72% of Indian professionals seek loans for upskilling

A new report reveals that 72 percent of Indian working professionals are open to taking loans to improve their skills through online education platforms. This study was conducted by the fintech company Fibe. The report shows a notable trend among professionals looking to upskill or cross-skill. About 47 percent want to enhance their skills in their current job, while 25 percent are interested in areas unrelated to their current work. Additionally, 73 percent of respondents prefer online courses. Technical and marketing courses are especially popular. Data science, digital marketing, and investment banking rank as top choices among those looking to learn. Despite this interest, many professionals face obstacles. The main challenges include lack of time, cited by 30 percent, and budget constraints, noted by 69 percent. Fibe's CEO, Akshay Mehrotra, commented on the changing mindset of workers. He emphasized the desire for better career opportunities creates a significant opening for educational technology and finance companies to offer more affordable options. Specific interests also vary by profession. For instance, 52 percent of tech workers are eager to learn about AI and data science. In contrast, 40 percent of HR professionals want to focus on soft skills, while the same percentage of sales and marketing experts is interested in digital marketing. About 30 percent of finance professionals are looking into investment banking.