It is a paper on changing career options in a technology centric environment. In the new work environment, the unemployment rate among experienced employees has increased. This paper explains different strategies to re-occupy. Training is the first solution and the second is self learning. Vocational training helps in getting reoccupied.

1. 1
Career Re-engineering : A leap to reduce skill gap in dynamic job environment
Dr. Waseeha Firdose
Dr. Manasa N
Arooj Ul Arsh : Correspondent author
Abstract:
Career reengineering is a process of identifying the key competencies gained from experience
and training and use them for identifying a new career opportunity which may or may not be
related to the earlier jobs. Industry 4.0 helps the firms to adopt new technologies for increasing
quality and economies of scale, but it increases the replacement of manpower with engineering
and technology. This paper explains the need of vocational training for the employees who lost
job opportunities due to technology adoption. The job-displacement is high in small and
medium industries due to two reasons: adoption of new technologies and closure of small firms
due the inability to compete in the market. The vocational training for redundant employees
have two benefits, viz, utilise the skills and knowledge from long experience and reduce
unemployment among experienced employees. The vocational training can motivate the
redundant employees to engage in self-employment which needs motivation, support and help
to identify apt opportunities
Key words: career reengineering, career planning, talent, SMEs, vocational training,
counselling

2. 2
Scope of ‘Career Re-engineering’ in Reducing Skill Latency among
Skilled Labours and Talent Deficiency in Small and Medium
Enterprises in India.
Introduction
The definition for ‘skill’ in ‘American Psychological Association Dictionary’ is an ability or proficiency of an
individual, acquired through training, practice, and continuous improvement, to do a task effortlessly, but at a
benchmarked level of accuracy and perfection. Skill development needs time, effort, and investment. Talent may
be defined as the skills of an individual in a specific domain or function. In talent management, a firm looks for
the best combination of talents to get the targets accomplished in a unique way at the lowest cost (Gallardo-
Gallardo, Dries, & González-Cruz, 2013). Career re-engineering is a continuous process of ‘learning-unlearning
and relearning’ through updating the knowledge, skill, and other attributes (KSOAs) to meet the requirements of
‘talent specification’ of different jobs and organization. Unless a job seeker is clear on the talent needs of a firm,
it is impossible to plan and develop a career in that sector.
The shift in paradigm in performance from excellence through routine (continuous repletion) to consistency in
results when the practices become dynamic and diverse. Business environment, technology, consumption pattern
and expected utility from a product are continuously changing along with continuous improvement in products
and services. Hence talent management and career development are the objectives of the firm (Ghalem, Okar,
Chroqui, & Alami, 2016) and job aspirants (EFQM, 2003) for two objectives, viz. sustainability and consistency.
In both cases, performance depends on the environment and the system. Like a product or service, skill and talent
have a life cycle, a period in which a skill or talent will be effective to yield maximum results. The only one tool
to extend the life of a talented life is to undergo a ‘learn, unlearn and relearn’ sequence to adopt new challenges
and changes in job and career will be smooth and strong. Career will be smooth and strong only when an individual
succeeds in developing a capability to adopt the changes and challenges with new KSOAs. Voluntary Retirement
Scheme (Maheshwari & Kulkarni, 2003) is a sort of ‘talent re-engineering’ to replace ‘obsolete skills and talents’
with fresh employees with latest talents. In brief, career reengineering and talent reengineering are two sides of a
coin, enhance congruence between skill and talent in stock and needed to solve the heterogeneity in characteristics

3. 3
of new challenges arising every day. Continuous performance evaluation in firms is another tool to retain the best
talent mix for solving new demands from the market (Aina & Atan, 2020).
Career Re-engineering
Re-engineering is defined as the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business process or a task to
achieve dramatic improvements in critical contemporary modern measures of performance, such as cost, quality,
service, and speed.” (Hammer, 1996). Every employee can be considered as a treasure of a set of skills,
knowledge, experience and capabilities and the employment is an opportunity for an individual to capitalise his
key competencies for survival (OECD, Going Digital, 2019). A 14% of workers face a high risk of automation
while another 32% face major changes in skill requirement in their job (Nedelkoska & Quintini, 2018). Inter-
occupational change is common and high in ‘high skilled employees’ while it is low in the low skilled employees.
Hence, the low skilled employees are at low risk due to the lower level of automation and viability in automation
to replace low skilled jobs. Skill development must have two phases to reduce the effect of digitalization. The first
phase is basic education to teach STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and to develop
knowledge, skill and attitude while the second phase is continuous adult or vocational education to fill the skill
gap in the digitization process (Deming, 2015). The digital technology-based training gives higher incentives. The
two options of the solutions for this threat are either training of potential employees within the organization to
close the skill gap to avoid redundancy or to choose a new job or interest and occupied (OECD, FUTURE OF
WORK AND SKILLS, 2017).
