03 December, 2024: India’s electronics industry is undergoing a transformative phase, with an ambitious goal of achieving $500 billion in manufacturing output by 2030. To meet this target, the sector must grow fivefold over the next five years, bridging a $400 billion production gap. Currently, domestic production stands at $101 billion, with mobile phones contributing 43%, followed by consumer and industrial electronics at 12% each, and electronic components at 11%. Additionally, emerging segments like auto electronics (8%), LED lighting (3%), wearables and hearables (1%), and PCBAs (1%) offer substantial growth potential. According to our report, the electronics sector is poised for significant expansion, projected to create 12 million jobs by 2027—3 million direct and 9 million indirect roles. Specifically, direct employment opportunities will include employment for nearly 1 million engineers, 2 million ITI-certified professionals, and 0.2 million specialists in fields like AI, ML, and data science, while non-technical roles are expected to contribute 9 million indirect jobs, highlighting the sector’s immense potential to fuel economic growth but also emphasize its capacity to create diverse and expansive career opportunities.

While the outlook appears promising, India’s electronics sector faces a significant talent deficit that could impede its progress. This gap is not just a numerical challenge; it is deeply tied to a shortage of skilled talent, threatening the country’s ability to achieve its ambitious manufacturing goals. Bridging this gap is critical to strengthening India’s global electronics supply chain position. To sustain growth and drive innovation, India must align workforce skills with industry needs, particularly for high-demand components like semiconductors, electromechanical parts, and both passive and active components. Targeted efforts are required to address this mismatch, with talent expected to primarily come from Electronics and Electrical streams, ITI-qualified professionals, and specialized technical domains, while general education streams can effectively support indirect roles.

To realize the ambitious vision, the sector must prioritize creating a skilled, future-ready workforce to fuel its exponential growth and focus on urgent investment in targeted skilling programs, industry-academia partnerships, and on-the-job training models that align with the demands of advanced manufacturing, shared A.R. Ramesh, CEO of TeamLease Degree Apprenticeship. He further added, “While India’s electronics sector has witnessed remarkable growth, propelled by initiatives such as Make in India, the National Electronics Policy, PLI schemes, and Digital India, achieving the ambitious goal of USD 500 billion in manufacturing output by FY 2030 demands a more assertive approach to addressing critical skill gaps. While the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and the Ministry of Education are actively driving programs to enhance workforce capabilities, apprenticeships and internships can play a transformative role in bridging this gap. These programs provide hands-on training that directly aligns talent with evolving industry demands, ensuring that graduates are not only employable but also industry-ready. Scaling apprenticeship enrollments, currently growing at a 55% CAGR and projected to reach 1 million apprentices by 2027 to 2 million apprentices, will help create a robust talent pipeline to meet industry needs. To realize its vision of becoming a global leader in electronics manufacturing, India must blend skilling with strategic investments in infrastructure, policy interventions, and innovation to propel the sector forward.”

Further elaborating on the need to build a sustainable talent pipeline for the future workforce, Sumit Kumar, Chief Strategy Officer at TeamLease Degree Apprenticeship, emphasized, “India’s electronics sector, valued at $101 billion, is swiftly positioning itself as a global electronics hub, contributing 3.3% to global manufacturing and 5.3% to India’s total merchandise exports in FY23. Despite its modest 4% participation in global value chains, the sector holds immense growth potential by moving beyond final assembly to include design and component manufacturing. As opportunities and employment creation rise, a multi-pronged approach becomes essential, with a strong focus on apprenticeships, reskilling, and upskilling to cultivate a future-ready workforce. Apprenticeships are crucial in building a talent pipeline by combining theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience, ensuring that the workforce is equipped with industry-relevant skills. Furthermore, capacity building is vital, especially given that ITIs currently operate at just 51% enrollment. Employers and industries can strengthen this effort by setting up in-house training centers and collaborating with academia through Work-Integrated Learning Programs (WILP) and degree apprenticeships. Scaling apprenticeship programs, reskilling, and upskilling initiatives for over 50% of the workforce, alongside robust capacity-building measures, will empower India to bridge the skills gap and drive sustainable growth, solidifying its position as a global leader in electronics.”