Study finds 58% of engineers want FDE, 90% lack skills

Business Oct 22, 2026

A new study finds that while 58% of engineers are interested in forward-deployed engineering (FDE) roles, 90% don't know how to get the right skills.

With Indian companies turning to AI to boost business, demand for FDEs is set to rise sharply by 2030, but most engineers aren't ready yet.

Indian firms expect FDEs by 2030

Nearly 90% of Indian businesses expect they'll need more FDEs by 2030, and 80% of multinationals plan to hire for these roles within a year.

Still, only about 1% of engineers actually work as FDEs right now.

The takeaway? As AI transforms industries, clear career paths and upskilling are becoming must-haves for anyone eyeing these jobs.