95% of workers in India reported that they need more digital skills to cope with changes in their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the findings of a new research report by Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com company.
The report found that over the next year, the number of India workers requiring digital skills for their jobs is projected to increase by 27.3 million, representing 7% of India’s workforce. Despite this, only 45% of employers in India have a training plan in place, which could affect their competitiveness in such areas as productivity, innovation, and employee retention.
The ‘Building Digital Skills for the Changing Workforce’ report, prepared by strategy and economics consulting firm AlphaBeta, and commissioned by AWS, surveyed 1,012 digitally skilled workers in both technology and non-technology roles, and 303 employers in India, with representation from public, private, and non-profit sectors of different sizes and industries.
The report also found that the ability to use cloud-based tools will be the most in-demand skill required by employers by 2025, followed by technical support skills, and cybersecurity skills. During the same time frame, 63% of workers in India feel they will require training in cloud-related skills to progress in their careers.
“Over the course of the pandemic, we have seen organizations of all sizes accelerate their digital transformation plans, driving an increased need for employers and their workers to advance skills training for cloud computing, cybersecurity, and machine learning,” said Rahul Sharma, president, Public Sector – AISPL, AWS India and South Asia. “The Building Digital Skills for the Changing Workforce report shows an urgency for workers and employers to increase digital skills knowledge and maximize the benefits of technology to individuals and organizations.”
