Digital technologies are not just buzz words these days but a glaring reality in today’s corporate/industrial work force. No matter which industry/sector you work in technologies like IIoT, AI, Cyber security etc. have become synonymous to everyday operations.
One such institute which is skilling people in these specialized technologies is the International Institute of Digital Technologies (IIDT) located in Tirupati. And the person heading this institute is in many ways an IT veteran who has spearheaded many crucial and large scale IT projects for the government. Dr Sundar Balakrishna is the Director General at IIDT and strongly believes that Industry and skill based institutes need to work in tandem. He is also the Director of Electronics Services Delivery and CEO, Andhra Pradesh Information Technology Academy and is Special Secretary IT and group CEO APEITA, GoAP.
At IIDT Dr Balakrishna is aptly supported by Mr Y Mallikarjuna Reddy, CISA, CISM, CRISC the General Manager, Academics at the institute who plays a key role in course formulation
In an exclusive interview to Vizag Industrial Scan Dr Sundar Balakrishna throws light on the significance of the institute and its mandate.
Could you please briefly explain the role of IIDT?
International Institute of Digital Technologies (IIDT) was established in 2016 at Tirupati by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. IIDT is set up under APEITA (Andhra Pradesh Electronics & IT Agency), which is an autonomous society for the promotion of Information Technology and Electronics industry. IIDT (www.iidt.edu.in) is proposed to nurture high quality Digital Talent in AP and to become the Leader in Digital Economy. IIDT’s mission ‘to create professionals, experts and entrepreneurs for the Digital future’ and vision is to make Andhra Pradesh to be the preferred destination for Digital opportunities in India.
What are some of the key courses that are taught at IIDT?
At present IIDT offers three flagship industryoriented Courses i.e. Post graduate Programme in Cyber Security, Post graduate Programme in Business Analytics and Post Graduate Programme in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). All these programmes are of 11 months duration. Going forward some of the upcoming courses are in the areas of Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality (AR / VR), machine learning etc.
How many students has IIDT placed over the past 2 years?
We have successfully placed 175 Students out of the 179 students trained. Placement partners include coveted names like KPMG, EY, CISCO, Check Point, Mindtree, HCL, Tech Mahindra, Hitachi, Infosys, Wipro, Broadridge, Salesforce, APITA, Vassar Labs, Yes Bank, Uber, Cygilant, HSBC, Happiest Minds, Curl Analytics, ITC Infotech, eMudhra, Nielsen, Solix, Color Tokens etc.
What is the average salary package that an IIDT graduate receives?
For Cyber Security it is Rs 5.42 Lakhs Per Annum while for for Business Analytics it is Rs 5.65 Lakhs Per Annum.
How is IIDT addressing the skills gap that the industry often faces during hiring?
IIDT addresses the skill gap with its unique model aided by
- Access to advanced tools from Industries
- Transformational pedagogy with a blend of traditional & Digital Learning
- Collaboration with topnotch Institutes as knowledge partners
- Use-case based practical learning environment
How can industry play a role in training/skilling people?
Industry should be able to partner with skill-based technology Institutes like IIDT for mentorship, internship and placements. With this approach, it is going to be a win-win situation for the industryacademia partnership.
What are some of the key skills/sectors that you see industry hiring for?
Currently, the Digital Technology space is a hotbed of activity. Many firms across the world are looking to embrace the digital transformation and are attempting to leverage these advancements in technology to gain significant competitive advantage.
