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83% of Gen Z individuals are upskilling to secure better job opportunities, according to Simplilearn data. Notably, India has a significant number of Gen Z youth with over 600 million people under 28. The data estimated that upskilling could bring over 100 million young Indians into the workforce. By 2030, 30% of the global workforce will comprise Gen Z’, the data added.

"Gen Z is actively improving their skills to meet the changing demands of the job market, especially in the growing tech industry. This proactive approach aligns with overall economic trends focused on digital transformation and innovation across sectors," according to Simplilearn.

The data highlighted that approximately 66% of those upskilling hold bachelor’s degrees. Nearly 60% of learners are currently employed in the IT sector, and 40% are engaged in various non-IT industries.

Among the most enrolled courses, data science and business analysis led with 35.3%, followed by AI and machine learning at 33.9% and cybersecurity at 20.2%, the data mentioned.

Gen Z's impact on today's workforce comes from their digital proficiency, fresh perspectives, and relentless focus on upskilling. As a digital native generation who has grown up with a high exposure to technology, they find it easy to pick up digital tools and new ways of working. They do not have the baggage of set ways of doing things and this allows them to look at business problems afresh, without constraints, and in the context of new technologies available. It is great to see our Gen Z generation upskilling in large numbers, taking proactive steps to build the career they want, and adding value to their workplaces," Kashyap Dalal, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Simplilearn said.

Over 80% of Gen Z getting upskilled to secure new job opportunities: Simplilearn

The Media and Entertainment industry saw a 10% YoY increase in job recruitment in August 2024 as per the latest data from hiring platform Naukri.com. 

According to Naukri JobSpeak August 2024 report, covering only white-collar jobs (excluding campus placement, hyperlocal hiring, and the gig economy), mentioned that the job index point for the media and entertainment industry stood at 437 last month of the current calendar year as against 397 points in August 2023. However, hiring in this sector saw a 17.2% decline on a month-on-month basis. In July 2024, the Naukri JobSpeak Index for the Media and Entertainment industry was at 528 point.

During the subdued job market, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) jobs witnessed a 14% spike in August 2024 at 1454 points as against 1280 in the same month last year.

Additionally, the hiring in the FMCG and Pharma sectors remained strong as per the data. The FMCG sector saw an 11% year-on-year growth, driven by strong performances in Bengaluru and Kolkata. The pharma sector grew by 9% YoY with Baroda registering 44% growth in August 2024. On the other hand, the hiring dwindled in the retail and telecom sectors by 8% and 13%, respectively in August this year to 1,420 points as per the Naukri JobSpeak Index. 

Further, the data underscored that fresher recruitment remained strong in Kochi, Baroda, and Coimbatore as compared to key metro cities such as Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai. Notably, startups and unicorns outpaced foreign MNCs and Global Capability Centers (GCCs) in hiring in Bengaluru. Chennai showed signs of following a similar trajectory, while Hyderabad presented a mixed picture with startups and GCCs leading in recruitment over MNCs. 

There was a seven percent decline in job opportunities for professionals with experience of 0-3 years as compared to August 2023. However, an 11% growth was witnessed in hiring professionals with more than 16 years of experience in August 2024.

Media and Entertainment industry witnesses 10% YoY rise in job recruitment in August: Naukri data

The hiring for sales and marketing roles witnessed a positive trend between April and June 2024, according to the Indeed hiring tracker. The hiring platform revealed that sales and marketing roles emerged as the key areas of focus for employers with 30% of hires in sales and 23% in marketing. 

"This shift signals a strategic push by companies to bolster their growth and performance. As organizations aim to strengthen their market presence, these roles are increasingly seen as pivotal to driving business success," the report mentioned.

Additionally, the demand for IT roles also remained robust, with positions like data analysts (23%), data engineers (16%), and data scientists (11%) at the forefront.

