upGrad Enterprise, the corporate skilling arm of Asia’s leading lifelong learning company, has released a landmark report titled “Skilling Smarter: A Strategic Guide to Training Across Generations.”

Drawing insights from over 12,300 professionals across industries, the report reveals a widening gap between employee learning needs and current corporate skilling programs — shaped by generational differences, outdated formats, and low engagement.

Despite a growing consensus that upskilling is critical to business success, 50% of India’s workforce remained untrained in FY24–25, and 75% only engaged in training when mandated. The report finds that nearly 1 in 2 workplaces still lack formal skilling strategies, resulting in uneven access and capability gaps.

Key Insights:

• 1 in 4 organisations have no formal skilling approach: Half of the workforce received no training in FY24–25; only 16% learned quarterly.
• Mandates over motivation: 75% train only when required. Top reasons for drop-off include perceived irrelevance (51%), limited access (43%), and lack of time (42%).
• Mismatch in priorities: Companies focus on technical and industry-specific skills, while employees seek leadership, strategic thinking, and soft skills.
• One workforce, many preferences: Gen X prefers expert-led sessions, Gen Y favors structured flexibility, and Gen Z demands immersive, on-demand learning. Yet 63% of HR leaders don’t customize skilling by generation.
• Design vs learner choice: While 80% of Gen Z are trained under managers, nearly half prefer self-paced or third-party formats.
• Underinvestment, unclear returns: 60% of HR leaders allocate less than 5% of budgets to skilling. Over 61% of CHROs see no measurable ROI.
• Format fatigue among Gen Z: Half associate skilling with static digital modules, but 45% want interactive, real-world learning.

“We’re facing a critical skilling deficit. While companies budget annually, very little training reaches employees meaningfully. The pace of technological change is faster than most organisations can keep up with,” said Srikanth Iyengar, CEO, upGrad Enterprise. “Training needs to adapt to the learner — not the other way around. AI-driven, soft-skill-rich, and personalised learning journeys are no longer optional. Without this shift, skilling becomes a tick-box exercise: ineffective at best, costly at worst.”

He added, “Our strength lies in leveraging deep learner intelligence and workforce data to build adaptive, career-aligned programs that drive real impact — for employees and businesses alike.”

Shirin Rai Gupta, Director – Marketing at upGrad Enterprise, emphasized the importance of action-driven insights:

“With over 12,300 voices represented, Skilling Smarter offers a grounded, data-driven view of India’s skilling crisis. It’s designed not just to inform, but to equip CHROs, L&D heads, and CXOs with actionable frameworks. As a leader in lifelong learning, upGrad is committed to helping organisations personalise learning, align outcomes, and unlock true talent ROI.”

The report serves as a strategic roadmap for India Inc., calling for personalised, outcome-based, and cross-generational skilling solutions to build future-ready workforces.