Neel AcharyJan 12: TeamLease Degree Apprenticeship, in collaboration with the GAN Global (a global multi‑sector apprenticeship alliance) and the India Employer Forum, has released its latest report, Her Path, Her Power: Revolutionizing Women’s Careers Through Apprenticeship. The report shows that women apprentices have increased from 124,000 in 2021–22 to 196,914 in 2023–24. This steady growth highlights how structured apprenticeship programmes are bridging gender gaps, expanding access to skills, and driving inclusive workforce participation across India.
Women currently contribute only 18% to India’s GDP, despite their critical role in the economy, and a significant portion remains outside the formal workforce, with 60% of working-age women not participating. The Female Labour Force Participation Rate stands at 29% for ages 15-29, 45% for ages 15-59, and 31.7% overall, among the lowest globally. Projections indicate that India’s female workforce may reach 255 million by 2047, achieving 45% participation, yet leaving 145 million women absent from the workforce needed to meet national growth ambitions. This gap is reflected in sectoral numbers: in 2021, 1.38 million women were employable against a demand of 3.35 million, leaving a gap of 1.97 million. By 2027, employable women are expected to reach 2.01 million, still below the 3.82 million required, leaving a persistent deficit of 1.81 million.
The gap is especially stark in rural areas, where 70% of women are expected to remain outside the labour force by 2047. While 30% of urban and peri-urban women, though better educated, face job-role mismatches, wage disparities, and undervaluation of domestic work. Closing this gap could boost India’s GDP by 27%, improving household incomes, living standards, and productivity. But despite rising female enrolment in higher education, many women still do not transition into the workforce. Between 2014–15 and 2021–22, enrolment increased by 32%, yet gaps persist, especially in STEM. Women make up 42–43% of undergraduate enrolments, but only 28–30% in engineering and technology, mainly in computer science, IT, and electronics. Representation in core engineering disciplines remains below 20%, and workforce participation in STEM roles is just 14–16%, constrained by workplace bias, lack of mentorship, and socio-cultural expectations. Degree Apprenticeships that combine academic learning with hands-on experience are emerging as a critical pathway to help women upskill, reskill, and move into meaningful employment.
Structured apprenticeships are translating this potential into tangible workforce participation, with rising engagement across IT and BPM, retail, automotive, electronics, BFSI, tourism and hospitality, food processing, life sciences, logistics, and healthcare. Hyderabad leads with 42% women apprentices in 2024, while Kolkata and Chennai show steady gains. Yet, challenges remain: 38% of organisations report having no female apprentices, 26% indicate women make up just 1–10% of their apprentice pool, and only 2% achieve over 50% representation, highlighting the need for sustained focus on inclusion and targeted interventions.
The report also provides targeted recommendations to enhance women’s participation in apprenticeships. Government initiatives should scale programmes in high-growth sectors and strengthen schemes such as NAPS and NATS. They should implement recognition of prior learning frameworks to acknowledge existing skills. Enabling infrastructure, including childcare, safe transport, and housing, should be provided to support women apprentices. Public-private partnerships can establish women-centric skilling hubs, Centres of Excellence, and state-specific financial incentives.
Employers should integrate women into core apprenticeship strategies through flexible and hybrid models, mentorship programmes, inclusive work environments, and anti-discrimination policies. Training providers should deliver industry-relevant, women-focused programmes, use hybrid learning to overcome mobility constraints, and ensure clear pathways to employment. Civil society and NGOs can raise awareness, shift mindsets, support underserved women, and advocate for policy inclusion.
Dr. Nipun Sharma, CEO, TeamLease Degree Apprenticeship, said, “Expanding women’s participation through apprenticeships represents a significant opportunity for India’s workforce. Female enrolment has grown by nearly 58 percent over the last three years, yet women continue to account for less than one-fifth of the total apprentice base, indicating substantial untapped potential. At the same time, sectors such as manufacturing, electric mobility, and telecom face skill gaps of 40–50 percent, while high-growth industries including IT, automotive, and healthcare require job-ready talent. Structured, sector-aligned apprenticeship programmes enable women to gain real work experience, strengthen practical skills, and improve employability. For employers, this approach supports a broader, reliable, and more diverse talent pool. When designed around real workplace exposure, apprenticeships help improve workforce participation, productivity, and long-term career outcomes.”
Kathryn Rowan, Executive Director, GAN Global, said, “Empowering women through apprenticeships is not just a matter of equity—it is an economic imperative. This report underscores how structured, work-based learning can dismantle systemic barriers, open doors to high-growth sectors, and create pathways for women to thrive as leaders and innovators. At GAN, we believe that when businesses invest in inclusive apprenticeship programs, it’s a triple win for women, communities, and companies, building a more resilient, adaptable, and diverse talent pipeline.”
Her Path, Her Power underscores that structured apprenticeships can unlock India’s untapped female workforce. These programmes bridge skills gaps and create inclusive opportunities across regions and sectors. They drive career growth for women and generate substantial economic gains, contributing to India’s Vision 2047 target of a $30 trillion economy, of which $18 trillion will be contributed by women.
