With rising inflation rates, job layoffs, and salary cuts, Indians, who are currently spending mainly on essential items, continue to hold education in high regard, found a study.

According to the findings of the Emeritus Global Workplace Skills Study 2023, 82% of Indians surveyed have increased interest in pursuing online education under the current macroeconomic conditions. They believe that upskilling will enable them to stand out in the job market and provide greater career opportunities.

The survey was conducted among 6,600 professionals aged between 21 and 65 across 18 countries, including India, the US, China, the UK, Brazil, Mexico, and UAE, among others, to understand how the global workforce is leveraging online education to navigate through uncertain times.

The study found that around 73% of Indians are showing an increased interest in pursuing further education as a result of recent global developments. Data analysed by the study showcased a stronger interest in upskilling among Indians in the current climate, compared to the global average of 55%. One in every two Indian professionals surveyed also emphatically said that they are willing to spend more on education for themselves, their children, or family.

The study depicted that even as 2 in 3 Indians approached household spending with caution by spending primarily on healthcare, medicine and groceries, education is perceived by Indians as a necessary and worthwhile investment for career growth. The findings of the survey show how and why Indians are choosing to upskill themselves.

Around 84% of Indians agree that pursuing further education will give them an edge to compete better against their peers. The study also reveals that 94% of Indians consider a paid online programme format for continued learning and upskilling and they are not hesitant to pay for online education.

Around 86% of Indian professionals also said that a high-quality upskilling programme would allow them to achieve their career-related goals.

The surveyed Indian professionals hailed from diverse sectors such as software and IT services, finance, insurance, education, manufacturing, technology and innovation, healthcare, engineering and construction, and retail, among others. Some of the other upskilling trends observed among these professionals include:

Indians look to education for confidence & safety net: As many as 86% of the professionals surveyed agreed that further education was hugely helpful in building their skills. And felt that further education helped them build increased engagement at work. Indians stated ‘increasing job security’ as one of the key motivations to pursue further education, besides promotions and career advancement. Indians embrace the concept of life-long learning and agree that learning helps them feel confident, creative and inspired to develop personally and professionally.

Upskilling to stand out in the job market: The study found that pursuing further education is directly related to achieving career advancements for Indians, with professionals looking at education as a path to becoming more qualified to get to a new role, be promoted or even switch careers.

Online learning to rule the future: Most Indians agreed that online education adoption has room to grow in the country. Respondents, however, said that learning online has brought them many possibilities such as enrolling at universities abroad, and less expensive options to meet their learning needs, etc. 9 in 10 Indians strongly believed that online learning adoption is set to increase in near future, with technology continuing to emerge. 

Creating organisational impact: Indians are increasingly looking to work at companies that offer educational benefits. Among the respondents, nearly 9 in 10 work with companies that provide upskilling opportunities. Among them, two-thirds have witnessed an increase in employee contribution in the past year to their organisations as a result of continued education.