66% Indian professionals trust degrees over short courses for career growth: Report

Indian Express

21-06-2025

Even in an era dominated by micro-courses, YouTube tutorials, and on-demand certifications, the traditional degree continues to hold strong ground among Indian professionals. According to TeamLease EdTech's latest report on the impact of upskilling on performance appraisals, nearly 66 per cent of respondents 'most definitely' believe that long-term upskilling via degrees and diplomas carries strong career signaling value. Only a small fraction, about 8 per cent, were unsure of its relevance.
Are short courses falling short?
Not necessarily. The report finds that professionals are still heavily engaging with short-term formats for real-time learning needs. In fact, over 50 per cent of respondents said they used online tutorials (like YouTube) or short online certifications lasting 1–3 months.
This preference is especially visible in fields like Sales and Marketing, where over 80 per cent of respondents relied on such formats to build job-relevant skills. However, when it comes to career advancement, role shifts, and long-term growth, traditional programmes still dominate the perception of value.
Are degrees the ultimate career currency?
The survey indicates that formal education is seen not just as a knowledge acquisition tool, but also as a reliable currency in performance discussions and promotion cycles. This is particularly significant in a climate where professionals are increasingly taking charge of their growth journeys.
The report highlights that over 84 per cent of respondents took up some form of upskilling in the past 12 months, with many aiming to future-proof their careers. Among them, those opting for formal, long-duration learning believe it positions them more strongly for advancement.
What drives this trust in traditional degrees?
A key insight lies in career planning behaviours. According to the report, about 61 per cent of professionals said their primary motivation for upskilling was future career planning. Interestingly, those with a long-term outlook were three times more likely to report clarity in their professional growth trajectory, even when promotions didn't follow immediately. This supports the idea that professionals view degrees not as quick wins, but as meaningful investments that enhance long-term career credibility.
Who's paying for these degrees?
Surprisingly, 46 per cent of professionals self-funded their most recent upskilling efforts, with only about 24 per cent receiving full employer sponsorship. This trend reflects not just initiative, but also a strong belief that investing in formal learning pays off, whether or not companies back it financially.
The report also notes that tech and finance professionals were among the highest self-funders, with nearly 78 per cent in these sectors covering their costs.
Short-term for survival, long-term for growth
Given the data, this seems to be the emerging dual trend. While professionals turn to short, just-in-time content to solve immediate challenges, they still pursue long-form programs like diplomas and post-graduate degrees for role enhancements and career pivots.
The TeamLease report notes that over 42 per cent of respondents reported a promotion, role enhancement, or salary hike within 18 months of upskilling, and a large share of them had invested in longer-term learning formats.
The data is based on a nationwide survey conducted by TeamLease EdTech, which took insights from 14,316 professionals across diverse sectors, including Sales, Technology, HR, Finance, and Operations. The study aimed to understand how upskilling influences key career milestones—particularly performance appraisals, promotions, and role enhancements—while also examining the motivations behind learning and who funds it.
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