IT trainers- next on outsourcing hit list

PUNE: The IT training industry in India finds itself in the throes of a sea change today. Instead of the local neighborhood franchisee offering individual training programs, it is the senior level software professionals who are now opting for a new career in training on a freelance basis.

Pune-based Quantum Technologies — a company catering to the training requirements of the IT industry is cashing on this emerging trend for outsourcing IT trainers to the industry. The company, which started out as three-man outfit in September 2002 today outsources trainers as per the requirements of various IT firms to help upgrade employees to the latest version of various programming languages. Quantum has over 200 trainers empanelled with it.

According to Quantum technologies director, Pratik Surana, "We usually deal with the higher end training for corporate. And this requires senior level consultants. Most often, these people find themselves under huge work pressure working on projects for over 18 hours with little time for their families. Working on a freelance basis ensures they earn the same amount in less time. Moreover, there is a far more interesting challenge of working for different companies".

Quantum has catered to all kinds of training requirements in basic and advanced technology domains like web sphere, Win CE, Lotus Notes, Linux, embedded systems training. Surana now intends to increase the current strength of 12 to 50 people by the end of the year 2005. With an existing presence in Delhi, Pune and Mumbai, the Bangalore office is likely to become operational in the next two months.

On the individual training front, the company is now in midst of talks with certain universities and deemed universities to certify its MSc and MS training programs. "We shall opt for a JV route and not the franchisee model. Some years later, we see ourselves as an autonomous college launching Masters' programs in IT. The current revenue sharing ratio is 65:35 for corporate and individual training respectively," Surana informed. He sees corporate training as a big driver of growth in the future. The company reported revenues to the tune of Rs 50 lakh in 2003-04 and expects 35 percent growth in revenues next year.