Indian Professionals See 65 Pc Salary Hike Post Upskilling In AI/ML & Data Science: Report

(MENAFN- IANS) Bengaluru, March 20 (IANS) Upskilling in artificial intelligence, machine learning (AI/ML), and data science led to an average 65 per cent salary hike in woking professionals in India, according to a report on Thursday.

The report, by higher education and professional training firm Great Learning, based on inputs from 1,000 working professionals, offers an in-depth analysis of the long-term impact of upskilling on career growth.

It brings to light how continuous learning has driven sustained career advancement, thereby helping professionals achieve leadership roles, salary increases, and greater employability.

Professionals in the early stages of their careers, typically with 0-3 years of experience, were found to experience remarkable growth with an average salary hike of 139 per cent. For professionals in their mid-career stages, with 3-8 years of experience, the increase remains substantial at 93 per cent.

Similarly, for mid-to-senior professionals, with 8-12 years of experience, the average salary hike received is around 50 per cent, and for senior professionals with over 12 years of experience, the average is 41 per cent.

Further, 80 per cent of professionals experienced a positive career shift post-upskilling in AI/ML and data science programmes, the report said.

Looking at a shorter time frame of two years post-upskilling, 74 per cent of professionals received a promotion or transitioned to new roles, among which 69 per cent successfully moved into new roles either within their current organisation or with a new employer, while 31 per cent reported significant enhancements in their existing roles.

“Upskilling is a powerful tool for creating impactful career milestones and is no longer an alternative. It has enabled professionals to switch careers, get into managerial and leadership roles, and reap financial gains from their career growth,” said Hari Krishnan Nair, Co-Founder of Great Learning.

“While short-term gains are important, the real benefit of upskilling compounds over time, turning professionals into experts and sought-after industry leaders,” he added.

The report noted that leadership roles also doubled post-upskilling, and team management positions grew by 80 per cent.

The transformative impact of upskilling is evident in the career trajectory of professionals, with 2 in 3 moving up the career ladder.

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