Fresher hiring intentions rise to 74% amid IT sector rebound: TeamLease report

TeamLease EdTech's career outlook report for the first half of calendar year 2025 has indicated a rise in fresher hiring intentions, with deep-tech domain skills like robotic process automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning, cloud computing, network security and prompt engineering, being in demand.

Professional certificate course in Generative AI and Machine Learning, certified robotic engineer course, professional certificate programmes in cloud computing and DevOps, healthcare management and AI applications are some in-demand courses, it said.

"The findings reveal 74 per cent of freshers' hiring intent in HY1 2025, suggesting unwavering business confidence for the upcoming months," it said.

The report which is based on a survey of 649 employers across India, offers insights into hiring trends for freshers and degree apprentices, along with emerging skill demands.

Several industries showcase strong recruitment momentum for the first half of 2025 compared to HY2 2024. The report reveals many increased hiring intent.

E-commerce & technology startups registered an increase from 61 per cent to 70 per cent, manufacturing from 52 per cent to 66 per cent. Engineering and infrastructure touched 62 per cent, up from 59 per cent.

"IT sector has experienced a remarkable recovery, with entry-level hiring intentions surging to 59 per cent compared to 45 per cent in HY2 2024. The healthcare and pharmaceuticals sector has also shown positive momentum, increasing from 47 per cent to 52 per cent.

Even traditionally smaller sectors like power & energy and marketing & advertising have displayed modest growth. The geographical spread of opportunities continues to favour Bengaluru (78 per cent), Mumbai (65 per cent), Delhi NCR (61 per cent), and Chennai (57 per cent) as primary employment destinations for recent graduates.

Deep-tech roles seem to be emerging career paths, including roles such as clinical bioinformatics associate, robotics system engineer, sustainability analyst, prompt engineer, AI and machine learning engineer, cloud engineer and cybersecurity analyst.

"Companies are particularly seeking candidates skilled in robotic process automation, performance marketing, network security, and financial risk analysis to address contemporary business needs. Beyond technical expertise, employers value computational thinking, interpersonal skills, analytic reasoning, and adaptability as crucial soft skills for entry-level positions," it said.