General Electric according to media reports, plans to increase its Indian staff strength to 20,000 by 2003 from 7,500, while Ford Motor Company, the world's second-largest automaker, recently opened a software development hub to accommodate 800 engineers in Madras. While headhunters are optimistic plans by firms with existing operations in India could turn into jobs, the trend of newcomers is less certain. And almost half the jobs might go unfilled because not enough applicants have the necessary skills, said the ITAA, which surveyed 191 IT companies and 494 non-IT companies. Several Indian tech professionals who went to the US as guest workers fell victim to layoffs by technology firms but the prospects for skilled IT professionals was still good, industry sources said. Despite the experience of individual companies, the US requirement for a steady supply of new IT workers continues, the ITAA said.
Companies appear ready to rein in hiring plans.
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