EPC sector emerges as a major job engine, poised for 25 mn roles by 2030
- IBEF
- December 9, 2025
India’s Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) sector is witnessing strong momentum, emerging as one of the country’s most powerful employment generators. According to CIEL HR’s ‘EPC Sector Talent Study 2025’, the sector has recorded a 51% surge in hiring demand since 2020, reflecting India’s rapid infrastructure transformation. Currently, more than 85 million people are employed across the organised and unorganised EPC ecosystem, with top firms engaging 7–8 million professionals. The report highlights that as large-scale infrastructure development accelerates across regions, the EPC sector is expected to create over 25 million additional jobs by 2030. CIEL HR Managing Director and CEO Aditya Narayan Mishra noted that the sector will continue absorbing a major share of the workforce as millions enter India’s labour pool every year. The study’s findings are based on data from 2,27,000 job postings between July 2024 and August 2025.
Importantly, the report emphasises that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will not replace EPC jobs but will enhance efficiency across project planning, engineering workflows, site operations, and supply chain management. India’s balanced development model, focused on both rural and urban regions, is expected to further raise manpower demand, supported by deeper private-sector participation and the government’s Viksit Bharat vision. Over the last four quarters, the industry required 2,27,000 professionals, with Tier I cities accounting for 80% of hiring demand, led by Mumbai (23%) and Delhi (22%). Tier II and III cities, including Lucknow, Jaipur, Coimbatore, and Visakhapatnam, are emerging as key hubs for construction management, field operations, and site engineering roles. Hiring demand is highest in Roads and Highways (26%), followed by Power Transmission & Distribution (15%) and Renewables (14%). Despite strong growth, the EPC sector continues to face a widening talent shortage, particularly for experienced engineers with over six years of expertise.
Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.
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