For many years, young people from small towns in India often had to move to big cities to find better career opportunities. Cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune offered more jobs in areas such as technology, finance, retail and other growing sectors.
But moving to a big city is not easy for everyone.
Living away from home means paying rent and other expenses, adjusting to a new place and staying away from family. For young women and first-generation learners, there may be other challenges as well.
Today, this is slowly changing.
More opportunities are coming closer to home
Companies are increasingly looking beyond India’s biggest cities for skilled people. Smaller cities are seeing growth in technology, digital services and other businesses.
Global Capability Centres, or GCCs, are one example. These are offices set up by large companies to provide services such as technology, finance and business support.
According to the Economic Survey 2023–24, around 22% of new GCC centres set up in the first half of 2023 were in Tier-II cities. Cities such as Mysuru, Mangaluru and Hubballi are also growing as technology hubs.
This means that young people may find more career opportunities closer to where they live.
Technology is also making it easier for people to learn and work from different locations. Skills such as digital literacy, communication, AI awareness and the ability to use technology at work are becoming increasingly important.
Jobs alone are not enough
Having a job opportunity nearby does not always mean that a young person is ready to apply for it.
Many young people may need help learning how to use digital tools, prepare for interviews, communicate at the workplace or understand what employers expect from them.
Some may not know which jobs are available or which skills they need to build.
This is where skilling can make a difference.
Helping young people prepare for opportunities
NIIT Foundation works with communities to help learners build skills that can support their journey towards employment and better livelihood opportunities.
Through its Skill Development Centers and community-based programs, NIIT Foundation provides learning opportunities in areas such as digital literacy, IT, retail, financial literacy and employability skills.
Reaching learners is equally important.
For young people living far from a training center, travelling regularly to learn may be difficult. NIIT Foundation’s Digital Bus takes technology-enabled learning directly to communities. This helps more learners access digital skills and employability training closer to where they live.
The aim is simple: when an opportunity becomes available, young people should have the skills and confidence to explore it.
Building a career should not always mean leaving home
The growth of jobs in smaller cities can give young people more choices.
Some may still choose to move to a larger city for education or work. Others may want to build their careers closer to their families and communities. Both should be possible.
Talent exists everywhere — in cities, towns, districts and villages.
As career opportunities spread to more parts of India, skills and learning opportunities must reach these places too.
Because where a young person comes from should not decide how far they can go.
