A 26-year-old web designer has embarked on a mission to create awareness about the Gig Economy in the valley.
Rubaitul Azad, a freelance web developer, and graphic designer caters to several national and international companies. Hailing from Srinagar’s Gulshan Nagar, the self-taught tech-savvy web designer has developed 300 plus projects with reputed international, national, and local brands.
His clients include KTP Exports Private Limited, Singapore, Shanghai Uniforms Singapore, Kinpin TV, and others. His designs have been used by more than 100 industries and corporations including Hindustan Times, Indian Today, Yahoo, ABP News, MSN & Business Insider.
He started freelancing online in 2012. From building digital products to providing web services for start-ups, he is currently one of the top-rated developers in the valley.
Besides website development, he is well-versed in UI/UX design, WordPress development, Server administration, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing, Mobile App Development, and more.
“I have been fond of gadgets since childhood. My experience with freelancing has been good. During Covid, I got a chance to work harder and stick to my passion. I did a lot of projects for several brands. In 2020, Gigzoe hired me as an official blog development professional,” he said.
Rubait has more than 35 lakh views on Unsplash and Pexels, the graphic sharing platforms.
After achieving success, he has embarked on a mission to create awareness about the gig economy in the valley. In the gig economy, various companies hire independent workers and freelancers instead of full-time employees.
The lockdown accelerated growth in freelancing and many people are taking it up as a full-time career because of its flexibility and the opportunities it provides.
“It’s like being your boss. It offers you more freedom than when you work for someone else. You can take projects. If payment doesn’t fit your criteria, you can simply turn it down rather than struggling with it,” he said.
He said a gig worker can set his working hours depending upon his schedule. “You decide your schedule for yourself. The motive is to keep the client happy and gain a good reputation among them. You can work from anywhere. All you need is a laptop and an internet connection. Also, you can earn good money depending upon the projects you take.”
The pandemic pushed workers to work remotely which provided a platform for various freelancers.
“The job requires a set of skills and there are various platforms on the internet where one can upgrade the skills. Freelancers are easy to hire and less expensive than permanent employees. It can also empower women, especially abled people and people living in rural areas. As the world is shrinking, the gig economy will dominate the globe in the coming years,” he said.
As part of his mission, Rubait has started training students who want to learn to freelance. Till now he has trained more than 200 students. His students have started freelancing in different fields.
“Nowadays companies don’t ask for degrees and good grades. They want experienced and skilled people. Instead of searching for jobs, one should go for skill development courses and that can help them in the future,” he said.
For the gig economy to thrive, he said, there should be more start-ups. “A promising startup ecosystem should be there to support the gig economy. Such startups can provide a platform for new talent,” he added.
