Technology jobs are fastest growing for Indian professionals: LinkedIn

Machine learning engineers and application development analysts were among the fastest-growing job roles in India between 2013 and 2017, reflecting the country's rapidly expanding demand for technology talent, according to LinkedIn.

The professional networking platform's “Top 10 Emerging Jobs in India” report found that the demand for machine learning engineers grew 43 times during the five-year period, while application development analyst roles recorded a 32-fold increase.

Technology-related positions dominated the list, but LinkedIn noted that the demand was no longer confined to traditional technology companies. Businesses across sectors such as pharmaceuticals, banking and retail were increasingly looking for professionals with advanced technical skills.

“India's indigenous tech talent has taken several global tech giants to success, hence it is no surprise that India's top 5 emerging jobs orbit around technology and core technical skills across sectors,” Feon Ang, Vice President, Asia Pacific, LinkedIn Talent and Learning Solutions, said in a statement.

The findings underline the growing importance of areas such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and software development as businesses increasingly adopt digital technologies. For job seekers, this shift suggests that technical expertise could open opportunities well beyond the conventional IT industry.

However, LinkedIn's report also highlighted the growing importance of soft skills in technology-driven workplaces. Customer Success Manager (CSM) ranked sixth among India's emerging jobs and was identified as an important role across both technology and non-technology companies.

Customer success professionals are responsible for helping customers adopt products and services, addressing their needs and building long-term relationships. As a result, communication, relationship-building and customer management skills are becoming increasingly valuable alongside technical knowledge.

“It is interesting to observe that soft skills such as relationship building and customer management are equally relevant for jobs of tomorrow,” Ang said, pointing to the growing importance of customer success roles across the Asia-Pacific region.

LinkedIn said its Emerging Jobs in India report identified positions that recorded the largest increases in frequency over the five years from 2013 to 2017. The findings provide an indication of how India's employment landscape was being reshaped by technological change and the increasing digitisation of businesses.

India was LinkedIn's fastest-growing and largest market outside the US at the time, with more than 50 million members in the country, while the platform had more than 562 million members worldwide.