The driving forces in the talent dynamics are, technological advances, climate change, data democratisation,
globalization, population pressures, changed demographic profiles, most and multidisciplinary skill set
(Mohammed, 2019). A few skills which are essential for career growth include, financial literacy, communication
skills, building effective relationships, teamwork, presentation skills, problem solving, creativity, critical thinking,
and digital literacy (Bridgstock, White, Mather, McCandless, & Grant-Iramu, 2019). . The skills that employees
wish to have in a digitization phase are, adaptability,problem solving, collaboration skills, emotional intelligence,
creativity and innovation, leadership skills, digital skills, risk management skills,and STEAM skills ( Science,
Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math), and entrepreneurial skills (Brown, et al., 2018).
Career re-engineering is the same concept of re-engineering in process applied to career development in which an
individual evaluates himself for strengths and weaknesses in getting new opportunities and to upskill or reskill
himself to meet the current industry demands. Re-engineering in a career is essential when an individual cannot
advance in his career with the skills or knowledge he possesses but demands an attitudinal change. It is a sequence
of learning, unlearning and relearning in which the experienced employees relearn new knowledge over already
learnt knowledge which became obsolete due to technological and economic changes, especially due to
digitalization (Lahiri & Moseley, 2015).
The three components of attitude viz., affective, cognitive, and behavioural, also must be changed in
understanding the need (Haddock & Gregory R. Maio, 2008). The affective component refers to feelings and
emotions towards the career growth, either to advance with the current job with readiness to close the skill gap or
to choose an alternative which will be in resonance with one's own feelings and emotions (Baron, Branscombe,
& Byrne, 2009). The cognitive components refer to beliefs, thoughts, and attributes (Moreno-Garc´ıa, Carlos-
Castro, H, Zamudio-Abdala, & Julieta, 2012). If the sequence of cognitive components is reversed, i.e., attributes,
thoughts and beliefs, then re-engineering is possible.
Career reengineering: A tool for career planning and career change
Career reengineering is also a career planning process in which a job aspirant seeks an alternative matching to his
interests, competencies, and better return than existing occupation. It is a career change which needs investment,
confidence, and a positive attitude in converting new challenges to opportunities. It is an adoption and adaptation
strategy in career to remain occupied and earning when opportunities change with economic, technological, and
political environment situations. Skill of a person will sharpen only when there are opportunities to use existing
skills as skill acquisition is a relative process of acquiring new knowledge and experience to do more tasks
precisely, efficiently, and effectively. The present challenge for the young generation is diminishing due to the
tendency of the normal curve of talent to need to be more leptokurtic as the recruiters look for ‘less manpower
with high talent level’. This trend explains the need for career reengineering to reorganise itself to new
opportunities with long term scope and benefits. Every occupation has its own normal distribution and the skill
acquisition and obsoletion will be at high rates for occupations with high leptokurtic nature with high income and
talent need. Investment for upskilling will also be high. This causes the job-displaced to opt for occupations with
mesokurtic or platykurtic normal distributions.
Self-evaluation and self-perception help to identify the limitations where to improve. Career reengineering begins
with self-evaluation to assess capabilities for the present occupation and for an alternative with a distinctive set
of skills. The alternative may emerge from hobbies, life experience or an opportunity linked to the present job.
The need of an alternative arises when the scope for present occupation diminishes either due to external reasons

4. 4
or internal reasons like personal life, need of high investment to upskill to compete in the present occupation or
low income.
It is essential in both cases, either to continue in the same job or to change. The behaviour is the physical response
to the affective and cognitive components. Past experiences remain as a reference to frame a new behaviour. The
objective of career reengineering is to identify a feasible occupation that can be adopted in life when the existing
fails.
Career re-engineering needs a counselling support to identify the inherent and developed capabilities and to
identify an occupation that is feasible to the employee. Active role of Human Resource and Development is needed
in continuously monitoring the performance and providing training to keep the skills intact with the need. This
reduces the erosion of knowledge and experience from the firm. Job rotation is another option to give opportunities
to work in other tasks so that if an employee becomes redundant due to technological change, there will be an
opportunity in other departments. Design engineer or production personnel can be trained as an after sales
executive or sales or installation executive while recruiting experts to key technical tasks.
Two very common terms used in training are, ‘upskilling’ and ‘Reskilling’. Upskilling is a training process to
improve the existing skills to do the current task in a better way while reskilling is the training of a new skill to
do a different task in different sectors, especially in the post pandemic era (Moritz & Zahidi, 2021). Upskilling is
the improving of skills in the same expertise while reskilling is for a change in expertise. Both terminologies are
important in career planning as well as for the rehabilitation of redundant employees (Munshi, 2018).
Upskilling is based on ‘Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle’ (Kolb, 1984) in which the skills achieved will be
used to conceptualise new ideas to test and introduce as a new product or service in the market.
