India is a big market with a vast population and a diverse set of cultures. The Indian freelancing market is booming and has now become one of the largest markets in the world, after the US and UK.
As per a recent survey published by Upwork, India is currently the second-largest market for freelance talent, right after the US. In fact, two out of five startups in India now hire freelancers to get their work done.
Though India’s freelancing market offers great opportunities for start-ups, SMEs, entrepreneurs, and job seekers, there are many issues that need to be addressed. One of them is skill gaps or lack of certain skillsets in freelancers that make it difficult for businesses to find quality talent online.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Identify Crucial Skills: Recognize the key skills lacking in India’s freelancer workforce. |
| 2. Prioritize Skill Development: Focus on training programs to bridge the skill gap effectively. |
| 3. Promote Vocational Education: Emphasize vocational training to build a skilled freelancer workforce. |
| 4. Foster Entrepreneurship: Encourage freelancers to develop entrepreneurial skills and mindset. |
| 5. Embrace Digital Literacy: Enhance digital literacy to thrive in the digital freelancing landscape. |
| 6. Cultivate Soft Skills: Develop essential soft skills, such as communication and teamwork, for success. |
| 7. Facilitate Industry Collaboration: Foster partnerships between industries and freelancers for mutual growth. |
| 8. Offer Upskilling Opportunities: Provide avenues for continuous upskilling and professional growth. |
| 9. Address Freelancer Concerns: Understand and address the concerns of freelancers to retain top talent. |
| 10. Leverage Technology: Harness technology to optimize freelancing processes and improve efficiency. |
| 11. Emphasize Market Research: Conduct market research to identify in-demand skills and trends in freelancing. |
Freelancer’s Skill Gap
According to a recent report published by a US-based education company, India ranks among the top countries with high-quality freelance talent. However, due to a lack of relevant skill sets, Indian freelancers are not able to tap into global opportunities.
Needless to say that these skillsets would also benefit Indian workers who want to work in the domestic marketplace as well.
Here are some of those skillsets that Indian freelancers must acquire in order to address their skill gap problem:
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1. HTML5
HTML5 is an essential skill for any web developer. It has replaced HTML4 and XHTML, which means that if you don’t have this skill, you will never get hired as a freelance web developer. There are a number of online courses for learning this skill set that one can take advantage of. Moreover, having this skill will allow you to write better code, leading to better payouts for your work!
2. CSS3
While it may not seem like a groundbreaking technology, CSS3 is still one of the most valuable web development languages for any freelancer’s toolkit. According to a recent survey from Stack Overflow, CSS ranks as one of the most popular coding languages among developers worldwide.
3. JavaScript
JavaScript is a great thing for developers to have on their resumes because it’s so widely used by tech companies all over the world. It’s also just a great language for web development, so adding it to your repertoire can only be an asset—it will let you build faster and better websites and apps.
You can start learning JavaScript with The Modern JavaScript Bootcamp from Udemy or The Complete JavaScript Course: Build a Real-World Project from Udemy if you’re ready to jump right in!
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4. jQuery
What is jQuery?
jQuery is a JavaScript library that makes it easier to create dynamic pages and websites.
How can jQuery help me?
jQuery is used by some of the most visited websites in the world, including Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Netflix, and more. In fact, according to BuiltWith, over half of all web traffic in the world uses jQuery one way or another!
JQuery is easy for beginners to learn—especially when compared with other frameworks—but it’s also powerful enough for more advanced developers to rely on for their projects. If you want to be able to work in any company that does website design and code, you need to know how to use jQuery.
5. PHP
According to Upwork, PHP is one of the top skills companies are looking for when hiring freelance workers. It’s a programming language used to create dynamic web applications, and it’s also one of the more accessible programming languages for new programmers—all you have to do is download it for free and start coding!
The best part about PHP? It’s everywhere. WordPress (the word processing program many bloggers use) and Facebook were both written in PHP. You can even learn PHP online by taking Udemy courses or watching YouTube tutorials!
6. MySQL
MySQL is the most popular open-source database. It’s used by giants like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube—so if you know MySQL, you’re in good company. And because it’s open-source, there are a lot of tools and tutorials available to help you learn.
The best way to learn MySQL is to use it as often as possible. You can get some practice by building simple websites and using MySQL to store data for them. If you do this enough times, you’ll develop a solid foundation for using MySQL more effectively.
As you build up your skills in MySQL, take a look at some of the job descriptions for roles that interest you and see if they require any additional skills. For example, if you looked at junior developer roles and saw they frequently require knowledge of Java or Python, you could learn those languages next to increase your chances of getting hired!
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7. WordPress
You may have heard of this one before. WordPress is an open-source content management system that you can use to create a website. It has more than 60 million users, and it’s the most popular blogging platform in the world.
