A major surge in infrastructure development is set to make India's Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) sector a colossal job engine, poised to generate more than 25 million jobs by 2030, according to a new talent study. This growth is underpinned by a massive 51% increase in hiring demand since 2020, highlighting the sector's pivotal role in the nation's economic fabric.
Hiring Boom and Geographic Hotspots
The 'EPC Sector Talent Study, 2025' by HR solutions firm CIEL HR provides a detailed snapshot of this booming market. The study, based on an analysis of 2,27,000 job postings between July 2024 and August 2025, notes that the sector currently employs over 85 million people across organized and unorganized segments. Of these, around 7-8 million are professionals working with top EPC firms.
Aditya Narayan Mishra, Managing Director and CEO of CIEL HR, emphasized the sustained momentum. "As infrastructure development across the country expands, the rise in hiring will continue," he told PTI. "As millions enter the labour pool each year, the sector will continue to absorb a significant share of India's workforce."
The hiring demand is heavily concentrated in tier I cities, which account for 80% of all requirements. Mumbai leads with a 23% share, closely followed by Delhi at 22%, reflecting their status as hubs for planning and managing large-scale projects. However, tier II and III cities are emerging as crucial execution centers, contributing the remaining 20% of demand.
Cities like Lucknow, Jaipur, Coimbatore, and Visakhapatnam are fast becoming essential hubs for site engineering, construction management, and field operations, driven by major government and private projects spreading across the country.
Sectoral Demand and the AI Advantage
The study breaks down hiring demand by infrastructure verticals. The Roads and Highways sector commands the largest share at 26%, underscoring the continued focus on connectivity. It is followed by Power Transmission and Distribution (15%) and the rapidly growing Renewables sector (14%).
In a significant finding, the report clarifies that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not a threat to jobs in the EPC space. Instead, it is seen as a force multiplier that will amplify the sector's growth. AI is expected to enhance efficiency on project sites, strengthen planning and engineering workflows, and improve supply chain management without reducing the overall demand for manpower.
"India's development model is now focused on balancing growth between rural and urban regions. As rural infrastructure expands, the need for manpower will only rise," Mishra explained, linking the job growth to the broader 'Viksit Bharat' vision which will require a substantially larger workforce.
The Looming Talent Shortage Challenge
Despite the optimistic outlook, the sector faces a critical challenge: a widening talent shortage. The study reveals that a majority of job postings are for experienced engineers, with 60% of all requirements targeting professionals with over six years of experience. However, the supply in these categories remains limited.
This shortage has created significant gaps in specialized roles critical for modern infrastructure projects. The report specifically highlights high demand and low supply for:
- Commissioning Engineers
- Protection Engineers
- BMS (Building Management System) Specialists
- Road Safety Engineers
These shortages are most acute in the fastest-growing clusters, including roads and highways, metro rail systems, and renewable energy projects. The talent crunch poses a potential risk to the pace and quality of project execution if not addressed through focused skilling and recruitment initiatives.
The EPC sector's trajectory positions it as one of the most powerful pillars of India's job market for the next decade, directly contributing to the nation's infrastructure ambitions while navigating the dual realities of technological integration and a competitive talent landscape.
