Echoing similar views, another industry expert opined that the need for skilled professionals in tier-II and III cities has seen a significant surge to build the skill gap.
“India is a big market and also one of the most competitive in the domain with multiple players in the fray. About 50-60 per cent of the subscribers come from non-metros, including tier-II and III cities and those are also one of the focused revenue markets for the companies,” he said.
Randstad India CEO Moorthy K Uppaluri said with the overheating of the urban market segment, telecom companies have been pro-actively building infrastructure in rural areas over the past few years to expand their subscriber base, widen distribution networks, boost profit margins and compete more effectively.
“Market estimates show that the share of rural subscribers has increased at an annual rate of 15-20 per cent over the past year. With these developments, we believe that the telecom sector is poised to grow in tier-II and III cities and expect hiring to go up by about 10 per cent this year and continue to gain momentum in future,” he said.
Given the challenge of skills gaps, he said most firms hold periodic and structured training to equip and update their workforce with the necessary skills that will help them perform their job efficiently.
“As business potential in the rural markets is growing, we are also witnessing a similar trend in the FMCG, banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) industries, consumer durables, education and retail segments,” he added.