While companies are hiring, there’s a looming concern about widening skill gaps. Indeed’s Hiring Tracker revealed that 61% of employers foresee these gaps increasing significantly within the next two years if skilling initiatives are not prioritized. Despite this, only 23% of employers currently offer personalized training programs, underscoring a critical disconnect between recognition and action. 

Over 60% of employees expected a 20%-40% salary hike through upskilling, the report mentioned.

The key areas for future skill demand included cloud computing (27%), sustainability (23%), and emerging technologies like Generative AI and AR/VR (20%). 

“Our latest hiring tracker offers a detailed snapshot of the labor market’s current dynamics. While IT roles continue to be in high demand, the growing emphasis on sales and marketing shows a shift in employer priorities. For job seekers, the message is clear: continuous upskilling, particularly in both technical and soft skills, is crucial in this evolving landscape," Sashi Kumar, Head of Sales, Indeed India said.

Hiring for sales, marketing roles on rise between April-June 2024: Indeed

Niharika Banerjee, a former journalist, decided to quit her permanent job in New Delhi and chose freelancing as a career path to enjoy the "ownership" of her work this year. Banerjee also worked with reputed PR agencies briefly after quitting journalism. She has now decided to completely obliterate the title "full-time employee" in her CV and plumped for freelancing. 

"I felt that having skills across journalism, advertisement, and PR agencies, I was severely exploited and underpaid. I have unique skills in the media industry, and everyone wants a pie with the least pay," Banerjee told Storyboard18.

Like Banerjee, millions of youth have chosen to work as freelancers in the country without committing to full-time employment. 

According to Jaideep Kewalramani, Head of Employability and Business and COO at TeamLease Edtech, there has been a notable rise in freelancing opportunities in the advertisement, media, creative, and entertainment industry, particularly due to the accelerated digital transformation that took place during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The Indian media and entertainment sector is likely to experience a 10.2 percent growth rate, reaching Rs 2.55 trillion by 2024 and Rs 3.08 trillion by 2026, as per a FICCI-EY projection.

Amid the growth of generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and digital platforms, the freelancing jobs in the media and creative industry are soaring, Nisha Singhania, CEO & Managing Partner, Infectious said.

⁠"Given that a lot of companies are moving to project-based models rather than retainers, companies find it cost-effective to hire freelancers rather than maintain a large number of permanent employees," Singhania added.

Uttara (name changed), currently working as an Account Executive at a PR agency, started freelancing three years ago. "I started freelancing during quarantine. The transition was motivated by a desire for greater flexibility and control over my work. While I enjoy my permanent role, I feel limited by the structure and want the freedom to choose projects that align more closely with my interests and expertise. Freelancing has also offered the opportunity to work with a diverse range of clients, which has been incredibly rewarding".



Freelancer pay


Freelancer Jinzy Moli said her work as a freelancer gets rewarded and recognised, and gets paid only for the assigned task. "In a permanent job, the pay scale of our talent, ability, and skill is decided by the company. However, in a freelance job, it will be set by our side. Besides, a permanent job forces you to take care of additional tasks to get a decent appraisal."

Moli said that a permanent employee may also face "office politics", and job security is another bigger concern. 

According to TeamLease Edtech's Kewalramani, compensation for freelancers versus permanent employees varies widely depending on role, experience, and specific niche within the industry.

"An entry-level freelancer might earn Rs 20,000-Rs 40,000 per month depending on the project, while a permanent employee in entry-level roles typically earns between Rs 25,000 and Rs 50,000," Kewalramani said. 

However, freelancers with more experience and expertise, especially in high-demand areas such as graphic design, video editing, and content creation, could earn more than Rs 1 lakh a month, he added.

Taniya Arora, Senior VP and HR Head, Cheil India, also highlighted the differences in pay packages between a freelancer and a permanent employee. According to Arora, a mid-level employee may bag Rs 10- 25 lakh per annum while a freelancer with the same work experience may get a paycheck of Rs 14 lakh-22 lakh annually. At the senior level, a freelancer may earn Rs 30 lakh-Rs 90 lakh per annum as against a full-time employee with a pay package of Rs 40 lakh to Rs 70 lakh per annum.

