Microsoft is offering a voluntary retirement buyout to certain US employees who meet a specific age-plus-service threshold. The company says eligibility is based on years worked at Microsoft and current age adding up to 70 or more. Workers who qualify may choose retirement early under the program, reshaping workforce planning and payroll costs.
Rosatom State Corporation, via ETC GET, has partnered with IIT Bombay and ProSIM R&D Pvt Ltd to pilot a nuclear specialist training programme running April 15–17. The course will use simulator and digital twin technologies to build hands-on operational skills, targeting a shortage of trained manpower as India expands nuclear capacity, including long-term projects like Kudankulam.
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As AI accelerates change, IT companies are spending billions on reskilling and retraining programs. Yet a growing segment of workers appears unable to transition fast enough, raising retention and job-loss risks. The challenge is less about funding and more about learning pace, habit inertia, and whether training can meaningfully close skill gaps before roles disappear.
India’s biggest IT services firm TCS cut 23,460 employees in FY26, taking its strength to 584,519. The company says restructuring is complete and it plans aggressive campus hiring, targeting about 40,000 freshers every year. Still, TCS is holding back on clearer FY27 hiring plans as global demand remains uncertain, despite no more layoffs for now.
foundit’s Insights Tracker says employers increasingly favor candidates who can join immediately. With project deadlines shrinking, nearly one in three job ads mention immediate availability, and demand for quick joiners has risen 58% since 2022. But this speed preference outpaces the rate at which candidates become available, widening a growing talent gap.
A new study warns of a widening AI confidence-capability gap among India’s engineering workforce. Many engineers believe they are ready for AI roles, yet few have strong hands-on practical skills. That mismatch is complicating hiring and could stall careers. Women engineers face extra hurdles, including work-life pressures and limited mentoring, prompting firms to favor proven capability over self-assessment.
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Meta Platforms plans to lay off about 8,000 employees—roughly 10% of its workforce—on May 20. The move comes alongside a freeze on 6,000 open positions as the company seeks greater efficiency while funding major artificial intelligence investments. Employees impacted are expected to receive severance packages and support services to ease the transition.
A new survey finds nine in 10 Indian professionals believe AI improves their productivity, alongside growing optimism about career and business growth. While flexibility expectations are evolving, economic pressures are rising: many respondents say higher costs could drive them to take second jobs. Employers face the challenge of maintaining trust and collaboration in a hybrid setup.
India is moving from exporting software services toward AI inference hubs, including offering tax holidays to foreign firms. The shift promises new revenue streams, but it risks shrinking demand for traditional coder roles. Policymakers are urged to redesign workforce plans—creating roles like AI supervisors—to keep India’s young talent from being left behind.
The government has made 150 hours of on-the-job training mandatory for ITI trainees, cutting classroom training time. States and union territories are required to provide accidental insurance, travel, and accommodation. ITI performance evaluation will now include OJT as a grading parameter, shifting skill development toward job readiness with a more structured training framework.
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Infosys chairman Nandan Nilekani says AI adoption risks a backlash if white-collar employees see it as a direct threat. He argues companies and policymakers must urgently highlight AI’s real societal value—raising incomes and improving healthcare—to avoid a “train wreck.” With strong digital infrastructure, India can lead global AI rollout by prioritizing inclusive, accessible use cases.
Meta says it is cutting about 8,000 jobs, roughly 10% of its workforce, to improve efficiency and accelerate spending on AI infrastructure and top-tier AI hires. The company will also leave around 6,000 roles unfilled. At the same time, Microsoft is reportedly preparing voluntary buyouts for thousands of U.S. employees, signaling broader cost-control moves across Big Tech.
AI adoption is reshaping India’s IT hiring patterns. Companies are moderating entry-level hiring while keeping mid and senior roles largely stable, reflecting a shift toward domain knowledge plus AI capability. The report says productivity gains are strong as AI complements technical work, helping firms scale efficiently. However, AI training coverage remains limited, creating uneven readiness across the talent pipeline.
Skill Development Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar cautioned that attempts to restrict moonlighting are likely to backfire. He argued today’s workforce has a fundamentally different mindset and companies should recognize and leverage this shift instead of ignoring it, suggesting that rigid policies could undermine worker aspirations and business outcomes.
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