60pc Gen Z, fresh graduates keen on upskilling, learning AI and data skills in India: Report

New Delhi, Nov 5 Generation Z and fresh graduates are leading the skilling ecosystem in India, with a majority of them actively learning artificial intelligence and data skills, according to a report on Wednesday.

The report by Deel, a global payroll and compliance platform, is based on a survey of 5,058 employees representing Gen Z (ages 28 or under), millennials (ages 29-44), and Gen X (ages 45-60).

It showed that the vast majority of India’s white-collar professionals (96 per cent) have upskilled in the past year; however, the learning priorities and motivations differ sharply across generations.

Gen Z and fresh graduates are leading the skilling charge at 61 per cent and 63 per cent, respectively, with access to upskilling opportunities as a key retention factor to stay with an employer.

The younger workforce is also riding the AI wave, with more than half of Gen Z (54 per cent) and fresh graduates (57 per cent) actively learning AI and data skills.

Millennials are lagging with only 2 in 5 (40 per cent) learning new skills. Meanwhile, Gen X (38 per cent) continues to prioritise traditional domain expertise, focusing on core professional and functional skills over new technologies.

“India’s workforce is entering a new era where motivation for learning is high, but the barriers differ for each generation,” said Mark Samlal, General Manager APAC at Deel.

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Gen Z (61 per cent) was found to be the most influenced by upskilling when deciding whether to stay with an employer. Freshers (63 per cent) share the same sentiment, showing a strong link between learning access and early-career retention.

Further, while two-thirds of Gen Z (66 per cent) are confident that their skills will remain relevant over the next five years, less than half of millennials (48 per cent) and just over a third of Gen X (36 per cent) feel the same way.

But Gen Z cited that cost (31 per cent) is holding them back from upskilling. On the other hand, millennials struggle with time constraints (35 per cent), and Gen X points to limited employer support (29 per cent), the report said.

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