Synopsis
India’s economy has experienced significant growth due to the establishment of global capability centres (GCCs), which benefit from the country’s skilled workforce, low operational costs, and digitisation. These offshore units, set up by multinational corporations, centralise various business functions and operations to improve productivity, presenting numerous job and career advancement opportunities, especially for early career professionals.
India’s economy has received a significant boost in recent years as global capability centres (GCCs) are opening offices here because of the easy access to a skilled labour pool, low cost of operation, digitisation and other factors.
More global companies are opening these offshore units to perform numerous business functions and operations, and innovations to enhance productivity. As a result, these centres present endless job and growth opportunities for early career professionals. Hence, it would be beneficial for young minds to understand the roles, skills and pay at GCCs if they want a career in this segment.
GCCs: A deep dive into what they are
Before digging deep into the kind of opportunities they hold, let’s understand what GCCs are, how they operate, and how they are transforming the employment landscape.
Operating across multiple geographies, GCCs are established by multinational corporations to centralise certain functions or operations in a location that offers strategic advantages such as access to a skilled workforce, lower costs or favourable regulatory environments, says Gunjandeep Kaur, Director-HR Business Partner, Model N.
Commenting on how they offer growth opportunities, she explains that they tap into local talent pools, providing opportunities for skilled professionals in the region to work for global corporations without having to relocate.
At the moment, GCCs offer unique learning opportunities, exposure to global processes, and chances for rapid career advancement for early career professionals, she adds.
GCCs come armed with fresh ideas and perspectives as well as in-built operating systems with all the necessary functions in place, says Ravi Tangirala, Head of MassMutual India. Elaborating further, he says though these entities are innovation hubs, they function with operational efficiency, maintaining cost arbitrage.
Roles that are high in demand for freshers in GCCs
Talking about GCCs’ appetite for skilled individuals, Kaur says tech positions witnessing significant demand include in AI/ML, data analytics, cybersecurity, full stack & UI/UX, and cloud computing/blockchain. In addition, she says, the talent landscape extends beyond metropolitan cities. Tier-2 cities, too, are progressively becoming crucial hubs of skilled professionals, thus enriching the diversity of talent pools available to GCCs.
Adding to these, Tangirala says, roles in the IT cohort such as engineering, data, devops, cloudops and automation continue to register a demand for talent.
Skills and qualifications GCC employers look for
To taste success in the current technologically advanced atmosphere of GCCs, individuals need to acquire and hone a certain set of skills. When hiring entry-level professionals, Kaur says GCC employers desire a combination of skills, qualifications and attributes. Technical skills, communication skills, problem-solving skills, teamwork and collaboration, along with adaptability and learning agility, are highly sought after for entry-level roles.
Additionally, knowledge of analytics tools, and digital marketing as well as familiarity with emerging technologies such as cybersecurity, AI and cloud computing can help grab exciting job opportunities in the sector. Soft skills like cultural sensitivity are also essential for success in a global environment, she says.
Tangirala also recommends acquiring skills and qualifications around cloud computing, AI, ML, genAI, robotic process automation (RPA), data sciences, analytics and cybersecurity to meet the rising talent demand in GCCs.
Campus hiring trends and pay expectations
Campus hiring for entry-level jobs by GCCs has indeed witnessed a notable increase in recent years due to the growing demand for skilled talent, says Kaur. Top graduates can expect competitive salary packages, with slight variations based on factors such as educational background, skill set and location. Besides the pay that meets industry standards, she says, the compensation package also promises perks such as performance bonuses, stock options, healthcare benefits, and professional development opportunities.
Tangirala says campus hiring across sectors has always been a need that is expected to only amplify. The volume of work, demand for a large number of tech talent and the availability of a large number of engineering institutes every year are the factors that have made it easier to meet the increasing demand and volume.
Coming to the pay range, he says the industry standard pay range for entry-level roles is Rs 5-7 lakh a year.
Growing freelance opportunities in the sector
With more businesses realising the benefits of engaging in contractual and freelance opportunities to manage projects that demand specialised skills, the trend of freelancing is growing across sectors. But have GCCs also joined the freelance bandwagon?
GCCs are also exploring freelance and contractual opportunities to augment their workforce flexibility and access specialised skills, says Kaur. Content creation, graphic design, software and web development, and language translation are the freelance roles that allow GCCs to tap into a global talent pool, leverage niche expertise and scale up their operations efficiently.
“Hiring of contractors and freelancers allows organisations to get the required skills quickly, which otherwise take a long time to develop in-house. Top skills in demand include data science, data modelling, cloud computing, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI)/ machine learning (ML),” adds Tangirala.
This article was originally published on The Economic Times India.