"Freelancers do have the potential to earn more per hour compared to permanent employees, but then again their income can be less predictable and more dependent on the number of projects they secure," Singhania told Storyboard18.

Uttara said there is always uncertainty about "inconsistent income" in her career. She added, "Freelancing requires careful financial planning to manage the ebbs and flows".

According to Gaurav Pandey, who used to be a stringer reporter for a leading English daily, "You don't get paid to write news but then if you are writing features or for clients you get paid handsomely."



The challenges


Unsteady paychecks, no health insurance, and other employee benefits are some of the downsides of a freelancing career. 

Cheil India's Arora said, "Freelancers face challenges regarding payments being on time, which may affect their monthly spending and commitments. Also, they may miss out on prestigious projects as they may have been offloaded to an agency."

To overcome irregular income, freelancer Uttara said she has created a financial buffer and diversified her client base to ensure a more consistent flow of work. 

Another freelancer Moli agreed that "job security" is the challenge even at freelancing, and added that "maintaining good communication can help solve this".

Freelancer Banerjee says she finds it difficult to juggle more than one project. She added that as a writer, she has started to use generative AI to manage stress.

Uttara pointed out that another challenge in a freelancer's life is "working in isolation". "I make a conscious effort to network, attend industry events, and sometimes work from co-working spaces to stay connected with others in the field,' she added.

Former freelance journalist Pandey said that lack of proper identification and accreditations were major obstacles for him. "I overcame these challenges through interpersonal and PR skills," he added.



The way forward


Several experts have predicted a robust growth in freelancing career options in the ad, media, creative, and entertainment industries. "The flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness of freelancing make it an attractive option for companies looking to stay competitive in a fast-paced and content-driven market," Kewalramani said.

Stuthi Vasudevan, Collaborator and Consultant, Talented Agency said, "Startups — creative or otherwise — are an affirmation of the new culture, by announcing a well-defined value system, with built-in accountability. If this trend sustains, with the new era of leaders walking the talk, perhaps the need for freelancing as a rejection of the current system will reduce significantly".

Arora said, "In the world of SIPs and mutual funds, where higher returns are possible on a faster turnaround time, the workforce does not believe in investing in PF accounts."

Meanwhile, freelancer Banerjee shared her life plan, saying she would go back to her hometown to lead a quiet life. "I may launch a micro-enterprise and also consult a few months of the year to earn."

From 'work flexibility' to 'unsteady paychecks', the ups and downs of freelancing

With the influx of affordable smartphones and cheap data plans, the addiction to social media among Indians has continued to escalate every passing year. As per a study, an average Indian spends roughly three hours daily on social media. Consequently, companies, irrespective of their size, have begun leveraging social media to engage with their consumers for brand recognition, increased sales, customer engagement, etc. 

According to specialist staffing company Xpheno, the current count of active talent in social media-specific roles is more than 240,000, and this pool has annually grown by 8% - 12% over the last five years. However, with subdued hiring activity in this space, the job openings are only 4,000, the Bengaluru-based company told Storyboard18.

'Types of social media jobs'

A slew of job roles have opened up across industries in the social media space. Varun Satia, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Kraftshala said that roles like social media creators, content strategists, content creators, copywriters, editors, scriptwriters, community managers, and influencer marketing executives are some of the roles which have been growing in recent times.


<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/special-coverage/entertainment-industry-witnesses-spike-in-jobs-as-otts-originals-boom-38341.htm">Entertainment industry witnesses spike in jobs as OTTs’ ‘Originals’ boom</a>


"Since companies have become more mindful of their brand perception, they are allocating their social media budgets to influence customers' decisions", Shantanu Rooj, founder and CEO at Teamlease Edtech added, "Consequently, social media has opened up numerous career opportunities, such as SEO specialists, data analysts, creative director, UX designers, etc".