Significance of career re-engineering
Career is an intangible asset that builds our life and is built on our interest, hard-work and even investment while
talent is the intangible asset of a firm in developing its own competencies. Industry 4.0 accelerated the use of
advanced technologies in business, both in service and manufacturing, to enhance efficiency while industry 5.0
(Maddikunta, et al., 2021)laid a platform for smart workplace through sharing of cognitive intelligence of human
with artificial intelligence of smart machines .Automation causes a drop in demand for physical and manual skills
and basic cognitive jobs while an increase in higher cognitive skills, social and emotional skills, and technological
skills (Bughin, et al., 2018). In the Indian context, agriculture, and trading generates maximum employment
opportunities and in rural areas, farming and trading are either primary or secondary income sources. Job
displacement is the job separation either due to economic changes or technological advancement and it demands
career re-engineering to re-employee the displaced employees or to prevent professional downgrading through
upskilling or reskilling to adapt with new technologies. (Quintini & Venn, 2013). If the displacement rate is more
than re-employment rate, unemployment of skilled workers increases and it is the reflection of automation on job
redundancy. Trainability of an employee is the crucial factor in career re-engineering while employability skills
(CBI, 1999) is crucial for reemployment. Two types of employees face the challenges of job displacement and re-
employment, and they are fresh entrants to the job markets and the senior employees. In re-employment, three
possibilities exist, reemployment with the same set of skills in similar jobs, reemployment in higher grade jobs
with higher level skills or remain unemployed. In higher cognitive skill as well as social and emotional skill jobs
are based on personal competencies than technological skills. A job-shift to these two categories of jobs needs
interpersonal and managerial skills.
Social significance of career-reengineering
1. Personality traits, capabilities, and roles.
Career choice and development is a personal choice and is influenced by personality traits and capabilities (Jong,
Wisse, Heesink, I, & Zee, 2019). Career role models explained six career models based on a systematic
combination of three classes of individual motives that drive people in their work and two organizational themes
that guide organizations. The three classes of individual motives for work are, distinction (e.g., autonomy and
agency), integration (e.g., connectedness and belonging) and structure (e.g., collective meaning and cohesion)
(Hogan, 2007). These three motives were crossed with two organizational themes viz. exploitation (e.g., processes
focused on stability) and exploration (e.g., processes aimed at innovation and change) (March, 1999). The six
resulting roles are (1) the Maker role; (2) the Expert role; (3) the Presenter role; (4) the Guide role; (5) the Director
role; and (6) the Inspirer role. These six roles are the building blocks of individual careers and potentially
attainable in most jobs with at least some employee autonomy (Hoekstra, 2011). This shows that the experienced
employees can have shifts in jobs in between the roles as a committed employee is an asset to the organizations
providing adequate upskilling or reskilling. Career reengineering depends on personality traits and capabilities to
adopt new technologies, innovations and develop ideas.
2. Identifying new career opportunities

5. 5
Skill is a unique attribute depending on an individual’s cognitive, physical, and psychological attributes. Job is an
opportunity for an individual to use his knowledge, skill, capabilities, and organization skills. Retention of
employees depends on available job opportunities. When job opportunities decrease due to automation and
digitalization, there are two choices for employees: retain a job or seek alternatives. If the three classes of
individual work are strong, then an employee opts for a more rewarding opportunity from the choices. It is a need
of an individual to upskill or reskill himself for gaining from new opportunities in entrepreneurship. Both firms
and individuals must be dynamic to accept new changes in technology, economy and market. Every firm is market
driven fuelled by continuously changing consumption patterns and living style. As the ‘re-engineering’ improves
performance of a system and its productivity with innovative ideas and creativity, the careers of individuals also
must be re-engineered identifying apt occupations and job opportunities.
3. Psychological challenges in career re-engineering
Psychological challenges include cognitive dissonance in accepting alternative occupations due to fear or attitude
issues, social reputation, emotional intelligence, and psychological distance to alternative opportunities. Cognitive
dissonance is an inertia observed in individuals in choosing an alternative occupation due to fear, ambiguity, lack
of confidence and opportunities in career advancement. The prime components in emotional intelligence, self-
awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation, and self-determination (Wehmeyer, 2003) are important in career re-
engineering as the motivation to achieve in life. It is common in ‘necessary entrepreneurs’
4. Constraints in career re-engineering
Self-determination, involvement, enthusiasm, and commitment are the traits needed for an individual to re-
engineer his career. Addictions, health issues, psychological distance to occupations, laziness, interest for easy
money and constrained personal life are a few reasons that affect career re-engineering negatively. Inadequate
income and time compel the employees to postpone their upskilling or reskilling leads to opportunity loss.
Benefits to firms in promoting career re-engineering among employees
Retention of employees is the best solution for retaining business secrets within a firm and sharing of competitive
strategies to competitors. Protecting competitive resources is a competitive advantage and the experienced
employees can fit into appropriate role models as the situation demands. The committed loyal experienced
employees are the cutting edge in the competitive advantage of a firm. But the firms must give opportunities for
adequate support for career reengineering like, vocational counselling, training, and opportunity to work. The
contribution to the firm, employee performance, and attitude may be the criteria for retention of an employee
while trainability and employability of the employee for other roles decide the scope for other roles and career re-
engineering. Job fit and talent need to decide the possibilities for reemployment.
