PwC India to hire 4,000 people in FY18

New Delhi: Global consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) will hire 4,000 people across business verticals in financial year 2017-2018 in India, the company told Mint.

Digital, management consulting - healthcare and pharma, retail, cyber security, financial services technology and forensic services will be the key growth areas for PwC in the current financial year. Emerging technology—internet of things, apptech, robotic process automation will be among the other focus areas, said Jagjit Singh, chief people officer, PwC India, in an exclusive interaction with Mint.

“Hiring for relevant skills in government reforms and infrastructure development, urban planning, goods and services tax, risk assurance shall be key,” Singh said, adding that a large part of the hiring shall be focussed at acquiring execution skills with the right attitude and values.

Candidates with knowledge in areas of data analytics and cyber security verticals will be high on demand at the global consulting firm’s India office.

Responding to the availability of talent with expertise in niche skills like data analytics and cyber security, Singh said that very few educational institutes have specialised courses on data analytics and cyber security.

The company confirmed that it is already working with universities and institutes to train students in acquiring such niche skill sets.

“We shall continue to invest in and grow our internal talent pool to take on larger roles within India and nearby geographies. We are also looking to attract and evaluate Indian diaspora based out of Europe, South Asia and the US for regular as well as marquee skills,” Singh said.

Talking on how demand for skill sets has changed over the years, Singh said, “In addition to traditional skill sets, they need to have good problem-solving capabilities, creative skills and high emotional intelligence.”

When hiring for leadership roles, the candidates’ experience and ability to deal with volatility, uncertainty, change and ambiguity, in addition to the added responsibility of demonstrating apt leadership behaviours as a role model become important points of consideration, said Singh.

“As per the 2025 PwC India forecast, about 30-35% of our workforce shall be part of the gig economy. We will continue to evolve newer ways of attracting, developing and retaining contingent talent which includes flexible contracting models, assignment-based contracts and part-time working engagements,” Singh added.