Chandigarh, July 17: As Artificial Intelligence reshapes industries and creates new career opportunities, industry leaders believe the biggest opportunities of the future will not lie in AI alone, but in the fundamentals that power it. Addressing aspiring engineers at the School of Technology Management & Engineering Orientation Programme 2026 at SVKM’s NMIMS Chandigarh, experts from leading technology and engineering organisations urged students to look beyond the AI buzz and build expertise in programming, data, cybersecurity, problem-solving and responsible innovation.
“Don’t run after glamour. Run after fundamentals. Programming will never go out of scope. AI may be the buzzword today, but the real opportunities lie in data, cybersecurity and trust. If the world spends ₹1 on AI, it will spend nearly ₹3 on data and ₹5 on security, privacy and trust,” said Jagjit Singh, Head – Data & Analytics , Tata Consultancy Services, while encouraging students to build strong technical foundations and focus on long-term learning rather than short-term trends.
The message resonated across the discussions, with industry leaders collectively emphasising that while AI will continue to transform businesses, future engineers will be defined by their ability to think critically, solve complex problems, communicate effectively and continuously adapt to emerging technologies.
Reinforcing this perspective, Sandeep Malik, General Manager, HCL Technologies, encouraged students to remain curious, experiment fearlessly and view failures as stepping stones to innovation. Nikhil Mangal, Deputy General Manager, Bharat Electronics Limited , highlighted the growing role of AI in defence technologies while stressing that innovation must always be guided by ethics and national responsibility. Adding an industry perspective from the digital services sector, Manpreet Singh, Product Head & Delivery, Fastway Transmissions Pvt. Ltd., said AI should be viewed as a tool that empowers people, with creativity, communication and critical thinking continuing to differentiate successful professionals.
Welcoming the incoming batch, Prof. Dr. Jyotsna Singh, Campus Director, SVKM’s NMIMS Chandigarh, said the University’s academic model is designed to bridge classroom learning with evolving industry expectations through experiential learning, innovation and sustained industry engagement. She also highlighted that the institution’s first graduating engineering batch achieved 100% placements, reflecting the University’s strong industry connect and focus on developing future-ready professionals.
The week-long STME Orientation Programme will continue until July 17 with expert sessions, bridge courses, industry interactions and experiential learning activities aimed at preparing students for the rapidly evolving technology landscape.
Welcoming the new batch, Prof. Dr. Jyotsna Singh, Campus Director, SVKM’s NMIMS Chandigarh, said the University’s academic approach is designed to bridge classroom learning with evolving industry expectations through experiential learning, innovation and sustained industry engagement. She also highlighted that the institution’s first graduating engineering batch achieved 100% placements, reflecting the University’s strong industry connect and focus on developing future-ready professionals.
The week-long STME Orientation Programme will continue until July 17 with expert sessions, bridge courses, industry interactions and experiential learning activities aimed at preparing students for the rapidly evolving technology landscape.