Blue and grey-collar job vacancies saw 4X jump in 2022: Report

The number of job vacancies in the blue and grey-collar industry increased 301% from 26,26,637 in 2021 to 1,05,42,820 in 2022 due to digitisation, automation, and changing work models, according to a report from Billion Careers.

Companies are focussing on skill-based mass hiring to boost productivity and efficiency.

Metro cities like Delhi (11.57%) and Bengaluru (11.55%) showed the most demand for blue and grey collar jobs, the report said, while cities like Mumbai (10.21%), Hyderabad (7.78%), and Pune (5.8%) also saw encouraging hiring trends.

"The job market trends of 2022, ranging from great resignation to the emergence of gigs, have shown that every segment will be more focused on hiring, including blue and grey-collar workers," said Ajay Kumar Singh, SVP and Chief Business Officer of Billion Careers (a Quess subsidiary), a digital job platform for blue and grey collar job seekers.

"Organisations today also prefer hiring employees with tech-related skills, as digitisation has penetrated across India. Recruiters will optimise hiring processes through technology and address the demand-supply talent gap, focusing on employee engagement and retention,” he added.

ALSO READ

Microsoft forms partnership with MeitY body for cybersecurity jobs skilling

The job profiles such as BPO/Customer Care (up 21%), field sales (up 7%), business development roles (up 19%), admin and human resources (up 31%), and security guard (up 110%), have seen positive hiring patterns, compared to 2021. However, the report highlighted that there was a slight decline in demand for job roles in data entry and back office (down 18%), counter sales and retail (down 7%), and delivery and driving (down 25%).

The data further revealed that around 60% of blue and grey-collar hires were freshers with 0-3 years of work experience with expertise in analytical and digital skills, such as machine learning, robotics, 3D printing, and artificial intelligence.

Legal, IT, healthcare, telecom, and customer care job profiles provide the highest wages, with the average salary for fresh hires ranging from Rs 8,000 to Rs 25,000 per month.