India, 24th February 2025: TeamLease EdTech, India’s leading learning and employability solutions provider, has released its comprehensive Career Outlook Report HY1 (January – June 2025), shedding light on India’s emerging professional landscape for new graduates. The findings reveal 74% of freshers’ hiring intent in HY1 2025, suggesting unwavering business confidence for the upcoming months.
Several industries showcase strong recruitment momentum for the first half of 2025 compared to HY2 2024. The report reveals many increased hiring intent. E-commerce & Technology Startups registered increased from 61% to 70% (+9%), Manufacturing from 52% to 66% (+14%), and Engineering & Infrastructure touched 62%, up from 59% (+3%). Furthermore, the IT sector has experienced a remarkable recovery, with entry-level hiring intentions surging to 59% compared to 45% in HY2 2024. The healthcare and pharmaceuticals sector has also shown positive momentum, increasing from 47% to 52% (+5%). Even traditionally smaller sectors like Power & Energy and Marketing & Advertising have displayed modest growth, with increases of 4% and 2% respectively, reaching 22% and 11%. The geographical spread of opportunities continues to favor Bangalore (78%), Mumbai (65%), Delhi NCR (61%), and Chennai (57%) as primary employment destinations for recent graduates.
Deep-tech roles seem to be emerging career paths, including roles such as Clinical Bioinformatics Associate, Robotics System Engineer, Sustainability Analyst, Prompt Engineer, AI & Machine Learning Engineer, Cloud Engineer and Cybersecurity Analyst. Companies are particularly seeking candidates skilled in Robotic Process Automation, Performance Marketing, Network Security, and Financial Risk Analysis to address contemporary business needs. Beyond technical expertise, employers value computational thinking, interpersonal skills, analytic reasoning, and adaptability as crucial soft skills for entry-level positions.
The workplace transformation driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation continues to shape employment opportunities. These technological advances are influencing recruitment patterns, encouraging newcomers to develop expertise in AI-related fields. In terms of workplace technology preferences, companies heavily rely on productivity and collaboration tools (83%), project management and task tracking software (73%), and data visualization tools (64%). Meanwhile, fresh graduates are focusing their development on data visualization and data analysis (92%), coding assistance tools (66%), and prompt engineering (57%), reflecting market demands.
A significant development highlighted in this report is the growing prominence of apprenticeship programs. Organizations are increasingly embracing degree apprenticeships as a strategic talent development approach. This trend is particularly strong in Manufacturing (30%), Engineering and infrastructure (23%), and Information Technology (12%), as businesses seek to develop skilled professionals through hands-on industry experience.
Commenting on the findings, Shantanu Rooj, Founder and CEO of TeamLease EdTech, remarked, “74% hiring intent throws a spotlight on the soaring demand in freshers’ hiring. The key is to develop skills in AI-driven domains, adaptability, and digital competencies to secure meaningful roles in India’s dynamic job market. Freshers need to smartly analyse the skills in demand and add them to their portfolio to bridge the gap and drive their ambitions to fruition.”
Jaideep Kewalramani, Head of Employability Business & COO of TeamLease EdTech, observed, “Today, tech is just not limited to ergonomic tasks, routine jobs but it is effectively changing the current work model. The employers are recognizing its potential and thus valuing job readiness through practical skills. In fact, 85% of the hiring intent is dependent on it. The same sentiment can be seen in the job market with deep tech skills and roles making it to the top.”
This report, based on a survey of 649 employers across India, offers key insights into hiring trends for freshers and Degree Apprentices, along with emerging skill demands. Get the full report.