Career reengineering needs investment on training and opportunity cost in appointing an apt employee. It depends
on the personality of the employee, and his job fit. Job fit theory explained the degree of congruence of personal
needs and personality with organizational environment and the period of association. Involvement, Teamwork,
innovation, creativity, enthusiasm, reactiveness, responsiveness, consistency in performance, managing hostility
in work, and availability for work are a few factors that improve job fit. Interpersonal skills, managerial skills,
negotiation, intrapersonal skills, numeric and logic power, public speaking, coordination, analytical skill, written
and oral communication, reasoning, problem-solving, explaining, emotional intelligence and decision-making
skills increase the job-fit for higher cognitive skill required jobs and social and emotional skill-based jobs.
Valance, Expectancy, and instrumentality of Vroom’s expectancy theory cause motivation in employees for
identifying talents needed in future.
Bottlenecks in career re-engineering
Reducing employability in fresh graduates and lack of parallel skill development systems for vocational training
reduce the opportunity for the displaced employees for reskilling or reskilling to increase the unemployment rate
in India. Technology, engineering and product development are changing at a high pace to inculcate innovation
and creativity to keep products unique, attractive and with a high utility level. Automation and digital technology
reduced cost of product to a low level to deliver higher quality for a lower price tag. This dynamism is not
effectively transferred to higher education and vocational training to upskill the graduates and employees to
increase the job-fit of employees (IndiaSkillsReport, 2021) . .
Every skill has a lifespan, and its life depends on two factors, personal competencies, and opportunities for using
the skills. If opportunity becomes extinct, the skills become obsolete. But skill development is an expensive
process which needs investment, effort, and time. Increasing job-displacement and low rate of reemployment is
an intangible loss for both individuals and society.
The cost for upskilling or reskilling falls on the job-aspirants except when the training is offered or sponsored by
the employers. Affordability of upskilling or reskilling in the same occupation along with future scope and return

6. 6
remain as a crucial decision-making factor in deciding the need of career reengineering. (Flow charts of Career
Reengineering: Annexure 1)
Statement of Problem
Increasing unemployability in fresh job aspirants and skilled laborers due job displacement are two challenges in
the job market. Widening the employment gap in graduates and inadequate facilities for job-displaced employees
are two challenges to be addressed in developing countries like India. This paper analyses how unemployment
and job displacement affect individuals.
Objectives
a. To analyse the career -reengineering pattern in employees
b. To analyse the employee retention and skilling strategies of the firm
Research Methodology
The study was conducted in Bengaluru City in Karnataka state. Bengaluru city has a diverse population in terms
of language, nativity, occupation, income etc... The sample size of this research is 1356 respondents from three
strata, fresh graduates, employees, and the unemployed employees due to job-displacement.
A structured questionnaire based on 11 point scale (0-10). The Cronbach alpha of the study is 0.895.
Multiple Linear Regression Model is used in this research to analyse the variation in effect on independent
variables on career re-engineering need in life. Multiple Linear Regression models help to explain the variation
in effect of independent variables on dependent variables.
The independent variables are, confidence in one's domain, skill acquired in education, skill acquired from add
on training, career advancement opportunities in present job, career advancement opportunities other than present
job, training opportunities in present job/course, career opportunity, career growth satisfaction.
Environmental factors as independent variables considered in this research are, economic change, technology
change, skill expectancy, possibility and cost for reskilling, reskilling opportunities.
Need for vocational counselling, reskilling opportunities, career reengineering option in life are also analysed in
this research
Data Analysis
The data was collected from three strata of respondents to understand the way the respondents plan their career
and how the reengineering was adopted in their career.
The composition of the sample is observed as, fresh job seekers (176, 13%), unemployed (122, 9%), job-displaced
(257, 19%), employed (433, 32%), re-employed (366, 27%).
Fresh graduates: The survey identified that fresh graduates from engineering (62%), science (72%), and social
science (62%) opted for alternative career choices not linked with the skills gained from education. Science and
social science gave priority to teaching profession first and then to similar jobs before choosing a new occupation.
69% of the engineering graduates who selected alternative occupations selected traditional occupations. Cost of
reskilling and upskilling (68%), continuous need of skilling to remain occupied (48%), higher risk of skill
obsoletion (52%) and increasing job redundancy in high paid jobs (42%) are a few factors that persuade the job-
aspirants to choose alternatives. 79% of the fresh graduates had undergone vocational training programs to meet
the skill needs of different jobs. But it reveals that there is a skill gap between the skills acquired from academics
and industry. When India implements ‘Make in India’ as a part of Industry 4.0, talent needs will be a crucial
challenge and it is a need to reduce this skill gap continuously through either finishing schools or bridge programs
at affordable prices so that entrepreneurship, self-employment and talent supply can be improved. In the healthcare
industry, the career change (26%) is less compared to other disciplines followed by commerce (32%) and
management (37%). India Skills report -2021 shows that Engineering, Management, Arts, Commerce, Science,
Computer Applications, Polytechnique and Pharma have placement rate at, 46.82%, 46.59%, 42.72%, 40.3%,
30.34%, 22.42%, 25.02%, and 37.04% respectively. The finding supports the data of India Skills Report that the
unemployed students opt for a domain change with additional training. This is supported by the findings of the
McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) report that the demand for jobs based on high cognitive skills, social-emotional
skills and technological skills increases while the demand for basic skills reduces. Basic skill-based jobs are
automated at a higher pace than personal skill-based jobs. Female participation in internet-based business
increased. Self-employment and entrepreneurship opportunities increased in the last four years, especially in
documentation, digital marketing, social media content development, on-line business, web-design, digital
advertisements, software solutions and support, and software development. But the fresh graduates have to reskill

7. 7
or upskill before choosing a career in internet-based jobs as the concept is covered only in computer application
courses or engineering.
