From data entry to AI analytics: The new skills entry-level finance workers need

The Hindu

a day ago

A silent revolution is happening in the of the services sector – for which India is known for. Take for example, financial services. As artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and data-driven impacting decision-making has become more common. Some people may find this change uncomfortable, but it gives entry-level workers a chance to rethink their position in an industry that is changing quickly because of technology.
The Future of Jobs Report 2025 from the World Economic Forum gives us a good look into the near future. By 2030, machines or smart systems will do over half of all financial services work, up from just over a third now. This is important since it doesn't mean that a lot of employment will go. Instead, it means that the workforce will change in a big way, and those who can combine digital skills with people skills will have an advantage.
Attention to detail, precision in administrative work, and expertise with the field used to be the talents that got you into a bank or insurance company. Now, a new sort of person is taking their place. More and more, professionals are expected to be able to comprehend the principles of cybersecurity, develop user experiences that are easy to use, and help drive growth via innovation. Data entry jobs and traditional teller professions are going away, while careers in AI modeling, financial fraud analytics, and client relationship engineering are on the increase.
But this change in structure doesn't have to be scary. It may be freeing, as long as the workers are ready to act quickly and with purpose. It's no longer optional to learn new skills and improve existing ones. The WEF thinks that by 2030, about 59% of workers throughout the world will need to be retrained in some way. Because of its susceptibility to AI disruption, financial services will probably go over this baseline.
Reskilling as a necessity
The first step for entry-level workers is to acquire a strong technical base. As important as knowing financial ratios or credit standards is learning how to use tools like SQL, Python, Excel for modeling, or AI-based reporting systems. There are now modular, industry-certified courses in data analytics, risk modeling, and digital finance on a number of online platforms, including Coursera and LinkedIn Learning. You can take these courses with just a few hours of work each week.
At the same time, it's just as important to learn skills that are good for people. Employers really value analytical reasoning, flexibility, emotional intelligence, and originality, which computers still can't do. The greatest way to improve these skills is to become involved in real-life situations, such joining cross-functional project teams, working on digital transformation projects, or even just giving a team presentation or conducting a client workshop. Being able to work with AI—understanding what it says, evaluating its assumptions, and making decisions based on human judgment—is becoming an important part of the modern finance job.
Specialisation, personal branding
In two to three years, professionals who want to stay ahead of the curve should look for particular specialties. There is a lot of growth in areas like sustainable finance, behavioural analytics, anti-fraud intelligence, and financial product design. A junior analyst who learns more about ESG reporting or becomes an expert at AI-assisted credit rating today might be the leader of innovation tomorrow. Networking with coworkers, finding mentors in your company, and going to fintech and AI conferences may all help this process move faster.
The WEF also stresses how important it is to 'reinvent yourself.' Creating a personal brand on sites like LinkedIn, professional blogs, or even internal forums shows that you are willing to take the lead. Publishing one's learning path, sharing applicable projects, or speaking at industry gatherings not only builds professional credibility but also creates a learning identity.
Organizations must also do their part to help this change happen. The WEF says that 85% of firms expect to increase their learning and development spending, but just 50% are sure they can effectively retrain people. To close this gap, we need to make planned investments in learning and development, build greater connections between business and academia, and create career paths that reward those who learn new skills. It also asks for a change in culture, where learning new things is just as important as staying in one place for a long time.
The following three years may be quite important for someone who is just starting out in the financial services field. A first year focused on strengthening technical and cognitive abilities, followed by a second year of specialized immersion and AI cooperation, and concluding in leadership contributions or brand creation in the third year—this is a plausible plan. When done with intention, it turns weakness into strength and habit into something useful.
Similar trends in other industries
Other industries are also going through similar changes. In technology, for example, the focus is quickly moving away from ordinary coding and toward creating, implementing, and fine-tuning AI-driven systems. In addition to learning conventional languages, entry-level engineers also need to know how machine learning works, how cloud platforms function, and how to use AI responsibly. People that know how to solve problems and understand business will see their careers go forward faster.
Industry 4.0 is changing the way things are made. It is powered by smart sensors, robots, and AI-led process optimization. This means that a new breed of shop floor technicians and plant supervisors who can work with autonomous systems is needed. People who learn about digital twins, predictive maintenance, or IoT integration will be far more resilient than those who only know how to fix things with their hands.
The media and communications sectors are also going through big changes. AI-generated content, automated editing, and real-time audience analytics are changing what content producers and marketers do. But creativity, cultural awareness, and story intelligence are still things that only humans can do. The future generation of media will be shaped by professionals who can combine narrative with data literacy or who can use AI technologies to improve their creative work without replacing it.
A time to evolve
In every field, there is a fundamental truth: AI is not taking away people's potential; it is changing the value of some talents. The best employees are those who learn to perceive AI as a partner instead than a rival and who keep improving their skills along with it.
The rise of AI doesn't have to mean the end of entry-level jobs. It might be the start of their transformation, though. The financial services industry—and the professional world as a whole—can not only survive but also prosper in this time of intelligent change by linking human growth with technical progress.