Upskilling Trends in India: 85% Professionals to Upskill in FY25

Bengaluru, Jun 24 (PTI) While India averages 85 per cent, nearly 87 per cent of professionals in Bengaluru and Chennai have expressed their intent to invest in upskilling in FY25, according to a report released by an ed-tech company on Monday.

The report has also identified that the intent to upskill among freshers has increased by eight percentage points, standing at 83 per cent this year as compared to 75 per cent in FY24.


Great Learning, a global ed-tech company, has released the report - 'Upskilling Trends Report 2024-25.'

"Among key sectors, the intent to upskill in FY25 was highest among professionals from manufacturing, engineering, capital goods, and BFSI. Data science, AI and machine learning emerged as the most preferred domains professionals are looking to upskill," said Hari Krishnan Nair, co-founder of Great Learning.


According to the report, nearly 79 per cent of the surveyed professionals – and 92 per cent of those with over 17 years of experience – cite upskilling as crucial for career growth.


The report has also identified that amid tech disruptions and macroeconomic situations, confidence among Indian professionals to retain their jobs also sees a notable decline.


The percentage of people expressing confidence has plummeted to 62 per cent -- a nine percentage point drop from the previous year, stated the report. Last year, 71 per cent of professionals expressed confidence in job retention.


"This sentiment can be attributed to the globally prevalent macroeconomic conditions and the widespread layoffs," said Nair.


Also, according to the report, only 29 per cent of entry-level professionals are confident about retaining their jobs.


"Various industry data mirror this sentiment. In March, the Naukri JobSpeak Index, India's most comprehensive measure of white-collar hiring, stood at 2,657, an 11 per cent dip in the number of job openings compared to March last year," he added.


In a press statement issued by Great Learning, the report summarises the learning trends observed through its programmes in India over the past year.

Additionally, in collaboration with a research agency, Great Learning conducted a comprehensive study with over 1,000 professionals across major sectors to unearth key trends and factors influencing the upskilling preferences of Indian professionals in the coming year, stated the release.


The report, according to Nair, aims to assist professionals and businesses in comprehending how these trends will impact jobs, predicting the required skills, and preparing themselves to stay ahead of the competition.