With over 70 per cent of Indian professionals actively seeking opportunities to upskill, India is a global leader in technological adaptation, highlights a Global Labor Market Conference (GLMC) report. The nature of India’s job market, where AI, ML, and automation are becoming integral, drives this stance.

The report titled ‘Navigating Tomorrow: Mastering Skills in a Dynamic Global Labor Market’ underscores India’s pivotal role in the Global South’s response to AI and automation, showcasing the country’s workers as frontrunners in skill development and technological adaptation.

While global trust in governments’ ability to support upskilling remains low at 20 per cent, 31 per cent of Indian respondents and 35 per cent of those from Saudi Arabia demonstrated higher confidence, according to the report.

In contrast, countries like the USA, at 15 per cent, and the UK, at 12 per cent, reported markedly lower trust levels. Indian respondents also expressed a 49 per cent level of trust in businesses, emphasising the private sector’s role in workforce development.

Indian workers are concerned about the urgency to reskill due to technological advancements, with 55 per cent fearing that their skills could become partially or fully obsolete within the next five years. 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).

40 per cent of Indian respondents cited lack of time, and 38 per cent cited financial constraints as primary barriers to upskilling and reskilling. Similar patterns were observed in Brazil, where 43 per cent cited lack of time and 39 per cent cited financial constraints, and in South Africa, where 45 per cent and 42 per cent, respectively, cited the same barriers.

In contrast, respondents in developed markets like Norway and the UK report fewer obstacles. In Norway, only 27 per cent cited lack of time and 28 per cent cited financial constraints, while in the UK, the figures are 31 per cent for lack of time and 24 per cent for financial constraints, reflecting the impact of stronger support systems in these countries.

When considering the future of skills, 54 per cent of respondents in the APAC region, including India, prioritised cognitive skills, while 38 per cent emphasised STEM capabilities as essential for thriving in a technology-driven economy.

Meanwhile, in Africa and LATAM, STEM skills are prioritised less, at 30 per cent and 34 per cent, respectively, while entrepreneurial skills gained prominence in Africa, with 47 per cent of respondents highlighting their importance.

India’s stance on upskilling, with 55 per cent of workers prioritising it over the next five years, contrasts 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 the same urgency to reskill due to technological change.

Additionally, according to the report, 26 per cent of Indian respondents expressed anxiety about job automation, reflecting a more optimistic outlook compared to 36 per cent in China, which leads as the most technologically anxious market.

Data for this report was collected across 14 countries, including Australia, Brazil, China, India, Japan, Jordan, Nigeria, Norway, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, the UK, the USA, and Vietnam. For each country, the sample size was 1,000, for a total of 14,000.