Upskilling: Mid-Career Pros Lead Digital Shift

Mumbai, Aug 19 (PTI) The new wave of digital and workplace transformation is being led by mid-career professionals, with a significant percentage of them seeking additional training to stay ahead in their fields, a report said on Tuesday.

According to the 'Work Ahead report' by global job site Indeed, 56 per cent of mid-career professionals feel they want significantly more training to stay future-ready, compared to just 41 per cent of their younger counterparts.

Confidence is highest among respondents aged 35 to 54 years (mid-career professionals), nearly half of whom (49 per cent) report being ready to navigate AI-integrated workplaces, outpacing their younger peers aged 18 to 24 years, said the report.

"There's a determined confidence building across India's workforce. Mid-career professionals, in particular, are not only using AI but actively seeking upskilling opportunities to master it. The rise in interest around Agentic AI signals that we are at the beginning of a transformation, one where job seekers are not just responding to change, but leading it," Indeed India Head of Sales Sashi Kumar said.

The 'Work Ahead report' by Indeed is based on research conducted by market research company Censuswide among 3,001 workers (blue-collar and white-collar) and business leaders across India.

The data was collected in May 2025, and the survey was done across 12 industries, including technology, retail, manufacturing, travel, legal, healthcare, HR, and others, spanning designation levels from clerical to business owners.

The report further found that 34 per cent of those surveyed expect to use Generative AI tools frequently in the near future.

A quarter of respondents are already anticipating the adoption of Agentic AI tools - AI systems that can autonomously complete complex tasks, it stated.

Even in traditionally hands-on roles, the report found that AI is making inroads, as among the blue-collar workers surveyed, 70 per cent said technology helps them at work, and two in 10 are already using Generative AI in their roles, from streamlining paperwork to improving customer service.

Around 29 per cent of the surveyed workforce said they are seeking access to self-paced online training programs to upgrade their skills on their own terms.

"As we move ahead, upskilling in AI wouldn't just be good practice, it'll be the career accelerator. Workers who build AI skills will be better positioned for higher pay, promotions, and future roles, a trend that we already see picking up," Kumar added.