AI, Cybersecurity, digital, and data skills have been pinpointed as crucial capabilities for India in the next three to five years, according to a recent report. The study, conducted by NIIT Limited in collaboration with YouGov, highlighted that mid-career professionals with 6-15 years of experience are in high demand, with 38% of recruiters citing them as the most constrained talent pool. Interestingly, 46% of employers actively recruit from this segment despite the constraints.
Early-career professionals have shown higher confidence levels compared to students in areas such as cybersecurity basics, cloud tools, and data analysis. Senior management, on the other hand, reported the highest overall confidence levels. Recruiters and CXOs are placing a strong emphasis on technical and domain-specific expertise, along with project management and organizational skills, as organizations push forward with technology-driven transformations.
The report also revealed that 86% of recruiters and CXOs are optimistic about accessing skilled talent in the next 3-5 years. They attribute this confidence to factors like internal reskilling and upskilling capacity (26%) and industry-academia partnerships (24%). Furthermore, 69% of organizations have increased their learning and development budgets in the past year, driven by business growth and digital transformation priorities.
Employers have noted that early-career professionals, first-generation graduates, and women professionals are the primary beneficiaries of skilling initiatives linked to diversity and inclusion. Pankaj Jathar, CEO of NIIT Ltd, emphasized the importance of inclusive skilling strategies for sustainable talent growth. The report also highlighted a willingness among nearly half of students and employees to dedicate 2-5 hours per week to upskilling, aligning closely with the expectations of employers and academic heads.
A strategic shift towards building internal capabilities amid talent shortages is evident, with roughly 69% of organizations increasing their learning and development spend per employee last year. Despite 62% of students preferring hybrid work models, only 38% of employers offer fully remote roles across all functions, creating an expectation gap for new entrants. The insights in the report are based on a survey of 3,500 respondents across various segments including students, working professionals, recruiters, CXOs, and academic leaders.
