upGrad

Background; -

Back in 2015, the founders noticed that the rapidly evolving industry required professionals to
continuously upskill themselves as learning for professionals comes to a halt after entering a
working space. This was when upGrad was formed to impact the lives of working
professionals by helping them upskill while they work. With an endeavour to facilitate quality
education to the future workforce through our UG and PG programs, we continue to build online
learning as interactive as a classroom setup.
In 2021, became a unicorn with a valuation of $1.2 bn.

Training Styles used at upGrad; -

‘’We build bespoke programs for our employees to meet the current industry trends and
requirements. Along with upGrad's expertise in Content, Faculty, Assessments Certifications,
Learner Engagements and Completion Support- we customize elements of program introduction
and familiarization to suit the necessary requirements.’’

 Organizing specific skills training programmes

 On-the-job training – Employees can have real-world exposure to the tasks of a

new role by taking on small projects for another team or through a mentoring
relationship.
 Online learning – Online courses are beneficial because they are accessible
anytime and anywhere to speed up the learning process. Bite-sized learning is
advantageous because it concentrates on the specific information needed to achieve
a learning objective. It’s also easy for all types of learners to grasp.
 Blended learning – Combining online learning with classroom training assures that
all material is covered. It also provides the opportunity for learners to ask questions
and interact with an instructor.

 Equip your employees with the right tools

 For instance, collaboration tools, like Slack and Trello, promote teamwork, and
simplify things in the workplace. Similarly, time tracking apps and communication
apps help employees to track their progress and communicate with team members
seamlessly, no matter where they are.

 Promoting job shadowing

 Job shadowing is an excellent way for people to get familiar with a new role within or
across departments. Following and observing an experienced employee throughout
their day gives an accurate portrayal of the job requirements. In essence, job
shadowing helps better prepare someone to take on a new position. It is also a great
reskilling method if you’re on a tighter budget.
  Focus on digital skills

 Keeping in mind the industry they function in, upGrad lays strong focus on equipping
its employees with the necessary digital skills. Since almost everything has now
shifted online, at upGrad employees are trained and required to know the basics of
digital representation of their jobs.

 Learn from the Best

 upGrad’s teachers include prominent industry experts like Mr. Mangesh Dalvi,
Product Management Director at Myntra, Mr. Sourabh Sharma, AVP at Paytm,
among others.

 An example of upGrad’s focus on employee training and skill

improvement can be found in the below chart; -

Employee Training Programmes

93
81
67
56 54
47 46
38 42 40
32
23 21
17
6
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Workshops Orientations
Online Courses for Employees

RE-SKILLING

Re-skilling means looking for people with ‘adjacent skills’, that are close to the new skills your
company requires. It provides a lateral learning experience. The World Economic Forum estimates
that over half of all employees (54%) will require ‘significant’ reskilling by 2022.

A culture of upskilling, on the other hand, means teaching employees new, advanced skills to close
talent gaps. It involves your team members in continuous education and helps them to advance
along their current career path. These employees may have worked for your organization for several
years and possess an in-depth understanding of both your culture and your customers.

Training as an Investment
According to upGrad, ‘’our company's greatest asset isn't our product, our customers, or even our big
ideas. It's our employees. The more time and resources you allocate to cultivating this valuable investment,
the more significant dividends it will pay.

 Reactionary training is an expense

Pouring training budgets into reskilling initiatives that retroactively plug up skills gaps leads
to an inefficient and ineffective L&D department that's vulnerable to budget cuts.

 Proactive training programs are an investment

Proactive training means creating training programs that address future projected training
needs. You do this by aligning your L&D strategy with larger company goals.

 Identify learning needs ahead of time

 Create a culture of self-enrichment

 Measure ROI

Amazons Technical Academy with it’s free 4-course program has helped the new recruits with the
required knowledge and with it’s Re-Skilling for cloud computing program it managed to keep up
with the latest cloud network working.

Tech Mahindra’s upskilling program for ‘Fit-for-Future’ workforce has been well received by the
industry as well as its own employees as they eye on retaining their workforce by equipping with
new skills rather than going for new recruits.

upGrad’s approach of conducting training programs for employees where prominent industry
experts like managers of other companies impart their practical knowledge and give valuable
insights from the trade has been one of the driving forces behind the company becoming a unicorn
in 2021.

Wipro has introduced several in-house programs like Wipro Academy of Software Excellence
(WASE), Wipro Infotech Master of Science (WIMS), aims at preparing fresh BCA and B.Sc.
graduates for IT infrastructure Management services.

Each company is divided by their respective programs and incentives but the unifying factor is the
focus is being laid on the workforce and up-skilling them.

According to the 2017 Economic Survey, Technology sector is facing a talent shortage for digital
skills as simultaneously the industry sees a demand boost for the same skills in the post-covid era.
To tackle this problem the companies, that the group members chose, are aware of the technical
advancements taking place in their respective industry and are mindful of the fact that they need to
equip their workforce with equally advanced tools and technology. Each company commands a
high position in the industry because what’s common in all of their approach is that they look at re-
skilling and training as an investment, not as an expense. And in order to maintain their stronghold
they keep their workforce well equipped with the necessary skill-set and to do that they have
formed a number of incentives and programs. Highlighted below are few of the best carried out the
companies, especially after the pandemic;

Amazons Technical Academy with its free 4-course program has helped the new recruits with the
required knowledge and with its ‘Re-Skilling for cloud computing’ program it managed to keep up
with the latest cloud network working.

Tech Mahindra’s upskilling program for ‘Fit-for-Future’ workforce has been well received by the
industry as well as its own employees as they eye on retaining their workforce by equipping with
new skills rather than going for new recruits.

upGrad’s approach of conducting training programs for employees where prominent industry
experts, like managers of other companies, impart their practical knowledge and give valuable
insights from the trade has been one of the driving forces behind the company becoming a unicorn
in 2021.

Wipro has introduced several in-house programs like Wipro Academy of Software Excellence
(WASE), Wipro Infotech Master of Science (WIMS), aims at preparing fresh BCA and B.Sc.
graduates for IT infrastructure Management services.

Each company is divided by their respective programs and incentives but the unifying factor is the
focus being laid on the workforce and up-skilling them.