According to Xpheno, the top industry with respect to social media job roles is- Advertising Services (45,000 professionals), followed by IT Services and IT Consulting (32,000), Software Development (15,000), Marketing Services and Media (13,000).

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/ott-industry-may-add-2-80-lakh-jobs-in-next-4-years-as-demand-for-vfx-animation-surges-report-37770.htm">OTT industry may add 2.80 lakh jobs in next 4 years as demand for VFX, animation surges: Report</a>


'Social media jobs salary'

Shincy Morris, Business Head - Direct Hire at Xpheno said that Cost-to-company (CTC) varies depending upon the job role, company location, sector, and pedigree of talent. "A common compensation range would hence be incorrect to draw," Shincy said. 

As per the data by Sekhar Garisa, CEO of foundit, a fresher's salary in the social media space may range from Rs 2 lakh-Rs 4 lakh in startups; between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh in IT and media industry; and between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 6 lakh in the FMCG sector. At the mid-level, the salary packages may also vary in different sectors, such as Rs 5 lakh- Rs 8 lakh in startups; Rs 6 lakh- above Rs 10 lakh in the IT industry; Rs 8 lakh- Rs 12 lakh in the FMCG sector, and Rs 7 lakh- above Rs 14 lakh in the Media & Entertainment industry. For senior-level posts in social media job profiles, annual salary packages in startups could vary between Rs 9.53 lakh - Rs 15.86 lakh; in the IT industry Rs 13 lakh - Rs 24.8 lakh; in the FMCG sector Rs 15.88 lakh - Rs 25 lakh, and Rs 16.9 lakh - above Rs 30 lakh in the Media & Ent industry, respectively. Notably, some organizations, that pay outside these ranges, do exist and the above figures cannot be solely used as a benchmarking.

According to Teamlease Edtech founder Rooj, the salary of a 'Digital Marketing Professional' may vary from Rs 3.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh at entry level, and at senior level, it could be between Rs 12 lakh and Rs 15 lakh annually. An SEO specialist may earn an annual remuneration between Rs 3-4 lakh at the entry-level and between Rs 10 and Rs 12 lakh at the senior post. For the Content Manager's job profile, the fresher's annual salary could be between Rs 3- Rs 5 lakh; Rs 5-Rs 8 lakh at the mid-level post, and Rs 9 lakh to Rs 10.5 lakh at the senior level, respectively.

'Social media job skills'

A career in social media demands a diverse skill set that blends creativity, analytical thinking, and technical expertise. "For content creators, user-centricity, ability to identify interesting ideas, curiosity to dig deep and write interesting scripts, the skill to visualize how the content will eventually look, and finally understanding of video editing, music, and aesthetics become important. For social media managers, project management, working with stakeholders, data analytics, and strategic planning are critical," Satia from Kraftshala said. Additionally, understanding SEO is critical to ensuring content reaches a wider audience, increasing visibility, and driving organic traffic by improving search rankings, founfit.com Garisa said. 

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/as-media-jobs-dwindle-and-pay-checks-shrink-students-may-have-to-enhance-skills-37076.htm">As media jobs dwindle and pay checks shrink, students may have to enhance skills</a>

'AI impact on social media jobs'

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing social media job roles. A lot of routine tasks have become automated in this space. Xpheno's Shincy said that AI may play a significant role in jobs with 'low cognitive load activities' such as monitoring channels, collating data, measuring reach, etc. However, the AI-driven tools will facilitate the smooth analysis of real-time data, crafting personalized data, extracting insights and trends, and responding to customer queries, among others. 


"The impact of GenAI is increasing in the creative roles space but the demand and value for native human intelligence will remain high and will at best become AI-assisted for speed and scale," Shincy added.

Rooj emphasized that social media job roles are not just about tasks but require an understanding of psychology to interpret AI-generated insights, target ad strategies, and enhance customer experience. "The key is to leverage AI tools to help social media marketers increase productivity and performance across social media platforms".

