Are your employees equipped with in-demand digital skills? Maybe it’s time to send them to bootcamp.
From Meta to Microsoft, to the Singapore e-commerce powerhouse Shopee, every single day feels like waking up to learning about the people who are let go by the global tech giants. The industry is tightening its belt, resulting in thousands of employees out of work, and more are anxiously wondering about their fates.
As the industry is plagued by uncertainty, more and more workers are responding to the situation by developing and learning new skill sets to remain competitive.
Le Wagon is a global EdTech company operates physical campuses in 45 cities in 25 countries. Since 2013, Le Wagon has been running immersive coding bootcamps in Web Development and Data Science, with plans to extend this offer in 2023. There are plans to launch Le Wagon Online globally from the start of 2023 and APAC is included in this rollout.
DigiconAsia took the opportunity to learn more about in-demand digital skills and tech-oriented jobs with Dirk Schuler, APAC General Manager, Le Wagon:
DigiconAsia: How does Le Wagon determine in-demand skills?
Dirk Schuler (DC): As an organization that aims to equip individuals with the skills to future proof their career or start their entrepreneurial journey, it is crucial that we continue to stay ahead of the technology curve and remain relevant to the market. We determine in-demand skills for today and for the future through a number of ways.
- Through our global team and both internal and external curriculum designers who have expertise in software engineering with experience across leading tech companies including Google and Shopify
- We have an internal team that focuses on developing new products and have their finger on the pulse in this area
- With campuses in 45 cities around the world, we are able to get input from our City Managers on the skills that are in demand in these cities
- We regularly speak with hiring partners and recruiters and also monitor the latest job openings
- We also attend and speak at big conferences in key cities which keeps us informed and updated
- Through our active global community of over 17,000 students
What are the current in-demand skills for tech personnel in APAC?
DC: Based on the roles that our students have taken on once they complete either our web development or data science bootcamp, we know that software engineers, data engineers, data scientists as well as product managers are jobs that are in demand.
Software development is one key skill that will see growth in demand as businesses develop more digital products and build their IT infrastructure. Along with this, demand for skills in software design and user experience will also see continued growth. According to the World Economic Forum, data analysts and data scientists are the most sought-after jobs. These skill sets are highly transferable and are applicable across different industries and businesses so individuals who are proficient in this area will find themselves in demand in the job market.
Companies that have adopted AI and automation usually retrain or upgrade the skills of personnel. Is it necessary to avail courses like those offered by Le Wagon to better work in tandem with AI?
DC: In this fast-changing business landscape, companies would need to adapt to remain competitive. To support this digital transformation, the demand for digital skills and technology-oriented jobs are set to rise to 190 million in 2025 from 41 million in 2020.
It is expected that a large proportion of these jobs will be in APAC, where some of the world’s fastest growing economies are.
Companies successfully leveraging AI and automation in their business are not only focusing on setting up the right technology and data infrastructure, but also on enabling their teams to leverage data and AI in concrete use cases. This means making sure that the data and AI teams and the business teams (e.g. marketing, finance, HR) develop the best adapted data skills, so that they can effectively collaborate and build the best models that are useful in all key areas of the company.
If Le Wagon aspires to assist anyone, does this include those without a tech background?
DC: Our courses are accessible to anyone at any stage of their tech journey, including those who do not have a tech background. Before they start the course, students take an assessment for us to gauge their level of understanding and identify where the learning gaps may be. Prior to the start of the course, we offer prep work for them to complete, to give them the best chance to succeed once they start the bootcamp.
The bootcamp is intensive, so we expect that all students will start the course at the same level so they won’t be left behind. Our teachers also conduct frequent check-ins during the bootcamp to see how they’re coping and address any challenges they may have. Our teaching methodology, the collaborative learning space where students learn from each other and through pair programming during class helps students thrive, regardless of the prior tech background.
