85% of Indian Professionals Plan to Invest in Upskilling in FY25: Great Learning’s Report 2024-25

Upskilling is deemed crucial by 92% of professionals with over 17 years of experience, reflecting the high value placed on continuous learning for career longevity. The IT/Telecom/Tech sectors, where hiring has decreased by 16%, particularly underscore the necessity of acquiring new skills.

A substantial 85% of professionals in India plan to invest in upskilling in FY25, indicating a strong commitment to enhancing their skills amid evolving job market demands. Notably, Bangalore and Chennai lead this trend, with 87% of professionals in these cities intending to upskill.

Confidence in Job Retention Drops:

Confidence in job retention among Indian professionals has plummeted to 62%, a significant drop from 71% in the previous year. This decline is largely attributed to technological disruptions and challenging macroeconomic conditions. Alarmingly, only 29% of entry-level professionals feel confident about retaining their jobs in FY25 states the third edition of their 'Upskilling Trends Report 2024-25' by Great Learning.

This report highlights significant trends in upskilling among Indian professionals, based on data from Great Learning’s programs and a detailed study involving over 1000 professionals across various sectors.

High Value on Upskilling for Experienced Professionals:

Upskilling is deemed crucial by 92% of professionals with over 17 years of experience, reflecting the high value placed on continuous learning for career longevity. The IT/Telecom/Tech sectors, where hiring has decreased by 16%, particularly underscore the necessity of acquiring new skills.

Preferred Domains for Upskilling:

Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning have emerged as the top domains for upskilling, followed by Software Development and Digital Marketing. These fields are also where enterprises plan to hire the most candidates in FY25.

Motivations and Barriers:

Career growth within their organization is the primary motivation for 39% of professionals to upskill, while 17% are driven by personal interest. The fear of skills becoming outdated motivates 15%, and meeting employer expectations motivates 13%. However, office workload (34%), financial constraints (19%), and family/social commitments (14%) are cited as significant barriers to upskilling.

Hari Krishnan Nair, Co-Founder of Great Learning, commented on the report, stating, “Since last year, challenging economic conditions and an unstable geopolitical situation have made it difficult for many businesses to access capital and expand profitably. To stay competitive in this dynamic environment, continuous learning and upskilling are crucial to adapt and evolve. It is encouraging to see professionals adopting a proactive approach to navigate this disruption by acquiring specialized skills to meet evolving employer demands. Government initiatives aimed at promoting skill development have further amplified this awareness. Through the Upskilling Trends Report 2024-25, our objective is to help learners, professionals, and companies with valuable insights, empowering them to strategize effectively for FY25."