Unemployed respondents:
Unemployed respondents of this survey fall in three categories, government job aspirants (42%), facing rejection
in the selection process (34%) and not involved in either job hunt or self-occupied. The government job aspirants
are preparing to crack public services examinations while the respondents who face rejections need appropriate
guidance or counselling to identify their skill shortages.
The respondents who face rejection in the selection process have low academic scores, communication skills,
domain knowledge and exposure. 68% of them are from rural backgrounds and have failed to develop skills (46%)
or score high in academics (53%) due to tough living conditions. But they have an interest in adapting to new jobs
(58%).
This finding needs a solution to help the unemployed youth to identify the reasons for rejections rather than leaving
them to self-rejection, demotivated, uncared for and strayed. Addressing of this issue reduces suicides, addictions,
and indulging in antisocial activities or joining such groups. Career reengineering plays an important role in
counselling, identifying their strengths and weaknesses, choosing an apt trade or occupation, preliminary training,
on-job training and supporting them in rehabilitating them. National or State level policy is needed to address this
issue. Trainability of respondents is also significant as they didn’t undergo any vocational training. Providing
opportunities for these respondents can change their career line.
The respondents who are reluctant for any job or self-occupied are more susceptible for addictions, wrong
associations etc causing a social danger. Awareness on benefits of self-occupiedness has to be given from school
levels in social value of individuals, economic value of life and contributions, pride in being self-reliant etc. They
face addictions (41%), gangs hand hanging up (26%), and laziness (42%). The reasons for the lack of interest
include, ancestral wealth (35%), rich parents (29%), and fear for job (11%) and feel inferiority for doing job
(25%).
Job displaced
The reasons for the job-displacement include skill shortage (36%) and lower performance index (64%). The job
displacement below three years of experience observed in this survey is 58%. Reasons for lower performance
index include health issues (11%), personal problems (14 %), Indiscipline (behavioural issues (9 %), attitude
problems (11%), and irregularity in job (8%)) and addictions (11%). Availability of skilled talents persuade the
management for immediate replacement rather than counselling and retaining them. Vocational Counselling
professionals can reduce the job displacement among the employees having skill shortage through training at firm
level.
The prime reason for job-displacement was lockdown due to CoVID 19. The economy and job market (Vyas,
2021) slowly recovered from standstill after the two pandemic cycles. It is a global phenomenon. In general, the
digitalization and technological growth is because of job-displacement in low cognitive, low skilled jobs while
complementing the non-routine and cognitive jobs. Two domains in occupations emerged based on automation
are, directly or indirectly affected and subject to technological change. Directly affected occupations include,
technology applications, making sectors, facilitating sectors (Vermeulen, Kesselhut, Pyka, & Saviotti, 2018).
A system of vocational training in association with industry and administration is essential to reduce the effect of
shortening of skill life spans due to automation and digitalization. It must be a routine activity in which the industry
deputes their employees for upskilling in vocational training centres and will be trained by the experts in
technologies from industry. Fresh graduates from higher education can be included in this training to increase
labour supply of expected standards. This will reduce the difference between job-displacement and re-
employment.
Employees
Employees are a part of a process, organizations, and opportunities available to use as a part of a task. In other
words, the knowledge, skills, and attributes are in resonance with the level expected for accomplishing the task.
Career reengineering will be needed if an employee falls back in skill level expected. Else, continuous upskilling
is needed, and it is a part of every firm. The attributes for retention of employees identified here are, Involvement
(mean: 6.5, standard deviation: 1.9), Enthusiasm (mean 6.9, standard deviation: 1.5), Trainability (mean 6.8,
standard deviation: 1.4), interest to learn (mean 7.2, standard deviation: 2.2), performance consistency (mean 6.8,
standard deviation: 1.6), Team work (mean 5.8, standard deviation: 2.3), availability for work (mean 7.3, standard
deviation: 2.6), and passion for job (mean 7.3, standard deviation: 2.1).

8. 8
Skills, that help the employees to sustain in job, include, analytical skill (mean 7.3, 2.1), interpersonal skills (mean
6.9, 1.8), numeric and logic skills (mean 6.8, 1.4), coordination (mean 6.3, 1.4), reasoning (mean 6.4, 1.6), decision
making (mean 6.7, 1.2), problem solving (mean 7.0, 1.1) and explaining (mean 6.9, 1.3).
This shows that the retention of employees solely depends on their personal efficacy and attitude and commitment
towards occupation. It is reflected as behaviour like involvement, interest, and enthusiasm and reflected as
attributes like, performance consistency, teamwork, punctuality, availability for work, passion for work. This will
create opportunities for employees in their career supported by the management.
