IT hubs Hyderabad, Delhi, Bengaluru top locations for apprentice job in Q4: Report

Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi and Bengaluru, being hubs of the IT/tech industry, have emerged as the most promising locations with intent to hire apprentices in the fourth quarter (January-March 2023), a report said on Friday. Hyderabad with 78 per cent net apprenticeship outlook (NAO), followed by Delhi (74 per cent NAO) and Bengaluru (68 per cent NAO), witnessed an increase in apprenticeship engagement as compared to the previous half-year period (July-December 2022), TeamLease Apprenticeship Outlook Report has revealed.

The Apprenticeship Outlook Report covered 14 cities and 24 industries with a survey among 597 employers during January to March, 2023.

Further, the report stated that 83 per cent of employers in Hyderabad are likely to increase the engagement of apprentices, 82 per cent in Delhi and 80 per cent in Bengaluru.

Chennai (81 per cent) and Mumbai (77 per cent) were close behind in hiring intent, showing immense potential, the report added.

From a pan-India perspective, 79 per cent of employers showed the intent to increase their apprentice intake during January-March 2023 compared with 77 per cent employers in calendar year H2 2022, it said.

Overall, while metro cities lead in terms of recruitment intent, non-metro cities, including Coimbatore (79 per cent NAO), Nagpur and Pune (76 per cent NAO each) and Ahmedabad (70 per cent NAO), also witnessed a positive trajectory.

About 84 per cent in Coimbatore, 85 per cent in Pune, 86 per cent in Nagpur and 83 per cent for Ahmedabad expect increased deployment to address the national skill deficit, the report said.

A notable uptick in apprentices’ involvement was observed in crucial industries like engineering and industrial, with the highest NAO (90 per cent), followed by electrical and electronics (88 per cent), and banking, financial services and insurance (74 per cent), it said.

Over 94 per cent of employers in Engineering and Industrial, 93 per cent in Electrical and Electronics and 85 per cent in BFSI were willing to increase their apprentice engagement, it added.

“In 2023, we expect to see a promising outlook for apprenticeship engagement in India, with continued growth in locations like Hyderabad, Delhi, and Bangalore. These cities, being hubs of the IT/tech industry, provide ample opportunities for apprentices to gain industry-specific skills and knowledge, while contributing to the growth of the technology sector,” TeamLease Degree Apprenticeship Chief Business Officer Sumit Kumar said.

Apprenticeship programmes have emerged as a win-win solution for both employers and apprentices as they are driving overall prosperity like reducing unemployment, improving livelihoods and empowering local communities through skill development while economically boosting productivity, innovation and competitiveness of businesses, he noted.

“Additionally, with the Union Budget 2023-24, announcement of aiding 47 lakh youth over the next three years, India Inc. is close to witnessing what a global powerhouse of robust, skillful talent looks like,” Kumar added.

Under the Apprentices Act, 1961, an organisation can engage 2.5 per cent to 15 per cent of the total manpower strength, said Dhriti Prasanna Mahanta, Business Head, TeamLease Degree Apprenticeship.

“However, this can prove to be a limitation when it comes to strengthening of youth skill training, hindering employers to build a competent skill force beyond the cap. While the roll out of Direct Benefit Transfer for apprenticeship promotion scheme, attractive stipend support from the government and massive investment of over 3,000 crore for skill development initiatives will catalyze the youth employment and skill sets, to meet the growing skill demand, organisations will have to invest in building a huge talent pipeline to stay ahead in the game,” Mahanta added.