Testing is a challenging, smarter career choice

BANGALORE, INDIA: Pradeep Chennavajjuala from Edista Testing Institute shared his inputs on Software testing as a career option for those who are looking for a job.

Excerpts:

CIOL: Can you brief our reader community about Editsa testing and what are the services you offer in software testing area?

Pradeep Chennavajjuala: Edista Testing Institute (ETI) is designed with the focus and charter on reducing the demand skill gap in the field of Software Testing. As an organization, we focus on Workforce Development for IT organizations using a multitude of interventions to enable talent acquisition, talent development; talent recognition; and talent engagement.

The interventions we provide include Assessments, Learning, and Certifications for Existing workforce. For acquiring Talent ETI focuses on CREST Model involving design and delivery of the program in on-campus and off-campus models.

CIOL: Does Editsa offer placements services also? if yes, how one should make use of this facility?

PC: We would like to emphasize that ETI does not offer placements as a service. We work with corporates in building ready-to-deploy talent. Students who wish to secure a career in Software Testing would have undergo an assessment involving technical aptitude, numerical ability, verbal, and Logical reasoning. The shortlisted candidates would then undergo a personality assessment to see the fitment for the role of testing.

Subsequently, selected students undertake our structured, role-based-education in the field of software testing. The program prepares them for a career in software testing. In the past few years, we had trained over 1800+ students with a record of 78 per cent placement in India in over 50+ clients.

CIOL: What's your view on incorporating software testing as a syllabus to engineering college students in their curriculum?

PC: It is a necessity, as Testing as an industry is evolved and is a growing one at that. Currently India employs over 130,000 testers, and is growing at 20 — 25 per cent annually. It is currently estimated to be a 9 — 10 Bn $ business.

Organizations continue to see Software Testing & Quality as a necessary critical skill in Software Development. Given the demand, we are currently running short of talent in the field of software testing. An academic institution should also see this as an opportunity for building the careers of their students.

Developing the talent in the college in a systematic manner is the best way to solve the industry demand, as no single institution cannot develop talent in such large numbers. So it is highly recommended that the institutes consider introduction of the course in their curriculum.

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CIOL: What is your advice for software testers, who are more interested towards software development than testing. (I happen to meet few testers, who say, salary is the key issue to shift from software testing to development)

PC: It is a very understandable emotion at the student level. Unfortunately, this is not true in the current times and given the advancements in the field of Software Testing. The challenge the industry faces is that they have to invest in building, engaging and retaining the talent in software testing.

Since the supply is less, and the costs for building talent are high, this is apportioned of in the salary. Technically, the salary of a tester and a developer are not different by the industry. Once the supply becomes steady state, we believe that the salary levels also normalize. Also, you should think about having specialization in this field, to really get the desired field.

We see the difference reducing drastically. Think about it.. why would anyone spend less in a growing business, when there is potential, and testing is a knowledge service, so the investment in people is the prime investment.

CIOL: How do you see Indian companies embracing for testing services and what are the opportunities ahead for software testers?

PC: Indian companies see testing as a very specialized service and a growing business. However, the maturity is not as high as a development or a maintenance organization. Given this you will see major investments in testing, and evolution of formal structures across the industry.

This opens up new opportunities for the current and future tester in being specialized (Like performance testing, security testing; test automation; etc); domain testing (banking, financial service product testing); technology drivers (cloud computing) making it more interesting, challenging and specialized.  Hence, growth is imminent for testers in all ways (salary, stature, role, responsibility, ownership) etc.

CIOL: Can you elaborate on the importance and opportunity in Cloud computing and Mobile applications for Software testing ?

PC: Cloud Computing and mobile applications helps in creating low cost highly secure distributed applications. This makes the architecture of the application much more abstract and more efficient, while being highly secure. This would mean that testing would be more critical before such a service is launched on the cloud.

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CIOL: Cloud computing is one area where most of the companies are betting on it. How do you see Indian companies utilizing Cloud for software testing services?

PC: It is the natural progression for building applications. Given the rise of cloud computing we do see the possibility of collaboration much more feasible, and the need is to leverage such collaboration in a innovative and non-intrusive manner. There have been some attempts in the testing area in the past — Testing as a Service.. the same would now be in made a innovative offering to reduce the cost of testing further.

Organizations would adopt these means as the technology stabilizes. There is a also a possibility of the emergence of crowd sourcing a strong phenomenon for the future.

CIOL: How do you see the future of Indian software testing Industry and how it is going to benefit Indian companies?

PC: Testing would become more specialized, more organized, more necessary in the future. In addition to adding revenue and bottomline for the organization, testing shall re-inforce the quality orientation and image of the company more strongly to their customers. Internally, they would see a number of benefits from preventing defects, rather than correcting them. This would make us more economically viable, and extremely competitive if we master this wave.  

CIOL: Your advice for those who have not studied computer science in their curriculum to choose software testing as a career

PC: Stick in there, stick in deep, and Stick in Fast. .. Testing is a great challenging, stimulating and smarter career choice option to be seriously consider. Testing as a skill can be certainly learnt, and most importantly do not be ignorant of this opportunity, as you will regret it later.