Re-employed
Re-employed are the employees who faced a break in their career due to skill shortage. They may have to reskill
themselves to reduce the skill gap and improve performance. They may rejoin in the same industry or firm or job
if they improve to the level the employer expects or change the industry or job to a domain where they can perform.
This needs career reengineering.
In this survey, it is observed that only 38% of the re-employed joined in the same sector in which 22% in the same
firm, but in a different role while 9 % joined in the same job but, in another form and 7% joined with an ex-
employer in the previous role itself.
In the remaining respondents who were reemployed, 62% opted traditional occupations while 38% underwent
career reengineering to choose other domains.
Multiple Linear Regression models: An analysis to compare the effect of different factors on career re-
engineering
Multiple linear regression models (MLRM) are ideal for comparing the effect of different independent variables
on dependent variables for different classes in nominal data. Here the control variable is the five types of
respondents based on occupational engagement: fresh graduates, unemployed, job-displaced, employed and re-
employed. In MLRM, only those dependent variables that contribute to variation in dependent variables will be
statistically significant.
Effect of factors on choice of Career Reengineering can be divided into personal, occupational, financial, and
environmental.
Model 1: Fresh graduates
a. Factors influence career engineering (R=.725, R2
= .525, F=16.256, p=0.000)
(Option for Career reengineering) = 6.25- .156* (demand for higher skill))-.106* (skill acquired) + 0.058* (career
opportunities) - .062*(skilling opportunities) + e
There is a gap between the industry demand for skills and skills acquired and it is high as well. The high negative
regression coefficient of demand for skills demands a review on the skill demand process in higher education.
The new post COVID environment, the working environment is changed to more digital. It demands more
Information and communication Technology (ICT) skills. The syllabus needs more contents for practical training
for familiarising with new applications.
b. Personal attributes (R=.725, R2
= .525, F=16.256, p=0.000)
(Option for career re-engineering) = 6.078+.126* (Trainability) +0.056* (teamwork) + 0.169*(involvement) +
.053* (innovativeness) + .089* (creativity)-0.03*(Proactiveness) + .195* (responsiveness) - .083*(performance
consistency)-0.083* managing hostility + 0.196*(Availability for work) + e
The positive regression coefficients of trainability, team work, involvement, innovativeness, creativity,
responsiveness, and availability of work support the interests for the corporates for campus recruitments. An
effective induction program at company level will improve their adaption to the work environment.
c. Employability skills (R=.725, R2
= .525, F=16.256, p=0.000)
(Option for career re-engineering) = 7.078+.136* (Numeric & Logic skill) + 0.096* (public speaking) +
0.109*(Coordination) + .053* (negotiation) + .099* (analytical) +0.033*(oral and written communication) +
.095* (reasoning) + .073*(problem solving)-0.083* (explaining) + .123*(emotional intelligence)-0.129* (domain
interest) +.156*(decision making skills) +e
It is interesting to note that the regression coefficients of all variables are positive except for explaining and
domain interest shows a positive attitude and energy level needed for the work environment. Emotional
intelligence and Numeric skills have a high regression coefficient. A negative regression coefficient of domain
knowledge is an indication that the respondents are not interested to confine to a specific domain, but open to
multiple options.

9. 9
Model 2: Unemployed
a. Factors influence career engineering (R=.625, R2
= .390, F=6.256, p=0.003)
(Option for Career reengineering) = 3.25- .356* (demand for higher skill))-.106* (skill acquired) + e
The unemployed respondents are those who failed to get a job opportunity from campus itself. There is a high
difference between the skill demanded and skill acquired. It shows that they have to undergo for skill development
training offered in different domains to meet the industry expectations
b. Personal attributes (R=.525, R2
= .275, F=4.056, p=0.021)
(Option for career re-engineering) = 9.078-.16* (Trainability) +0.076* (teamwork) -0.269*(involvement) - .093*
(innovativeness) - .105* (responsiveness) + 0.196*(Availability for work) + e
This negative trainability, involvement, innovativeness and responsiveness demands mentoring and counselling
on the need of change in attitude towards job and preparation for recruitment process. The results show the lack
of motivation in getting placed and the reasons for it have to be analysed and solved.
Employability skills (R=.515, R2
= .265, F=2.256, p=0.043)
(Option for career re-engineering) = 7.078+.06* (Numeric & Logic skill) - 0.096* (public speaking) +
0.19*(Coordination) - .129* (analytical)-0.133*(oral and written communication) + .145* (reasoning) +
.143*(problem solving) - 0.093* (explaining) - .143*(emotional intelligence) +.229* (domain interest) -
.176*(decision making skills) +e
The negative coefficients of the skill shows the type of change we need to incorporate in our higher education.
Communication skills, analytical skill, problem solving, explaining, emotional intelligence, and problem solving
have negative regression coefficients. The higher positive regression coefficient in domain interest and negative
regression coefficients for other variables shows lack of adaptability to different jobs.
Model 3: Job displaced
a. Factors influence career engineering (R=.535, R2
= .286, F= 5.123, p=0.000)
(Option for Career reengineering) = 7.25- .356* (demand for higher skill - 0.158* (career opportunities)-
.162*(skilling opportunities) + e
Job displaced are those who lost their job either due to job redundancy or skill obsolescence. The skill expectation
is low from fresher respondents while it is high from unemployed and displaced. One of the reasons for the job
displacement is the lack of up-skilling during the job. The negative regression coefficients support this.
