Why do most engineering graduates struggle to find jobs?
India annually produces over 1.5 million engineering graduates; yet alarming statistics reveal that 6 out of every 10 of these engineers struggle to secure suitable employment, with only about 4 out of every 10 meeting industry requirements in terms of skills. A recent report by TeamLease shows that only about 10% are expected to secure jobs due to skills gaps among engineering graduates.
Why Are Engineering Graduates Struggling to Secure Employment? India produces over 1.5 Million Engineering Graduates each year. However, an alarming statistic reveals that over 60% struggle to find suitable employment with only 4 % meeting industry skills requirements and 1 in 10 expected to secure jobs due to a skills gap among engineering students.
India is widely recognized as an outstanding hub of engineering talent; however, an alarming gap remains between the number of engineering graduates produced and their employability – this poses a significant threat to economic development and technological progress in India.
Employability Challenge: Overcoming it
India produces over 1.5 million engineering graduates annually. Unfortunately, however, over 60% of these graduates struggle to secure suitable employment, and only around 45% meet industry requirements in terms of skillset and expertise. A recent report indicates that only 10% of this year’s graduates may secure jobs due to skills gaps among engineering students.
Engineering has long been seen as one of the key pillars of India’s development, becoming one of the most sought-after careers. Yet despite producing impressive graduates, many struggle to find suitable job opportunities after graduating – creating an important deficit that needs addressing immediately.
NASSCOM projects that India’s technology sector will require one million engineers proficient in advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning within five years, driving demand-supply gaps of digital talent from 25% to nearly 30% by 2028. This demand-supply gap will likely be driven by sectors such as artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, semiconductors and the rapidly expanding electronics industry.
Companies increasingly require expertise in areas like cybersecurity, robotics and data science; traditional academic education no longer suffices in meeting this demand. Many engineering graduates lack the specific abilities required for these rapidly developing fields.
Bridging the Gap In order to address this problem, universities and educational institutions must adapt their curricula in line with industry requirements. Emphasizing practical experience through internships or hands-on training can equip graduates with skills necessary for today’s job market. Collaboration between academia and industry must occur for engineering programs to produce job-ready graduates.
Apprenticeships provide structured hands-on training alongside formal education to address India’s skills gap in engineering graduates. According to Dhriti Prasanna Mahanta, Vice President and Chief Business Officer at TeamLease Degree Apprenticeship, these programs ensure young professionals enter the workforce ready to perform from day one.
Through real-world experience and mentorship, apprentices gain the crucial skills required to meet industry requirements – making a mutually beneficial situation between individuals and employers.
Engineers graduates entering the job market lack both practical experience and industry-specific knowledge required by employers.
Technology development and the rise of new industries has led to an imbalance between graduates’ skillset and job openings.
Apprenticeships hold immense value. Here is their value explained:
Apprenticeships provide an effective combination of academic study and on-the-job training for young engineers looking to succeed in today’s highly competitive job market. Through such programs, young engineers gain skills that equip them to remain marketable throughout their careers.
Initiatives such as Managed Training Services (MTS) provide targeted, industry-relevant training that enhances job readiness.
Future outlook
Engineers are in high demand across industries, particularly technology. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies will likely need over one million engineers skilled in AI and related disciplines by 2024; yet digital talent shortage is becoming an increasing concern, as demand outstrips supply significantly.
Indian engineering graduates will benefit greatly from focusing on these areas to increase employability and support the country’s technological and economic advancement.