Over 70 per cent of Indian professionals are actively seeking opportunities to upskill to meet the challenges of the tech era, revealed a study report published by the Global Labor Market Conference. The report also sheds light on how Indian workers are leading the Global South in skill development and technological adaption in the wake of artificial intelligence and automation.
This is driven by the dynamic nature of India's job market where artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation are becoming integral.
The report titled 'Navigating Tomorrow: Mastering Skills in a Dynamic Global Labor Market' revealed that Indian workers have higher trust in the government compared to other countries. While 31 per cent of the Indians responded that they trusted the authorities when it came to supporting them in upskilling, Saudi Arabian workers demonstrated more faith in their governments at 35 per cent.
Indian respondents also expressed 49 per cent trust in businesses, further emphasising the private sector’s role in workforce development.
Many Indian workers also shared concerns about the urgent need to reskill due to technological advancements. Over 55 per cent of Indian workers felt their skills could become partially or fully obsolete within the next five years. This places India in line with the global trend, where similar concerns are expressed by 61 per cent in Brazil and 60 per cent in China, compared to lower levels in developed markets such as the UK (44 per cent and Australia (43 per cent).
Climate change is driving upskilling in India with 32 per cent of Indians identifying it as a major factor influencing their reskilling decisions in the next five years. As for barriers to skill development, Indians cited lack of time and financial constraints as primary challenges.
On the future of skills, respondents in the APAC region, including India, prioritised cognitive skills (54 per cent) and STEM capabilities (38 per cent) as essential for thriving in a technology-driven economy. Interestingly, socio-emotional skills were more valued in service-oriented economies such as the USA and the EU. In Africa and LATAM, STEM skills were relatively lower in priority at 30 per cent and 34 per cent, respectively.
According to the study, India’s proactive stance on upskilling (55 per cent for the next five years contrasts sharply with trends in more developed markets like the US (51 per cent), UK (44 per cent), and Australia (49 per cent), where fewer workers reported urgency to reskill due to technological change. Over 26 per cent of Indians also expressed anxiety about job automation, showing a more optimistic outlook compared to China (36 per cent), which leads as the most technologically anxious market.
