Priming themselves to be leaders in rapidly evolving tech-driven industries, women focus on spending more than men to upskill themselves.
Tech advancements are propelling rapid evolution in the job market. Emeritus recently released its Global Workplace Skills Study 2023, which reveals a striking trend, i.e., 87% of female professionals actively seek upskilling opportunities in technology-based programmes.
The trend is based on a study across 20 Indian tier-I and II cities conducted by Emeritus, a global leader in world-class professional education, highlighting the proactive efforts of women in leveraging educational opportunities to navigate the challenges posed by the changing employment landscape – driven by tech disruptions. The study also highlights the growing interest among women to upskill in technology, which is almost on par with men at 88%.
Key revelations from the study:
- Women at the C-Suite level were willing to spend more out of pocket than men on their further education.
- Female CXOs were willing to spend, on average, USD 10,000 (roughly INR 8.45 lakh) on further education within the next year, nearly USD 1500 (approximately INR 1.25 lakh) more than male CXOs.
- The data indicates a distinctive trend where women are priming themselves to be frontrunners in the rapidly evolving tech-driven industries.
The study surveyed 1,720 Indians aged between 21 and 65 across 20 tier-I and II cities in India. The average age of the respondents was 39, and the average work experience was 12 years.
As observed from the study, the primary motivations for upskilling among women and men across seniority levels were boosting self-confidence, developing leadership skills, job security, and staying abreast of the latest knowledge in the field.
Commenting on the findings from the Emeritus Global Workplace Skills Study 2023, Mohan Kannegal, CEO of India and APAC, Emeritus, said, “These gender-based insights from the Emeritus Global Workplace Skills Study 2023 underscore the remarkable enthusiasm of female professionals in embracing upskilling opportunities. Women are keen to position themselves as leaders in the tech-driven job market. The data reflects a strategic approach, with women at various seniority levels dedicating significant time and resources to stay ahead in dynamic industries. We at Emeritus are glad to be a part of the upskilling revolution in the country. By partnering with leading educational institutions worldwide, we can bring world-class education to India’s cities and towns.”
The Emeritus Global Workplace Skills Study 2023 also revealed that while the male workforce increasingly prefers shorter programmes (the majority willing to spend up to 2-3 months on a programme), female professionals across seniority levels are willing to dedicate 4-6 months for upskilling.
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), women comprise only about 26% of AI job roles worldwide. As per Skillsoft’s 2022 Women in Tech report, 60% of the women surveyed say that men outnumber them in their organisation for leadership roles at ratios of 2-to-1 or greater. This disparity and the gap can be diminished only through the upskilling of women in the tech sector.
Female participants across various seniority levels, including junior management (34%), middle management (27%), senior management (21%), and owners (38%), expressed the highest willingness to invest in the US$100-US$399 (roughly INR 8,000 to 34,000) price range for upskilling in a year. On the other hand, those at the C-Suite level (32%) demonstrated a slightly greater inclination to spend on higher-cost upskilling programmes, between US$ 10,000 and US$50,000.
About Emeritus
Emeritus Executive Education offers customised and open programmes in India, Singapore, Dubai and other global locations in collaboration with leading premium global Institutes. Their world-class executive education programmes, supported by eminent programme experts, provide an immersive learning experience integrated with actionable insights and practical business applications. The programmes are delivered in a range of formats, including in-class, online, and hybrid formats. The company is backed by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Leeds Illuminate, Prosus Ventures, Sequoia Capital India, Bertelsmann, Accel and SoftBank Vision Fund 2.
