Rohit Kapoor on the jobs that will define India’s future

Rohit Kapoor on the jobs that will define India’s future
Image: OYO
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With half of its population under 25 and the unemployment rate at four-decade high, India faces an uncertain future. The question on young people’s minds: what kinds of jobs will we have? Quartz asked leaders across India’s biggest industries about that one job in their company or field that will be the most crucial in the coming decades.

Tourism and hospitality accounts for 9% of India’s GDP, and employs 44 million people. However, the closure of Jet Airways coupled with a slowdown in business activity weighed heavily on hotel and travel industry in 2019. Also, the scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir accompanied with restrictions on the movement of foreign and domestic tourists impacted hotel occupancy rates. Hotel aggregator OYO’s move to lay off thousands of employees reflects the troubles faced by the sector.

Rohit Kapoor, the chief executive officer of OYO, told Quartz:

The hospitality industry is expected to add 10 million jobs by 2028, and data science roles will be at the forefront of that hiring. Skill sets that will be crucial here include data science management and data visualization. We’ll use data analytics in pricing, managing revenue, and determining seasonal trends in hospitality. These will go a long way towards understanding customer preferences at every touchpoint. A challenge for companies will be improving the skill sets of talent across geographies. Another challenge is ensuring diversity and inclusion across all management levels. As we continue to deepen our presence in India across 500+ cities, we are bridging these gaps by establishing skill institutes in smaller cities, making it easier for young people to improve their skills and find employment opportunities closer to home.