Subhashree Dutta, Managing Partner, The/Nudge Institute called AI just a 'tool' that cannot become replacement for human judgment as relying solely on it can lead to homogenization of the content. "It can enhance content, but human touch is essential for unique brand voices", Dutta added.

Social media jobs on the rise: 240,000 active talent and growing

A significant number of employers have expressed confidence in the potential of fresh talent across industries in the second half (July-December) of the current calendar year, as per a study by TeamLease EdTech, a learning and employability solutions provider. 72% of employers surveyed across India intend to hire freshers during July-December 2024, the report revealed.

For instance, the 'Hiring Intent' by the e-commerce & technology startups has increased from 55% (January-June 2024) to 61% in (July to December 2024). The other industries that intend to hire freshers in the second half of 2024 are engineering & infrastructure (59%), retail (54%), and manufacturing (52%) respectively, according to 'Career Outlook Report HY2 (July-December 2024)' by TeamLease EdTech.

The hiring outlook for freshers in the marketing and advertising industry has increased to 9% in the second half of 2024 from 6% between January and June.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/special-coverage/entertainment-industry-witnesses-spike-in-jobs-as-otts-originals-boom-38341.htm">Entertainment industry witnesses spike in jobs as OTTs' 'Originals' boom</a>

"From July to December 2024, the hiring intent for freshers has shown a promising increase to 72%, up from 68% in the first half of the year. This surge reflects a growing confidence among employers in the potential of fresh talent to contribute effectively to their organizations," Shantanu Rooj, founder and CEO of TeamLease EdTech said.

However, the 'intent to hire freshers' in the media & entertainment industry has declined from 18% (January-June 2024) to 15% (July-December 2024) as per the TeamLease EdTech report. The intent to hire has also declined in the telecom sector to 48% in HY2 2024 from 50% in HY1 of the current calendar year.

'Hiring trend in Media and advertisement industry'

TeamLease EdTech report underscored some key job roles that employers are looking to hire freshers are content marketing assistant, social media marketing assistant, business associate, graphic designer, and animator, respectively in the media & entertainment industry.

The highest demand for 'graphic designer' is in Chennai at 23% and for 'content marketing assistant' role in Mumbai at 20%. The hiring intent animator job profile is predominantly in Bengaluru at 19%, the report added.


In the marketing and advertising industry, employers may hire freshers for sound engineer job roles, market research assistants, brand marketing executives, SEO executives, and junior social media specialists among others. 


<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/as-media-jobs-dwindle-and-pay-checks-shrink-students-may-have-to-enhance-skills-37076.htm">As media jobs dwindle and pay checks shrink, students may have to enhance skills</a>


Among the cities, the highest demand for junior social media specialist is in Delhi (10%), followed by Coimbatore (8%) and Ahmedabad (5%), respectively.

For SEO executives, the highest demand is in Pune at 11%, for market research assistants in Mumbai at 13%, and for sound engineer in Bengaluru at 16%.

To increase the prospect of employability, the most in-demand courses in the ad and media industry are the advanced certificate in digital marketing and communication, graphic design specialization, soft skills and personality development, and product management certification program.

Employers bullish on fresh talent: 72% to hire freshers in H2 2024, says report

The ever-evolving streaming industry has the potential to open lakhs of jobs for the youth in the upcoming years due to a surge in revenue growth and specialized skills. As per the "Beyond Screens-Streaming VOD's Impact on The Creative Economy" study, the online streaming Video on Demand (VOD) sector is projected to create 280,000 jobs by 2028. 

Besides, over 330,000 more job roles could open up as demand for specialized skills in VFX, animation, subtitling, and dubbing augments in the next four years. The streaming revolution has catalyzed a content boom, with over 1,500 original titles released across OTT platforms between 2016 and 2023.


