BENGALURU: Indian technology professionals are prioritising hands-on artificial intelligence experience and transparent career pathways when choosing employers, and multinational global capability centres (GCCs) have emerged as the preferred next move, a Talent500 survey of 2,000 respondents shows.
Clear gap between demand for AI skills and employer provision
The survey, conducted by Talent500 — part of ANSR, which has helped establish more than 200 GCCs in India — found that 71% of technology, product and data professionals want practical AI upskilling. By contrast, only 29% said their current employers offer such training.
Alongside AI capability, clarity on career progression is a dominant concern. A large majority, 87%, rated well-defined career paths as very important when evaluating potential employers. The survey also reported that 79% of respondents would abandon an application or decline an offer if growth opportunities were unclear.
Career clarity varies by workplace
Respondents described significant variation in how clearly career paths are articulated across employer types. Overall, fewer than half — 46% — said their career pathways were very clear.
| Employer type | Respondents saying career path is very clear |
|---|---|
| GCCs | 36% |
| IT services | 50% |
| Startups | 51% |
The relatively lower clarity in GCCs could become a competitive handicap as these centres seek experienced talent, the survey suggests, since candidates now demand transparency on growth before accepting roles.
GCCs favoured for next career move
When asked about their preferred next employer type, 69% of respondents selected GCCs, well ahead of Indian product companies (37%) and IT services and outsourcing firms (28%).
Among factors drawing candidates to GCCs, career growth led with 48%, followed by the global parent brand at 41%, India-centre leadership and culture at 36%, and exposure to AI and advanced technology at 33%.
- Demand-supply mismatch: Strong desire for hands-on AI learning vs limited employer provision.
- Career clarity matters: Unclear progression deters candidates and could influence hiring decisions.
- GCCs on attraction ladder: Seen as offering growth and global-brand advantages, despite lower internal clarity.
"GCC hiring was growing 15-18% annually, with roles changing rather than hiring coming to a halt," said Vikram Ahuja, co-founder of ANSR and CEO of 1Wrk.
ANSR leadership framed the trend as sustained demand for GCC roles, accompanied by shifting job profiles as organisations adapt to new technology priorities.
Implications for employers and policy
The survey findings carry implications for employers across the technology ecosystem. Firms that can offer structured AI upskilling and clearer career ladders may gain a recruiting edge. For GCCs, improving internal transparency on progression could be especially important given the high preference for these centres among experienced professionals.
From a workforce development perspective, the gap between desired and available AI training points to a need for targeted skilling programmes — whether run by employers, industry consortia or government-backed initiatives — that deliver practical, project-based experience rather than only theoretical exposure.
As Indian technology employment grows and roles evolve with AI adoption, the survey underlines that talent retention and attraction will increasingly hinge on demonstrable career pathways and tangible opportunities to work on advanced technologies.
Reporting for the survey was provided by Talent500 and ANSR; the statistics and quotes cited are taken from their published findings.
