edForce betting on AI & immersive learning to close India’s skills gap: CEO

India’s $250‑billion IT sector, employing over 5.4 million people and contributing close to 8% of GDP, is facing a widening skills gap even as demand for digital talent intensifies. A Nasscom report estimates nearly half the workforce will need reskilling in emerging areas such as AI, cloud and cybersecurity by 2027. In response, enterprises are rethinking learning and development (L&D), shifting budgets once seen as costs into strategic investments tied to measurable business outcomes.

Bengaluru‑based edForce, an enterprise learning solutions provider, is among those capitalising on this shift. Ravi Kaklasaria, co‑founder and CEO, edForce, said the sector is moving away from compliance‑driven training to continuous, adaptive upskilling embedded into work processes. “True effectiveness will come when learning becomes part of workflows, not an add‑on,” he told TechCircle.

Training spends reflect this change. Globally, corporate L&D investment topped $400 billion in 2024, according to Deloitte, with India’s share expanding rapidly. Budgets are increasingly directed at AI‑driven platforms that personalise learning, immersive labs that simulate real‑world conditions, and scalable delivery models for distributed workforces. Leadership and soft skills training are also on the rise, with companies recognising that adaptability and collaboration are as critical as technical depth. As Kaklasaria noted: Return on investment is now a key yardstick, with success measured in productivity gains, reduced project ramp‑up time, lower attrition and improved billability.

Yet challenges remain. Content often becomes outdated before delivery, scale remains difficult, and engagement is patchy. A recent LinkedIn survey found that over 60% of Indian professionals cite lack of time as a barrier to learning, while only about a third feel current programs are relevant to their roles. Mid‑career professionals are especially resistant to new formats.

Enterprises are countering these hurdles with AI‑powered adaptive platforms, gamification, mentorship and role‑based learning paths that connect training directly to everyday work. Kaklasaria says innovation in L&D is now about practical, scalable solutions with measurable impact rather than novelty.

According to Kaklasaria, edForce’s differentiator is end‑to‑end ownership of the learning lifecycle, from training need analysis to immersive delivery via its CloudLabs platform, followed by assessments and certification. “We translate learning into measurable capability building and business outcomes, not just course completion,” he said. CloudLabs offers sandboxed environments for hands‑on practice, while AI algorithms personalise learning journeys and data analytics track progress.

The company’s hire‑train‑deploy model ensures talent is job‑ready before deployment, helping clients reduce costs and ramp‑up times. With demand rising for skills in AI, cloud, cybersecurity and generative technologies, edForce is investing in domain‑specific programs and partnerships to broaden its reach.

Over the next 12 months, the firm plans to scale immersive platforms, deepen enterprise collaborations and expand into non‑IT verticals such as banking, healthcare and manufacturing. Operational scalability and data‑driven learning insights will remain core to its strategy.

According to McKinsey, firms embedding continuous learning into workflows are 30% more likely to lead in their sectors. In India, where IT attrition remains at 15–20%, structured, outcome‑linked upskilling is increasingly seen as a retention tool. For edForce, this is a market opportunity. “Upskilling has to deliver measurable ROI — reducing attrition, cutting project ramp‑up times or improving customer delivery. Our mission is to ensure organisations aren’t just catching up with change but staying ahead of it,” Kaklasaria said.