Personal attributes (R=.545, R2
= .297, F=7.156, p=0.000)
(Option for career re-engineering) = 6.018 +0.056* (teamwork) + 0.069*(involvement) - .253* (innovativeness)
- .189* (creativity)-0.13*(Proactiveness) + .195* (responsiveness) - .083*(performance consistency)-0.283*
managing hostility + 0.196*(Availability for work) + e
The prime reasons for job displacement is lack of innovativeness, performance consistency, managing hostility,
and creativity. The up-skilling is an essential part in retaining a job.
In the case of job displaced, the model for employability skill has low variance (R=.138, R2
= .019) and F value
is 1.329 for p=.356. Hence, null hypothesis is accepted for the multiple linear regression model for employability
skills. This shows that the variation in employability skill is consistent in these respondents. But, the skill gap,
career opportunities, and skilling have negative regression coefficients in the model for personality attributes. The
negative coefficients of innovativeness, creativity, proactiveness, performance consistency and managing hostility
shows the lack of continuous skilling and efforts in maintaining innovativeness and creativity due to routineness
in the job.
Model 4: Employed
The regression models for factors influencing career reengineering, personal attributes and employability skills
explained low variances and the F values are low for p>0.05. In all cases, the null hypothesis is accepted. This is
due to congruence of employability and personality attributes with industry expectation. So, standard deviation is
low about means of the variables.
Model 5: re-employed
a. Factors influence career engineering (R=.565, R2
= .32, F=4.206, p=0.000)

10. 10
(Option for Career reengineering) = 6.625- .056* (demand for higher skill)) +.136* (skill acquired) + 0.158*
(career opportunities) - .132*(skilling opportunities) + e
The skill acquired is more than skill expected and career opportunities have a positive regression coefficient.
Buying up-skilling has a negative coefficient. This shows that career training and career opportunities are essential
in re-employment. The lack of up-skilling opportunities is still a challenge.
b. Personal attributes (R=.625, R2
= .319, F=6.296, p=0.000)
(Option for career re-engineering) = 7.078+.326* (Trainability) +0.156* (teamwork) + 0.269*(involvement) +
.253* (innovativeness) + .189* (creativity) +0.13*(Proactiveness) + .195* (responsiveness) - .383*(performance
consistency)-0.183* managing hostility + 0.176*(Availability for work) + e
Performance consistency and managing hostility have negative coefficients.
c. Employability skills (R=.505, R2
= .255, F=3.256, p=0.031)
(Option for career re-engineering) = 6.978-.336* (Numeric & Logic skill) + 0.109*(Coordination) + 0.033*(oral
and written communication) + .195* (reasoning) + .173*(problem solving) +0.183* (explaining) +
.323*(emotional intelligence) +0.129* (domain interest) +.156*(decision making skills) +e
The regression model shows that the re-employed employees had changed their attitude towards the job and
improved their skills like reasoning, problem solving, and explaining, emotional intelligence and decision skills.
The regression coefficients of these variables are positive and increased as well compared to the unemployed and
job displaced. The regression coefficient of trainability, teamwork, involvement, innovativeness, creativity,
proactivity, responsiveness, and availability of work are positive. Career opportunities increased after undergoing
upskilling. But the cost and facilities for upskilling are still challenges.
Discussions
The results point out three main findings, viz. unawareness on vocational training opportunities in advanced level
upskilling or reskilling, attitude of both displaced, and unemployed employees on upskilling or reskilling and cost
of training. The responses revealed that they are willing to adopt traditional occupations like farming, trading, or
other informal level occupations where skill latency is not a challenge. Uniqueness in advanced skills pertaining
to a few occupations may not have another opportunity to be used. In brief, it may be useful in that process or
firm. In industry 5.0, the cognitive interaction between human and artificial intelligence of machines in many
firms are unique to them only and it is a competitive advantage of the firm. This reduces interest in employees to
invest in such training, if not provided by the firm.
Initiative of young fresh graduates in learning new technologies is good and there will be a return on investment
in it. But the bottleneck here is the gap in KSOA acquired in different courses in higher education and knowledge
requisites for different advanced courses. Implementation of Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 demands reorganizing
the higher education sector in India to introduce courses as a part of courses to reduce this gap.
The pyramidal nature of narrowing employment opportunities and talent requirements due the use of ‘Smart
Technologies’ is a cause of unemployment and displacement. Rate of ‘skill obsoletion’ is high unless the
employees upskill themselves continuously and effectively. But, the role of Governments cannot be ignored in
introducing a ‘parallel system with industry’ in association with industry to upskill or reskill displaced employees.
A provision for vocational counselling is needed in all local administration levels to enable the job aspirants to
choose apt skills for them and train them. Allowances, sponsorships or stipends for reskilling or upskilling reduce
their worries on family expenses during training and to meet the training costs. This will help to convert many
unemployed who face rejection due to skill latency.
