Freshers hiring intent rises to 74% in 2025, IT sector leads strong rebound: TeamLease

Freshers hiring intent across industries has risen to 74%, with the IT sector rebounding strongly, according to learning and employability solution company TeamLease EdTech’s Career Outlook Report HY1 2025 released today. The overall intent to hire across all categories stands at 79%, with IT, healthcare & pharma, marketing & advertising and logistics driving the growth.

This report, based on a survey of 649 employers across India, offers key insights into hiring trends for freshers and degree apprentices, along with emerging skill demands. It says several industries have showcased “strong recruitment momentum” for the first half of 2025 compared to HY2 2024. E-commerce & technology startups registered increased from 61% to 70% (+9%), manufacturing from 52% to 66% (+14%), and engineering & infrastructure touched 62%, up from 59% (+3%).

The IT sector has also experienced a recovery, with entry-level hiring intentions surging to 59% compared to 45% in HY2 2024. The healthcare and pharmaceuticals sector also showed positive momentum, increasing from 47% to 52% (+5%).

Traditionally smaller sectors like power & energy and marketing & advertising have also displayed modest growth, with increases of 4% and 2% respectively, reaching 22% and 11%. The geographical spread of opportunities continues to favour Bangalore (78%), Mumbai (65%), Delhi NCR (61%), and Chennai (57%) as primary employment destinations for recent graduates.

As India catches up to the global AI wave, AI Deep-tech roles seem to be emerging career paths, including roles such as Clinical Bioinformatics Associate, Robotics System Engineer, Sustainability Analyst, Prompt Engineer, AI & Machine Learning Engineer, Cloud Engineer and Cybersecurity Analyst, the report says.

“Companies are particularly seeking candidates skilled in Robotic Process Automation, Performance Marketing, Network Security, and Financial Risk Analysis to address contemporary business needs. Beyond technical expertise, employers value computational thinking, interpersonal skills, analytic reasoning, and adaptability as crucial soft skills for entry-level positions,” it adds.

In terms of workplace technology preferences, companies heavily rely on productivity and collaboration tools (83%), project management and task tracking software (73%), and data visualisation tools (64%).

The report also talks about the growing prominence of apprenticeship programs as organisations are increasingly embracing degree apprenticeships as a strategic talent development approach. The trend is particularly strong in manufacturing (30%), engineering and infrastructure (23%), and IT (12%), as businesses seek to develop skilled professionals through hands-on industry experience.

Shantanu Rooj, Founder and CEO of TeamLease EdTech said 74% of hiring intent throws a spotlight on the soaring demand in freshers' hiring. “The key is to develop skills in AI-driven domains, adaptability, and digital competencies to secure meaningful roles in India's dynamic job market. Freshers need to smartly analyse the skills in demand and add them to their portfolio to bridge the gap and drive their ambitions to fruition."