India's infrastructure boom hits a talent wall

India's built environment sector, critical to Viksit Bharat 2047 goals, is facing a severe talent crunch. RICS South Asia MD Ashwani Awasthi highlights that while India produces many graduates, they lack industry-readiness for complex projects. Shortages are acute in specialist roles like quantity surveyors, BIM professionals, and sustainability experts, as well as experienced project leaders. The gap is widening as digitalisation, AI, and ESG requirements transform job roles, demanding T-shaped professionals who combine domain expertise with data and commercial skills. Key signal: NITI Aayog estimates 86% of India's building floor space is yet to be built, with commercial space to grow 4-7x by 2070. For hiring leaders, this matters because for CHROs and TA leaders, this signals a broader trend: infrastructure and real estate companies will compete fiercely for a limited pool of skilled professionals, driving up salaries and forcing innovative hiring strategies. The emphasis on industry-readiness and practical skills over degrees suggests a shift towards skills-based hiring and partnerships with educational institutions. GCCs and IT services firms may also see spillover demand for digital and AI skills in construction tech, creating new talent opportunities. Teksands view: The built environment is the next battleground for tech talent. As infrastructure projects digitise, the demand for BIM, data analytics, and AI skills will skyrocket, pulling from the same tech pool that GCCs and IT services rely on. Smart hiring leaders will start building pipelines now, focusing on upskilling and industry-academia partnerships, rather than waiting for the crunch to hit.