Historically, television has led content investments in the video industry but online video, specifically sports, has witnessed a 3x rise since 2017 at 24% this year and is expected to touch 30% by 2028. On the other hand, allied industries like telecom have witnessed a positive impact of video streaming. Videos have been the primary driver of data consumption for telcos, representing over 70% of their data traffic, the study added.

The report mentioned that premium online video-on-demand is set to fuel 50% of new revenue growth of India's total video market.

The study was commissioned by Prime Video India and conducted by Media Partners Asia (MPA).

OTT industry may add 2.80 lakh jobs in next 4 years as demand for VFX, animation surges: Report

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her seventh consecutive Union Budget in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. The issue of employment remained the key focus of FM's speech. The Union government allocated Rs 1.48 lakh crore for employment, education, and skilling. 

FM Sitharaman announced three schemes for employment-linked incentives as part of the Prime Minister's package today.


The FM said the scheme would be based on the enrolment of the EPFO and focus on recognition of the "first-time employees and support to employees and employers".


Scheme A comprises 'freshers' under which the first time employees would get one month's wage in all formal sectors. The FM said incentives would benefit 30 lakh youth entering the job market by providing one monthly PF contribution.

"Will provide one month's wages to all persons newly entering the workplace in all formal sectors. Direct Benefit Transfer of one month's salary in 3 installments to first-time employees as registered in the EPFO will be up to Rs 15,000. The eligibility limit will be a salary of Rs 1 lakh per month. The scheme will benefit 210 lakh youth," FM Sitharaman said.

“Jobs has to be at the core of economic growth. It is glad to see jobs, skills and education at the core of the Budget speech. Translating the allocation and new initiatives into action, making it demand driven, not supply driven can only ensure success of this intent," Nilaya Varma, Co-Founder and CEO at Primus Partners said.

Under the Scheme B, the FM announced job opportunities in the manufacturing sector. The FM said that incentives will be provided directly to employees and employers as per the EPFO contribution in the first four years of employment. 

"I am glad to see Budget 2024's focus on youth employment and skilling. The Rs 2 lakh crore allocation for employment schemes is the beginning to a brighter future. The incentives for job creation and the plan to skill 20 lakh youth over five years is what we needed.The support for higher education loans and the push for women in the workforce is also a big plus," Ankit Aggarwal, Founder and CEO of Unstop said.

Sashi Kumar, Head of Sales at Indeed called special incentives for first-time manufacturing employees and employers "promising", and added, "The government's plans to enhance skills, improve infrastructure, and support entrepreneurs are crucial steps to boost job opportunities and the economy".

Further, boosting the employment opportunities for freshers, the FM said internships will be provided to one crore youths in 500 top companies in five years under PM's packages. The stipend of the internship would be Rs 5000 monthly. 

"The outlay provided for employment and skilling will help our youth from two perspectives - education and skilling loans will bring more students to the education fold thereby increasing the gross enrolment ratio (a move towards achieving 50% target by 2035)…..second, it will help prepare our youth with skills relevant for industry needs, thereby adding to the productive workforce needs of today and tomorrow," Sahil Gupta, Partner, Deloitte India said.

Ramesh Alluri Reddy, CEO at TeamLease Degree Apprenticeship welcome FM's initiative on internship. "The move will bridge the gap between theoretical education and real-world application, making graduates more job-ready".

Under Scheme C, the FM announced reimbursement to employers up to Rs 3,000 per month for two years towards their EPFO contribution for each additional employee. 

On job creation for the manufacturing sector, Aamar Deo Singh, Sr. Vice President of Research, Angel One said, "This initiative will reimburse employers up to Rs 3,000 per month for two years towards EPFO contributions for each additional employee, aiming to incentivize the additional employment of 50 lakh people".

