Engineering the future: Essential skills for the modern engineer
Engineering has evolved significantly, shifting from primarily designing solutions to a more vital role in addressing real-world challenges.
Having celebrated Engineer's Day last month, it's crucial to reflect on the evolving role of engineers in today’s fast-paced world. While the foundational knowledge of engineering remains critical, the future demands engineers who are not just technically adept but also equipped with interdisciplinary skills that span emerging technologies, problem-solving, and adaptive thinking.
Engineering has evolved significantly, shifting from primarily designing solutions to a more vital role in addressing real-world challenges. Today, engineers aren't just creators of new solutions – they are problem solvers who address societal needs, from digital payments to global finance. This shift has redefined what it means to be an engineer and the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape.
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Core Engineering Skillsets
The foundation of any engineer remains technical expertise. Skills like coding, system architecture, and understanding complex algorithms have always been essential. But with the rise of platforms like low-code/no-code environments and languages like Python, these core skills are becoming more accessible. Even non-engineers can now leverage these tools to create solutions, allowing businesses to innovate rapidly.
This shift in accessibility doesn’t diminish engineers' role—it enhances it. As these platforms handle more routine tasks, engineers can focus on more meaningful and complex challenges. They can dedicate their expertise to solving intricate problems, designing innovative systems, and driving strategic advancements. This ability to prioritise higher-value tasks is where engineers truly distinguish themselves.
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Engineers as Real-World Problem Solvers
Engineers stand out today in their ability to solve practical, real-world problems. For instance, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in India, developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has revolutionised how people transact. By allowing instant, seamless transfers between bank accounts via mobile devices, UPI solves a critical problem of accessibility and convenience in a cash-dependent economy. It’s a game-changer, not because of the technology itself, but because it addresses a real need—making digital payments available to everyone across the country, regardless of financial status.
Democratising Solutions for the Public
The final aspect of modern engineering is democratising these solutions so that they benefit the public at large. One such example is the “Finternet”, a ground-breaking approach to global finance. It embodies three principles: user-centricity, unification, and universality. By putting users at the centre, creating a unified platform that cuts across various asset classes, and using tokenisation technology to enable universal interoperability, Finternet is set to redefine global finance.
Like Finterent, engineers today are reimagining solutions for unprecedented challenges and solving them at scale for a global audience. Democratising these innovations ensures that society at large, not just a select few, feels the benefits of technology.
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Engineering for a Better Future
Engineers must remain adaptable and committed to lifelong learning as technology evolves at an unprecedented pace. The rapid advancements in fields like artificial intelligence, automation, and blockchain require engineers to consistently upgrade their skillsets. Organisations, in turn, are responsible for providing opportunities for continuous learning and skill development.
At Clover Academy, for example, we have introduced two unique formats—'AI Saturdays' and 'Techtron'—to empower our engineers and trainees with the latest knowledge. AI Saturdays is a 5-hour intensive training session focused on AI tools and learning platforms, emphasising generative AI (GenAI) and adaptive AI technologies. Techtron, on the other hand, is an engaging internal event featuring games and quizzes on emerging technologies, designed to enhance learning in a fun, interactive way. These initiatives highlight the importance of staying updated with technological advancements while cultivating a culture of curiosity and growth.
As we move further into a technology-driven era, the role of engineers will continue to evolve. Their expertise will no longer be limited to their technical abilities, but also extend to engineering a better future for the society at large.
(Author Lakshmi Mittra is SVP and Head of Clover Academy. Views expressed here are personal.)
