Nearly 70 pc of new green jobs need tech skills; huge vacancy for skilled professionals

A report highlights rising demand for digitally skilled workers in India’s green sector, driven by AI and sustainability. While millions of jobs are expected, a growing talent gap and shortage of specialised professionals remain key challenges for the industry

New Delhi: A convergence of artificial intelligence and sustainability created urgent demand for digitally skilled workers in green jobs in India, with nearly 70 per cent of new green roles requiring tech skills, a report said on Wednesday.

The report from technology and digital talent solutions provider NLB Services said the green sector was already estimated to generate 7.29 million jobs by FY28, with 1.2–1.5 million incremental jobs expected in FY27 alone.

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The report added that demand for green talent is expanding at an estimated 15–20 per cent annually while the talent pipeline is growing at only 6–8 per cent, creating a huge vacancy due to a shortfall of 1.5–2 million skilled professionals.

“Globally, this shift is even more pronounced, with the energy sector poised to become one of the largest employment generators, and renewable energy expected to account for a significant share of that workforce,” the report noted.

Even within the projected growth trajectory, nearly 20–25 per cent of roles remain hard to fill, particularly in specialised areas such as battery analytics, hydrogen engineering, and ESG data science, it said.

The automation phases out repetitive, low-skill roles, and accelerates the creation of high-value roles through hyper-personalised skilling, AI-led simulations, and predictive workforce planning.

Roles such as renewable energy engineers, EV & powertrain engineers, battery lifecycle & recycling specialists, ESG analysts, sustainability data analysts, and hydrogen engineers have seen significant demand across both metro and emerging cities.

Emerging roles such as AI or ML engineers for energy optimisation, sustainability data specialists, and carbon analytics professionals are expected to see demand surge significantly over the next few years, the report noted.

Aligning with market demand, average compensation is also likely to increase 12-15 per cent for entry-level roles. Mid and senior level roles will see 18–22 per cent and 25–30 per cent hike in 2026, further reinforcing the emergence of a “green premium” in the talent market.