ANUBHAV SAXENA
R&D President, Pidilite Industries Limited, Mumbai, India

Gone are the days when knowing job technicality was adequate and people would retire as technical experts from the organization. In today’s globalized world, chemical companies proactively identify collaborators and partners to quickly address the technology gaps. With the advent of digital technology and the sharp emergence of AI, there is a growing need for nurturing essential skills in the organization. Substantially,  essential skills or soft skills are the ones that differentiate humans from machines. These skills have become more imperative  than ever. So first things first, what are these skills?

Essential skills are required to do jobs effectively in a timely manner. Successful career is an optimum blend of technical and essential skills. Academic curriculum and professional degrees are heavy on technical skills and fare poorly on building essential skills. Such skill-gap limits the employability and career advancement of professionals. Industries typically follow a more structured and rigorous approach to train their employees on these essential skills and he ...