The survey has been conducted among professionals from diverse industries, geographical locations, and career stages. The 2024 Consumer Survey reveals significant changes in learner attitudes compared to 2023. In 2024, 65% of professionals preferred part-time or online certifications, significantly increasing from 51% in 2023. Conversely, the percentage of professionals opting for self-study increased marginally to 25% in 2024 (compared to 23% in 2023). Similarly, the inclination towards full-time college enrollment declined significantly, dropping 2% in 2024 from 7% in 2023. This shift highlights a declining dependence on traditional educational routes among professionals, indicative of a broader trend favoring upskilling platforms.

Insights From the Simplilearn 2024 Consumer Survey Report:
● Career Expectations: 85% of the respondents actively seek career changes after upskilling, reflecting a dynamic job market.
● Upskilling Trends: A staggering 45% of respondents cite the need to upskill to leverage new opportunities in their company or desired field.
● Preferred Upskilling Methods: Among those seeking to upskill, 65% prefer enrolling in part-time online programs or courses, emphasizing the importance of flexible learning options.
● Top Digital Economy Skills: Data science and business analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, program and project management, cloud computing and DevOps, cyber security, product management, and software development emerged as the most sought-after skills among respondents, highlighting the demand for expertise in cutting-edge technologies.
Insights on Respondents:
● Gender Breakdown: Male respondents constitute 67%, while female respondents comprise 31% of the survey population, with 1% prefer not to disclose.
● Job Levels: Most respondents (53%) identify as individual contributors, followed by managers (28%) and students (15%).
● Industry Distribution: Technology and computers lead with 39% representation, followed by banking, financial services, insurance (11%), and healthcare & life sciences (8%).

Sharing thoughts on the survey, Mr. Kashyap Dalal, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Simplilearn, said, “In the dynamic and ever-changing landscape of the IT industry, characterized by market deceleration and frequent disruptions, it is imperative for professionals to upskill for the future. A staggering 65% of respondents are engaged in online certification courses, with 97% affirming that upskilling will significantly augment their career prospects by 2024. These statistics underscore the criticality of upskilling, particularly in burgeoning fields such as data science, AI, and cybersecurity, which are poised to flourish in today’s digital economy.”

As technology reshapes industries and job roles, professionals prioritize continuous learning and skill enhancement to succeed in the digital economy. Simplilearn remains committed to empowering professionals with the skills they need to succeed in today’s rapidly evolving job market.

The launch comes at a time when HR functions are progressively investing in tech-first talent acquisition tools to refine their hiring processes. foundit’s reimagined hiring solution now includes an expanded talent pool comprising active job seekers as well as passive candidates. In addition, the product’s features include Super Profiles with information beyond the resume, system-generated Smart Insights; AI-powered Magic Search personalised by organisation with more than 35 Smart Filters; an outreach module with AI-generated emails and mass personalisation; and a seamless collaboration tool.

Speaking about the launch, SekharGarisa, CEO, foundit (previously Monster APAC & ME), said, “Recruiters today are grappling with multiple challenges – navigating numerous sourcing platforms, sifting through irrelevant search results and inefficiencies in communication and closing positions. At foundit, the four pillars of our latest tech innovation address these challenges head-on. With access to talent on and off the market, candidate profiles with Smart Insights, and AI-powered Magic Search personalised by organisation, recruiters now have a comprehensive solution to be more agile and efficient. Since rebranding last year, we have been committed to going beyond merely solving problems to anticipating and building for the future.”

Following the brand evolution of foundit from Monster last year, this launch marks a key milestone in the company’s vision to enable and connect the right talent with the right opportunities using tech innovations that will redefine the future of recruitment. Towards fueling its product-led offerings and market expansion, the company in 2021 raised ₹ 137.5 crores in a funding round led by investors AkashBhanshali of Volrado Venture Partners and Mohandas Pai of Meridian Investments with participation from Quess Corp, its parent company.

Commenting on foundit’s role in realising its parent Quess Corp’s future-forward strategy, Mr. Ajit Isaac, Chairman, Quess Corp, added, “With India on the path to becoming a $5 trillion economy, there is no doubt that employment will be a key driver across sectors. Increasingly, skills-based jobs have become critical and hence technology will need to assist recruiters in enhancing productivity to find the right fit especially when it comes to white-collar jobs. At Quess, we have always been at the forefront of service-led offerings, and through foundit, we aim to redefine the current traditional recruitment norms and usher in a new era of efficiency and precision.”

As part of its commitment to advancing the recruitment landscape, foundit has strategically invested in developing this solution and taken a giant leap to define the future of recruitment.