The future of degrees is here: How IIM Jammu's eBBA is preparing students for jobs of the future

For most parents, choosing a degree after Class 12 is one of the most important decisions they make for their child. A good college and a recognised degree still matter. But today, parents are asking a much bigger question: Will this degree prepare my child for a world of work that is changing faster than ever before?AI is reshaping industries. New career paths are emerging. Existing jobs are evolving. According to LinkedIn's Work Change Report¹, 70% of the skills used in most jobs are expected to change by 2030. This means that the degree a student starts today must prepare them not just for their first job, but for careers that will continue to evolve over the next decade.As a result, parents are increasingly looking beyond academics alone. They want degrees that combine strong learning foundations with industry exposure, future-ready skills, practical experience, and career readiness. The expectation is no longer just a degree after four years. It is confidence, employability, and a stronger start to a successful career.This shift is changing what parents and students expect from undergraduate education and, in many ways, redefining what makes a degree valuable.Career readiness is becoming a priority from day one Students have always chosen degrees with future careers in mind. What is changing is the expectation that career readiness should be developed alongside academic learning.Today, students want exposure to the real world while they are still studying. They want to understand different industries, explore career opportunities, gain practical experience, and build confidence before they graduate.Increasingly, families are looking for programmes that help students develop professional skills, gain industry exposure, participate in projects and internships, and start preparing for careers from the beginning. As careers continue to evolve, students benefit from building workplace skills and professional confidence early.Employers expect more than academic knowledgeThe World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report² identifies analytical thinking, problem-solving, resilience, communication, and collaboration as among the most important skills for the future workforce. This is driving greater interest in industry-integrated learning experiences that help students connect academic concepts with real-world business contexts and workplace expectations.Industry exposure has become a differentiatorAnother trend shaping student and parent decisions today is the growing importance of industry exposure. Students want to learn from people actively working in the field. They want to understand how businesses operate, how decisions are made, and how classroom concepts are applied in professional settings.Whether it is through industry expert sessions, industry projects, mentorship opportunities, or internships with global companies, exposure to professionals can help students gain valuable insights and build confidence long before they enter the workforce. The closer students are to industry while studying, the smoother their transition into professional life can be.Technology is changing every careerPerhaps the biggest shift influencing higher education today is the role of technology. Not because every student wants to become a technology professional, but today, technology and AI are already part of every profession. From marketing and finance to entrepreneurship, technology is transforming how work gets done.According to the World Economic Forum², technology-related skills, including AI, data literacy, and digital skills, are among the fastest-growing capability areas expected to gain importance over the next five years.This means that future professionals need more than business knowledge alone. They also need an understanding of technologies such as Cloud & AI, Data & AI, Digital Infrastructure, Prompt Engineering, Generative AI Applications, and AI Business Applications that are increasingly shaping modern organisations.So, what should a modern undergraduate degree offer?Students today need more than academic learning. They want career readiness, industry exposure, workplace skills, and an understanding of how technology is shaping the future of work.Recognising these changing expectations, the eBBA (Hons.) Degree from IIM Jammu has been designed through an Industry-Academia Partnership between IIM Jammu and the Accenture Centre of Advanced Studies (ACoAS). Aligned with the vision of NEP 2020, the programme combines IIM Jammu's academic rigour with Accenture's industry expertise, bringing together business education, technology exposure, industry-led learning, projects, internships, and career readiness into a single undergraduate experience. How eBBA (Hons.) Degree from IIM Jammu addresses these changing expectationsRather than treating career readiness, workplace exposure, and technology skills as separate add-ons, the programme integrates them into the learning experience from the beginning.Many of the expectations shaping undergraduate education today are reflected in the programme's structure, including: Preparing your child for the careers of tomorrowAs parents, it is natural to wonder what the workplace will look like by the time your child graduates. While the future may be difficult to predict, one thing is clear: technology will continue to shape how businesses operate and how careers evolve.This is why the eBBA (Hons.) Degree combines business fundamentals with future-focused areas such as Cloud & AI, Data & AI, Digital Infrastructure, and AI Business Applications, helping students develop techno-managerial understanding and prepare for jobs of the future.Looking aheadThe expectations from higher education have evolved. Parents want degrees that do more than deliver academic knowledge. They want programmes that help students gain industry exposure, build career-ready skills, and prepare for the opportunities of tomorrow.By combining IIM Jammu's academic rigour with Accenture's industry expertise, the eBBA (Hons.) Degree offers a future-ready learning experience designed to help students build confidence, capability, and career readiness from day one.Applications for the 2026 cohort are now open.Disclaimer: This article has been produced on behalf of TalentSprint (part of Accenture LearnVantage) by Times Internet’s Spotlight team.References:1. https://economicgraph.linkedin.com/research/work-change-report2. https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/