Union budget 2024: FM Sitharaman announces three schemes to boost employment

Amid the row over Karnataka's job reservation bill, Bengaluru has emerged as the only "talent positive" location across the country in the past 12 months, according to specialist staffing company Xpheno. Bengaluru absorbed 1,23,000 talents in the past 12 months while more than 80,000 skilled professionals moved out of India's Silicon City in the same period. Whereas Hyderabad absorbed 14,000 such individuals from Bengaluru in the same period.

Of the 1,23,000 white-collar professionals that shifted to Bengaluru for employment, 50,850 professionals were from India's six major cities (Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, and Pune). Bengaluru absorbed 19,000 white-collar professionals from Hyderabad alone in the past 12 months.

On the other hand, the Telangana's capital absorbed 24,900 professionals, including 4,000 from Mumbai in the past year.

As per the data, New Delhi is losing most of its talent to Bengaluru and Mumbai. On average 3,800 working professionals from Delhi moved to Bengaluru for jobs and 3,600 individuals moved to Mumbai in the past 12 months. Cumulatively, Karnataka has absorbed 10,000 professionals from the national capital in the same period. Karnataka also hired white-collar professionals from Tamil Nadu (29,000), Maharashtra (28,000), Telangana (23,000), Kerala (15,000), Andhra Pradesh (13,000), Uttar Pradesh (10,000), respectively since July 2023. 

On the contrary, Karnataka has lost 18,500 working professionals to Maharashtra, 16,000 to Telangana, and 12,500 to Tamil Nadu in the past one year.

"Bangalore city and Karnataka as a whole are both talent-positive locations across the talent exchange corridors. This has been a key enabling factor for both local and inbound foreign enterprises to flourish in this Geography. The city and state have managed to make up for talent lost, by having a higher volume of talent coming in. Any change in this desirability and ability of the city and state to attract and retain talent, will have a long-term impact on the scale and quality of talent they can offer to key sectors," Anil Ethanur, Co-founder, Xpheno (a specialist staffing company).

Earlier this month, the Congress-led Karnataka government received a barrage of criticism after it tabled a domicile quota in jobs Bill in the Legislative Assembly. Following the backlash by IT professionals, opposition, and CXOs, the state cabinet put the contentious bill on hold. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led government had mandated 75% reservation in non-management jobs, and 50% reservation in management jobs for the "locals". 

Talent platform TeamLease Degree Apprenticeship CEO AR Ramesh said that the Karnataka government should emphasize the need for skill development to address the gap between available opportunities and the requisite skills for employability. "By prioritizing skill development and hands-on experience, Karnataka can strategically drive economic growth and create plentiful job opportunities for its talent pool," Ramesh added.

Bengaluru emerges as country's 'talent positive' location amidst job reservation bill fiasco

To diversify workforce composition, Bharti AXA Life Insurance has hired 1,000 new employees of which 400 are women. The company said the move is a part of its effort to promote financial inclusion, and improving gender diversity. The insurance company added, " The approach will not only address the need for more advisors but also emphasizes the importance of diversity in reaching and understanding a broad customer base".

In an initiative to diversify its workforce composition, Bharti AXA Life Insurance has strengthened its distribution network with 1,000 new hires of which 40% are women. The move is part of the company's broader effort to promote financial inclusion while enhancing gender diversity and empowering women within the insurance sector.

Bharti AXA Life, Nitin Mehta - Chief Distribution Officer - Partnership Distribution and Head Marketing said, “As part of its goal of ‘Insurance for all by 2047’, the industry is moving towards taking a proactive stance by implementing strategic recruitment initiatives that attract and retain talented women. In collaboration with this, we have recruited 1000 front-line sales personnel across channels in the last quarter, and look forward to further expanding and reaching the masses.”

"Empowering women in the insurance salesforce can not only bridge the gender gap within the industry but also propel its future growth.  By implementing strategic recruitment initiatives and nurturing talent, we aim to drive a shift in mindset – moving beyond tokenism, creating a genuinely inclusive work environment, and enabling women to become key drivers of financial inclusion," Dhanashree Thakkar, Head of Human Resources said.

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