It’s also an incredibly powerful tool for creating a website, especially if you don’t have a lot of coding experience. You can customize your site with themes and plugins, which can help you make your site look professional and run smoothly.
8. iOS Development
While Android dominates the Indian mobile market, Apple has been making significant inroads in recent years, with an emphasis on education and enterprise users. To meet the demand, there is going to need to be a lot more iOS developers in India—and not just those who know Objective-C or Swift; Android and iOS development are very different skill sets that require different tools and approaches.
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9. Android App Development
Android App Development is a must-have skill for any freelancer who wants to be successful. If you’re not developing for Android, then you need to learn how to develop for it. Here are some resources that will help you:
The Android developer portal has everything you need to know about how to get started with Android app development. There’s even an online course that teaches you how to build your first app!
The Udacity Android NanoDegree program will teach you all the skills needed to become an Android developer, including how to build your own app from scratch. It’s free!
The Udacity Android Developer Nanodegree is free, but if you want more advanced training than what’s offered for free you can purchase the course.
10. Python
Indian freelancers who want to break into the global workforce need to focus on building their Python skills. This language is becoming one of the most in-demand in the world, and it’s only increasing in popularity.
But even though Python skills are so valuable, there’s a shortage of Indian coders who know how to use them. That makes Python an ideal skill for freelancers looking to get ahead.
Why Is Python So Valuable?
Python isn’t just a popular programming language: it’s also one of the best-paying ones out there. Python programmers can earn anywhere from $100,000–$200,000 per year if they work for a large company or even more than that if they work as consultants or independent contractors. In fact, some consultancies pay their top-performing coders up to $300,000 annually!
11. English Language
The language barrier is one of the biggest obstacles to India’s development. If the country is going to become a global economic power, it needs to close its skill gaps—and that means improving English language education.
Education researchers have found that Indians who speak English fluently are not only more likely to get better jobs, but also do better in their current ones. As of 2017, only about 27 percent of students in India spoke fluent English—a number which has increased from about 24 percent in 2010—but it’s still significantly lower than nearby countries like Sri Lanka.
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Final Thoughts
In order to close the skill gap, we need to better understand why it exists in the first place and how to fix it. A more structured and rigorous apprenticeship program—one where freelancers can be trained and tested by experts—offers one way to do so.
Employers can take advantage of such an apprenticeship program to drive up their employees’ skillsets as well. At the same time, local governments can step in to encourage or organize an apprenticeship program in their own city, bridging the skills gap with a sustainable workforce for tomorrow.
urther Reading
India Inc. Makes a Gig Shift in Hiring Short Description: Explore how Indian companies are adopting gig economy practices in their hiring strategies to meet evolving workforce demands. Source: Read more
The Skilling Imperative in India Short Description: Delve into the importance of skill development in India’s labor market and the challenges and opportunities it presents. Source: Read more
Your Talent Strategy for Closing Skills Gaps Short Description: Learn about effective talent strategies to bridge skills gaps within organizations and drive future success. Source: Read more
Indian Freelancer Skill Gap FAQs
What Makes Freelancing Skill Gap Problem in India?
India has abundant talent and skill, but it is still lagging behind in freelancing. The primary reason for this is the skill gap that exists between what employees want and what employees have.
Let’s take an example of a firm that offers web designing services. They want expert web designers who can build a website and maintain it. But most of the individuals applying for such jobs lack the required expertise.
How Can India Tackle Skill Gap Problem?
The Skill Gap Problem in India has been acknowledged but not much has been done about it. The problem can be solved by creating more vocational training institutes and encouraging more students to take up vocation courses.
Why does India need to close this skill gap?
For India’s economy to continue to grow, it needs to provide its freelancers with the skills that businesses need.
Who Is Affected By The Skill Gap?
Businesses are affected because they have difficulty finding the right freelancers for their projects; freelancers are affected because they miss out on job opportunities
How Do Businesses Respond To A Skill Gap?
Businesses respond to a skill gap by training existing employees in necessary skills or hiring new employees who already have them. They may also turn more often to online platforms like Upwork that help find freelancers with the needed expertise.
What Is The Freelancer Skill Gap?
The freelancer skill gap is the difference between the skills that freelancers have, and the skills they need to be successful.
Why Does India Have Such A Big Skill Gap Problem?
The most likely cause for this problem is a lack of training and education in the skill set areas that employers need. Another factor is the lack of women participating in the workforce—women make up only 5% of freelancers in India.
Is Freelancing The Future Of Employment In India?
We think so.
Freelancing has become a viable and lucrative career path, especially in India. With the rise of an educated middle class and the increased availability of internet access to the country’s entire population, more and more Indians are taking advantage of the opportunity to make their own schedules, work from home, and earn an income that rivals what some of their peers make at full-time jobs.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.