Pune has emerged as the leading employment provider destination in various tier-II cities in the country, followed by Lucknow and Puducherry, points out an Assocham study on job opportunities.

Pune, with a share of 16.5 per cent, is the number one job provider while Lucknow and Puducherry accounted for 12.30 per cent and 10.50 per cent respectively, out of the total jobs tracked by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) in the last quarter of fiscal 2007-08.

Titled as ‘Tier II and III Cities New Employment Centre’, the study highlights Pune’s top-five employment generating sectors comprising IT, ITeS, banking, education, and automobile. The top five sectors in Lucknow which have created vast employment opportunities in the period under reference include education, banking, FMCG, insurance, and ITeS.

In case of Puducherry, these are aviation, banking, energy, FMCG and hospitality, says the study.

Among tier-III cities, Ranchi has emerged as the top employment provider with a share of 13.80 per cent. Manglore and Mysore were ranked second and third, constituting 11.60 per cent and 11.08 per cent of the total vacancies offered, the study, released by ASSOCHAM secretary general D S Rawant says.

Among tier-III cities, Ranchi has emerged as the top employment provider with a share of 13.80 per cent. Manglore and Mysore were ranked second and third constituting 11.60 per cent and 11.08 per cent of the total vacancies offered, the study, released by ASSOCHAM Secretary General D S Rawant, says.

In Ranchi, the predominant sectors creating maximum job prospects were energy, construction, metals, electronics and telecom. Top five sectors in Mangalore were identified as engineering, energy, banking, insurance and FMCG.

In Mysore, job prospects were bright in automobiles, insurance, pharma, manufacturing and education segments.

Tier-II cities, including Pune, Jaipur and Surat, recorded maximum vacancies in insurance companies, banks, mutual funds and brokerage houses. Among tier-III cities Mangalore, Pondicherry and Aurangabad provided highest openings in finance-related jobs, the study says.

In both, tier-II and III cities, the financial services sector provided maximum employment opportunities to aspirants. It contributed 18.5 per cent and 21.5 per cent in tier-II and III cities respectively in terms of job openings. The second largest share of vacancies posted in developing cities was of the IT sector as it provided jobs to a large number of aspirants, contributing a share of 17 per cent in tier-II cities and 17.5 per cent in tier-III cities of the total sample. IT and IT-enabled services provided maximum jobs in Pune, Ahmedabad, Nagpur and Surat, according to the study. The low-cost cities of Mangalore, Jalandhar and Aurangabad were the most sought after by IT firms among tier- III cities. In tier-II cities, the education sector occupied the third rank. It offered vacancies for teachers and professors in schools and universities contributing a share of 6.41 per cent in total job openings.

Prominent tier-II cities that provided maximum employment opportunities in the education sector included Pune, Lucknow and Jaipur.