Often I observe students in 3rd year Engineering of Electronics, Computer Science & Mechanical background are very much keen and interested to jump into robotics. Everybody takes part in college level Robotics workshop, making kits, taking part in college level Robot war events etc. Even the fever goes to the famous IIT Bombay Techfest event. But as the Engineering gets completed they take a Job in IT or some other Industry. So the biggest question is :-
Why Engineers Don't Get Job in Indian Robotics Industry ?
When there is immense passion, enthusiasm & hard-work for Robotics is available why does the community struggles? In fact the problem lies in both the Students community & the Companies. I hereby list some key problems that I observed in my years into Robotics and seen through the community.
ASSUMPTIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS- Industrial Automation/Automation Solution Provider/Process Automation/Integrator (e.g. PARI, TAL, Rockwell, B&R, Schneider) are not Robotics companies, they are channel partners of Robotics companies (KUKA, ABB, Panasonic). They don’t make robots they, instead they purchase Robots and Integrate it to a Solution for the customer. Yet also it's a fact, that these companies are inevitable part of the ecosystem and play the major role into putting robots in practical applications.
It’s been 20 years Robotics has penetrated into Indian market and Education circle but, a Structured and Growing Industry is yet to come in Shape.
- 1. ROBOTICS INDUSTRY IN INDIA IS TINY - Companies which are making Robots for real life applications are very few and even the numbers are in single digit. Most of the companies are doing college level Robotics for Education sector, organizing workshops and competitions etc. 99% of companies are Startups and are having market capitalization less than 1$ Million on the whole. However Automotive, Software sectors are Multi Trillion Dollar industries. "There is a need of Passionate group of people who create a Strong Company which becomes Big, creates real value and Lead the Industry in Indian market, and then there will be whole ecosystem created"
- 2. ROBOTIC ENTHUSIASTS & JOB SEEKERS DON’T HAVE REAL PASSION - Passion needs Sacrifice, If you don’t understand this, forget the term “your interest”. If Indian engineers want jobs in Robotics, they have to work with the Startup companies, where they will pay less or nothing initially or hire you on Intern basis, be a part of the companies and support them to build company on your shoulder, coordinate with them if you have real guts and passion & Understand, this is an "OPPORTUNITY" to become the next leader in the New Industry which is going to change the world.
- 3. ROBOTICS ENTHUSIAST & JOB SEEKERS DON’T HAVE KNOWLEDGE & SKILL REQUIRED IN DEPTH - Which can be only achieved by self study, experimentation & practice not by college teaching. For getting a good job into Robotics you need not to be an expert in all streams (e.g Electronics, Software, Mechanical) but instead you have to be strong in one, preferably the same as your branch of graduate study.
- 4. FOUNDERS OF ROBOTIC STARTUPS LACK MARKET KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING - Most of the founders come from a technology background with no prior Sales Experience. Even sales experience should be at-least 4-5 years, to get the level of maturity to understand market and plan the strategy and execute it with success. Hired Sales Head (even experienced) even Co-founders (joined later) can't create the market. I believe the Founder with extreme high level of Integrity, Perseverance, Persistence, Passion and Patience ("IP4"- as I Say) can only create the Show for the world by executing their dream.
- 5. EVERYBODY WANTS EASY MONEY- Most of the founding teams have a figured out an easy way to make money and and continue living in Robotics, by doing the Education Robotics business in parallel to their dream product for real life application. And they end-up entangled in the college level Robotics and unable to get into the market. I believe the hardship, sacrifice, unlimited toil, thirst to make your product accepted by customers without the "EASY WAY" support, will only Empowers to create Long sustainable business. Putting simply the " Blinkers " are needed to reach the destination, the ultimate destination of - Creating Robots For People !!