Employed respondents are the successful respondents who manage their KSOAs matching to industry demands.
Still, there should be both financial and technical support for them to zero in skill needs and get skilled. Re-
employed also should get the same privilege as employed in upskilling. The experience of being reemployed in
handling skill-obsoletion, skill latency, job displacement, identifying reskilling needs and getting trained, and
experience after reemployed, will help to develop a strategy to manage the increasing unemployment among
skilled employees.
Limitations of the study
The study was conducted during the slow recovery of the economy and hence, the number of respondents in
different strata of respondents is less. This reduced the accuracy of results. The responses to the questions on
opportunities for reskilling and upskilling outside the employer firms showed their unawareness of such facilities.
It is a sort of information asymmetry. Hence, a detailed analysis of responses who are aware of vocational training
in their domain is needed to understand why they don’t use the opportunities to upskill or reskill themselves.

11. 11
Geographical limitation also influenced the results though the Bengaluru city has a much diversified occupational
profile.
Scope for future research
The research can be expanded by widening the existing strata of responses, even crossing the geographical
boundaries, at least South India or including prominent cities in India where industrialization is high, like Mumbai,
Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad etc. Skill latency is increasing along with adoption of new technologies. Hence,
the scope for career reengineering is dynamic in nature. Hence, there is a scope for both longitudinal and latitudinal
studies in this domain
Conclusion
Career reengineering is a career planning strategy in which an individual prepares himself to accept a new
profession when opportunities in existing professions diminishes due to economic or technical advancement. In
this process, an employee has to analyse own competencies to either continue in current job or to accept a new
job. In both cases, one has to undergo either upskilling or reskilling.
In this research, the respondents are classified into five categories, viz., fresh job seekers, unemployed, job
displaced, and employees and re-employed. The results show that there is a skill gap between industry
expectations and skill acquired from training or formal education. But, the personal attributes of the job aspirants
and employability skills prepare them to accept opportunities available to them irrespective of their domain. But
reskilling may be essential if the skill gap is high. The driving force to overcome challenges is the need and attitude
to prove, establish and self-reliant.
The unemployed respondents face attitude issues in accepting the opportunities. The reluctance to involve or to
be creative and innovative remains as a blockage to them in career advancement. Psychological and vocational
counselling is important in correcting the attitude issues and changing their perspective toward life and job.
The problems of job-displaced employees are their inability to sharpen their skills during their job and engagement
in routine activities. This causes skill latency and obsoletion of skills leading to unemployment. It is a challenge
for employees as the ready substitute with advanced competencies are readily available in the job market. It is not
certain to get firm sponsored training if there is no scope for one employee’s contribution is highly essential.
Employee himself must take initiative to overcome skill latency and obsoletion through involvement in interesting
domains and jobs. Technical advancement shortens the lifespan of skills, and the only solution is upskilling or
reskilling.
The respondents who are employed at present managed to maintain their involvement in job and personal
attributes high so that the skill latency is avoided through self-skilling process. Self-skilling is a process of
identifying one's own strengths and weaknesses to remould self to meet the new job demands. They are fast in
acquiring new skills and knowledge and dedicated in transforming knowledge to actions and results. Their
employability skills are also high.
The re-employed respondents are a new genus of employees who overcame the risk of skill latency through self-
skilling and self-evaluation. It is a self-managed process under the compulsion of survival. The shift in attitude
and emotional intelligence is the prime drivers in their change.
Career reengineering is a process of learning, unlearning and relearning to continuously update KSOAs
(Knowledge, Skills, and other attributes) to meet the industry expectations whether employed or self-employed.
It is a combination of self-evaluation and identifying an opportunity matching to the competencies. The prime
part is in analysing the opportunities, identifying the competencies needed and making up the skill deficits through
training. It needs determination, commitment, involvement, trainability and focus in career development. It is a
continuous process as the business environment is volatile, hostile and dynamic.
In brief, the key point of career reengineering is self-commitment, determination and ability to self-evaluate to
identify one's own competencies and drawbacks. The flow charts depicts the role of ‘self’ in maintaining an
employee employable and operational.
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Annexure
Flow Charts for explaining career reengineering
Flow Chart 1 : Decision making process of continuing in same job or alternative based on skilling
alternatives
Start
Self-evaluation: How
long my skill is apt for
continuing present

15. 15
Existing
New skill
No No
Yes
Yes Yes
Identify the skill
shortage –
Whether it is a new
skill or existing skill
Reskilling
Upskilling
Sponsored Sponsored
Avail Training at own expense
Complete
training
and
certify
Complete
training
and
certify
Affordability of
costing
Choose alternative Job
E End

16. 16
Flow Chart 2: Career Reengineering when all options of choice fail
E
Start
opt for Alternate Job
Listing jobs possible
Choose one job with interest,
passion, knowledge, experience,
and confidence to execute
Information from
reliable
source/counselling
Will the

17. 17
No No
yes
Reskilling for
alternate job
Will new job
meet personal
expectations/
Perceptions?
Reskill
Need of training&
Training need
assessment
(Consultant/Counsellors)
Identify more skills and create
talent pool
Continuously update
EEnd