Only 47% students determined to land jobs in their dream companies: Survey

95 percent of students are prioritising upskilling as a key focus for their educational development.

Not more than 47 percent of students in undergraduate and postgraduate levels are determined to pursue their jobs in their dream companies, shows a study. Around 28 percent are willing to compromise on initial opportunities and look out for roles in dream companies later on, while the remaining 25 percent are ready to grab whatever comes their way.

The Unstop Winter Student Sentiment Survey shows that 61 percent of students feel that technology has narrowed their career options. Some 63 percent believe that artificial intelligence (AI) will play a crucial role in coding jobs, and 42 percent foresee its impact on copywriting roles.

The trends highlight the urgency for students to adapt and acquire skills aligned to the evolving demands of the job market. Nevertheless, 95 percent of students are prioritising upskilling as a key focus for their educational development.

Unstop, a hiring platform, surveyed 1,000 students between October and December 2023.

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"Half of the surveyed students actively seek internships on online platforms like Unstop and LinkedIn, demonstrating a proactive approach to skill development and experience accumulation,” said Ankit Aggarwal, founder and chief executive of Unstop.

Moneycontrol had earlier reported that macroeconomic shifts are denting the prospects of students waiting to enter the information technology (IT) industry through placements. Various private institutes and staffing firms are seeing minute jumps (a reduction) in IT placement for graduates, with some recruiters skipping this year’s placement rounds altogether.

Similarly, India’s privately run business schools and the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) have kept the compensation packages at a similar level as last year’s placement season even amid a global economic slowdown, but there is a dip in the number of recruiters.

Also read | IIMs struggle over summer placements, only 20% succeeds in 2 months, stipends down

Only 20 percent of 21 IIMs could complete the summer placements so far, while 80 percent are continuing placements in a rolling process. The institutes are assuring students all support to get placed, said the report.