The Top Skills in India for Employability

After a difficult 2020, the Indian job market is starting to pick up again. Some estimates suggest that between April and May during the first wave of the pandemic, the market declined by over 60%. Thankfully, many recruiters are hopeful that the rate of hiring will soon bounce back to pre-COVID levels. So with that in mind, we take a look at the top skills in India. 

As well as looking at some of the hard and soft employability skills in India, we’ve also picked out some of the courses that can help you on your way to learning something new. 

What skills are employers in India looking for? 

This isn’t a straightforward question to answer. In reality, the skills you’ll need will depend on the job you’re applying for and the type of company you want to work out. However, there are some reports that highlight where some of the top skills in India might be. 

Business networking specialists LinkedIn have created a couple of reports in recent years. In 2020, they published the Emerging Jobs: India report. This document shows 15 of the fastest-growing jobs in India at the moment. Other news outlets have looked at some of the hard and soft skills Indian students will need to become global citizens. 

We’ve taken a look at some of the data out there to pick out some of the top skills in India at the moment. 

Hard skills 

First, let’s look at some of the in-demand hard skills employers are looking for. These are the job-specific qualifications that you’ll need to succeed in a particular role. They’re the skills that can be taught in a formal and structured way. Some of the top hard skills in India include: 

Blockchain 

The success of Bitcoin and other such cryptocurrency has created a surge in interest in the technology that powers them. As well as for cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology is also used to build a host of different products and services, such as apps and smart contracts. It’s also one of the top IT skills in India right now. 

Learn about the basics of blockchain and distributed ledger technology with our free online course. You can also explore some of the blockchain innovations in fintech with our detailed ExpertTrack. 

AI and machine learning 

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are two subjects that are closely linked. More than just buzzwords, these concepts are at the heart of a lot of technological innovation at the moment. The opportunities in these fields are diverse, and those with a working knowledge of the subjects will find a wide range of available roles. 

If you’re looking for the chance to enhance your understanding of machine learning and AI with Microsoft Azure, our ExpertTrack is ideal. You can also focus more on deep learning in Azure.  

IT Security 

As many businesses and organisations increase their reliance on IT systems, the need for data security increases. Because of this trend, there is a significant demand for those with IT security skills, in India and worldwide. 

You can start exploring the world of cyber security and develop your knowledge of network defence management with our ExpertTrack. Alternatively, try our Cyber Security Foundations ExpertTrack to get started with your career. 

Social Media Marketing 

Social media is growing rapidly in India. An estimated 448 million people in the country will use social platforms by 2023, up from 330 million in 2019. With this rapid rise, those with social media marketing skills will be in high demand over the coming years. 

Get started by working on your social media skills with our free online course. Alternatively, take a closer look at our ExpertTrack on how to create a social media strategy.  

Big data analytics 

Although the pandemic has derailed things slightly, data science jobs in India were expected to increase by 1.5 lakhs in 2020, an increase of around 62%. As such, those with skills in big data could find plenty of career opportunities over the coming years. 

Take our free course on managing big data to find out how the R programming language and Hadoop programming framework allow for analysis or large data sets. You can also take our Data Analytics Using Python ExpertTrack for a detailed look at advanced analytics. 

Software development 

Three of the top five emerging jobs on LinkedIn’s list are development roles. The need for those with a working knowledge of various programming languages is high worldwide. Coding in Python, JavaScript, PHP, and SQL can be very beneficial and are among some of the top coding skills in India. 

If you’re just starting out, our ExpertTrack on the fundamentals of software development is a good place to start. For those looking to develop their existing career, you could benefit from our Software Development with Python and Java ExpertTrack. 

Robotics 

Some of the most in-demand jobs in India at the moment are in the field of robotic process automation. This area focuses on creating software robots that can automate business processes. Other professionals, such as robotics engineers, are also highly sought-after. 

Get started with your career in robotics with our free Begin Robotics course. You can also explore how we’re building a future with robots. 

Digital marketing

We’ve mentioned social media marketing already, but other skills in digital marketing are also highly desirable in the current climate. Digital marketing specialists with skills in areas such as SEO, PPC and Google Analytics will find many opportunities in India’s job market. 

Get started with our digital marketing course to learn about some of the digital marketing strategies that businesses use. Alternatively, delve deeper into content marketing strategy. 

Data visualisation 

Given the importance of data in today’s world, there is a demand for those professionals who can make sense of and explain it. Data visualisation experts help to make complex data sets understandable, working in fields such as data science, marketing, and analytics. 

Check out our data visualisation ExpertTrack to work on your data insights, analytics, and visualisation skills. You could also work through our data visualisation with Python ExpertTrack. 

Soft skills

When it comes to employability skills in India, practical knowledge is certainly important. However, many employers feel that interpersonal and transferable skills are just as important as hard skills. Here are some of the soft skills that are sought-after at the moment:

Management and leadership 

No matter what job role you’re in, being able to show management and leadership qualities can make you stand out from the crowd. Often, these skills mean that you work well with others and bring out the best in them. They tie into many other abilities, such as organisation, problem-solving, and productivity. 

We have several ExpertTracks and courses available that can help you work on these essential skills. Get started with our course on people management skills, or develop your international leadership skills for the workplace. 

Teamwork 

Whatever job you work in, the chances are that you’ll need to work with other people. Teamwork skills are some of the most essential ones out there, yet many people don’t spend the time developing them. If you can demonstrate efficiency in this area, you’re sure to stand out to employers. 

Given the current circumstances, many of us are having to work remotely. Why not spend time improving your collaborative work skills for this environment?

Communication 

Effective communicators are vital to just about every area of a business. As well as helping with both teamwork and leadership, it also means you can explain your point of view and share ideas. Just about every top skill in India at the moment can be enhanced by strong communication. 

If you want to work on your abilities in this area, check out our course on communication and interpersonal skills at work. For those in the field of engineering, we also have a relevant course on effective communication.  

Final thoughts 

So, that concludes our look at some of the top employability skills in India at the moment. No matter what stage of your career you’re at, you could benefit from working on these areas. Whether you’re entering the job market for the first time or hoping to change career, the skills we’ve outlined here can help. 

At FutureLearn, you’ll find a host of different learning opportunities to help you build your knowledge in these areas. Get started with a course or ExpertTrack today!