Government initiatives like ‘Make in India’ and the PLI scheme are driving strong hiring in India’s manufacturing sector. Industries such as automotive, electronics, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals are expanding, creating demand for both blue- and white-collar roles. Companies are focusing on technology and sustainability, leading to new job opportunities. Programs like ‘Make in India’ that completed a decade this week and the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, as well as the budget initiatives to boost employment, will continue to drive robust hiring in the manufacturing sector, particularly for blue- and grey-collar roles, recruitment firms and companies said. Hiring is happening across industries including automotive (electric vehicles in particular), electronics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and industrial machinery, said recruiters. “For the manufacturing sector, there is considerable growth potential in jobs driven by various Government initiatives focused on boosting employment and skilling, with a particular emphasis on incentives for job creation in manufacturing,” said Subburathinam P, Chief Strategy Officer at TeamLease Services. “Depending on the pace and success of implementation of all the initiatives, there is anticipation of adding 10-15 lakh jobs in FY25,” he added. Earlier this week, union commerce and industry minister, Piyush Goyal said Make in India has paved the way for the country to emerge as a global manufacturing hub. Wednesday was the 10th anniversary of ‘Make in India’, conceived to reduce import dependency and create jobs.
Around 75% of the respondents to Ishwa Consulting’s recent manufacturing sector talent outlook survey said their company plans to increase hiring in the next six to twelve months. Most of the manufacturing companies are hiring due to their growth and expansion plans. Increase in production demand, expansion of facilities and introduction of new products are the key drivers. Yashwant Mahadik, president, global-HR at pharma major Lupin, which runs 21 factories across seven locations in India, said both domestic and international demand has picked up and existing plants are expanding and running at higher capacities. “We will see a roughly 10% increase in roles at the bottom and the middle of the pyramid including technicians, machine operators, packaging supervision quality management, lab technicians, sales, etc.,” he said. Godrej & Boyce, part of the Godrej Enterprises Group, said it is optimistic about the future of manufacturing in India and is aligning its hiring strategy to match the growing demands of the industry. “In FY25, we are looking to expand our workforce by bringing in approximately 15-20% new employees across both white-collar and blue-collar roles,” said chief HR officer Harpreet Kaur. India’s manufacturing sector is experiencing significant momentum as the country positions itself as a global hub for production. This, coupled with increasing investments in technology and innovation, is creating demand for highly skilled professionals, said Kaur. “At the same time, the need for skilled blue-collar workers is equally strong, as we continue to scale our operations,” she added. Interestingly, tech jobs make up 31% of all manufacturing jobs in India as per the Ishwa analysis, as digitisation transforms the industry through the adoption of smart manufacturing, internet of things and artificial intelligence, creating a demand for tech-savvy professionals. Sustainability is also becoming a priority, with companies investing in green technologies and sustainable practices, leading to new job roles focused on environmental compliance and resource efficiency. “With increasing automation and technological advancements, the sector is expected to create a mix of traditional and high-skilled engineering and technology jobs,” Ishwa Consulting managing partner Arvind Pandit said. According to TeamLease’s Subburathinam, key roles in demand in blue-collar roles include skilled technicians, assembly line workers, logistics personnel, welders and fabricators and CNC and machine operators. White-collar roles include production supervisor, quality control inspectors, supply chain managers and industrial engineers.
