practice) of HR firm, Shilputsi Consultants. Write to Help,Tarun! c/o Business Today, Videocon Tower, Fifth Floor, E-1, Jhandewalan Extn., New Delhi-110055..

The Money Makers
Stock picking is a very lucrative profession.

The stock markets are booming. investors are flocking to buy mutual fund schemes. Result: there's a massive demand for fund managers and equity analysts across the board. And this demand is expected to multiply several fold in the years to come. Says Ronesh Puri, Managing Director, Executive Access, a leading executive search firm: "Mutual funds have a penetration of only 3 per cent in India; yet, the demand for professionals is so high. Malaysia has a penetration of 7.5 per cent, Europe 30 per cent and the US 40-50 per cent. As mutual fund penetration levels increase in India, the going will only get better for professionals in this space." The profession is financially very rewarding-six-figure monthly salaries are the norm-and also intellectually challenging. Adds Rajesh Agarwal, Head of Research, CD Equisearch, a stock broking firm: "There are great jobs available for financial analysts in Mumbai and, to some extent, in Bangalore."

-Ritwik Mukherjee