Indian IT Grooms Grads While GCCs Grab Pros
Of late, Indian IT companies have been forging partnerships with engineering colleges and universities to train students in practical, job-ready skills. The sole purpose behind such collaborations is to address the growing demand for AI-skilled workforce. Infosys Foundation has invested ₹38 crore in a partnership with the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) in New Delhi to upskill educators and provide internships and mentorship for students. “By working with INAE, we hope to empower educators with the right set of teaching skills and provide students with real-world learning experiences through internships and meaningful guidance from mentors that will collectively contribute towards boosting the employability of the engineering workforce in India,” said Sumit Virmani, trustee of Infosys Foundation. Similar to Tata Technologies, it has established innovation centres at private universities, offering hands-on training to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and industry needs. Similarly, Mumbai-based HSNC University has collaborated with TCS iON to design certification programs, internships, and placements, ensuring students are prepared for real-world challenges. At the same time, Sardar Patel Institute of Technology in Mumbai has partnered with IBM and Wipro for advanced training. Karnataka government’s initiative to pair 100 engineering colleges with corporates by 2025 aims to directly increase employment prospects. Such efforts underscore the IT sector and the government’s commitment to finding long-term solutions to prepare a pipeline of skilled professionals who will meet the industry’s future demands. GCC Poach Talent for Immediate Gains While IT firms focus on nurturing future talent through long-term investments in college partnerships, GCCs are poaching experienced professionals and tapping into niche skill sets directly. An example of this shift is Zeiss, a German optical technology firm that launched its first GCC in Bengaluru in November 2024. The centre focuses on cloud computing, cybersecurity, and software development and plans to double its Indian workforce to 5,000 within three years. “This centre will accelerate the digital transformation of our growing global operations,” said Dhaval Radia, chief financial officer, ZEISS India. GCCs are not just targeting traditional engineering graduates but are broadening their hiring strategies to include experts with advanced degrees. In an interview with AIM, Dhanya Rajeswaran, global VP and managing director at Fluence India, highlighted this trend: “Absolutely, we are hiring from IIT and NIT, but we are also looking for people with PhDs, MTechs, and specialisations in our kind of work.” Reddit users have also highlighted this GCC strategy. One commented, “Our GCC, for example, is taking business away from TCS/HCL and replacing them or taking their staff and making them ours.” Another observed Google’s approach, noting the establishment of the Google Operations Center (GOC) between 2017 and 2019. Since then, professionals from companies like Cognizant and Accenture have transitioned to roles at Google’s GCC, showcasing the appeal of GCC roles. GCCs have seen exponential growth by leveraging career advancement opportunities and competitive hiring practices. From 5,000 global leaders in Indian GCCs in 2022, projections suggest this figure will surpass 30,000 by 2030, growing at a compound annual rate of 25.1%. This evolution signals a pivotal shift in India’s tech ecosystem as GCCs cement their dominance in the recruitment arena. “GCCs are connecting the dots,” said Rishi Kapoor, vice president and APAC lead – talent acquisition & staffing, Material. “The key will be to bridge the gap between the demand for skilled professionals in GCCs and the evolving expectations of Gen Z. Reshaping the employee value proposition (EVP) and aligning talent with core values and culture will be essential.” Competitive Advantage GCCs attract top talent from Indian IT companies by offering competitive compensation and international exposure. According to a recent TeamLease Digital report, GCCs pay 12-20% higher salaries than IT services for comparable tech roles driven by investments in AI, machine learning, and cybersecurity. GCCs offer significantly higher salaries, with compensation for software developers ranging from ₹9.7 lakh to ₹43 lakh annually, compared to ₹5.7 lakh to ₹17.9 lakh in IT services for similar roles. Entry-level salaries at GCCs are also up to 30% higher than the average across sectors. They emphasise innovation, particularly in AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity, positioning themselves as leaders in tech transformation. In contrast, Indian IT companies focus on maintaining existing projects while lagging in generative AI and R&D investment due to high costs. As of now, there is a strategic tug-of-war between Indian IT firms focusing on long-term talent development and GCCs prioritising short-term skill acquisition to sustain their rapid growth.
While IT firms focus on nurturing future talent through long-term investments in college partnerships, GCCs are poaching experienced professionals and tapping into niche skill sets directly.
While IT firms focus on nurturing future talent through long-term investments in college partnerships, GCCs are poaching experienced professionals and tapping into niche skill sets directly.
["GCC", "Indian IT"]
["Go", "GCC", "machine learning", "AI", "cloud computing", "ML", "RAG", "Aim", "generative AI", "Rust", "Indian IT", "R"]
["AI", "machine learning", "ML", "generative AI", "Aim", "RAG", "cloud computing", "R", "Go", "Rust"]
Shalini is a senior tech journalist, exploring the latest advancements in AI. When she's not reporting on the latest innovations, you can find her immersed in her next literary adventure.