The following information has been compiled for Indian audiences where technical writing is a relatively unknown profession.

What Technical Writers do?
Technical Writers design and develop communication products for programmers, technical support staff, end-users and potential customers.

Where will you find them?
Software Industry also work with Vertical Industries like Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI), Telecom & Energy.

What Skills do they possess?
Combination of communication and technical skills is mandatory.

Size of the Market. Estimate:
One technical writer is needed for every thirty programmers. Currently there are about three thousand technical writers in India. There is a demand of more than lakh technical writers as the industry matures and more software gets created to solve complex business challenges. (see< www.stc.org> for more details)

Trade organization Registrations
Society of Technical Communicators (STC) – 200 members.
Technical Writers of India (TWIN) – 1000

Salaries:
Designation Salary(Rs)
Entry Level - 2 lakhs
Middle Level - 5 lakhs
Senior Level - 10 lakhs

Indian English Challenge

Lack of Technical Communication Courses in India.
Lack of certified courses.
Lack of proper organized system or infrastructure.
Lack of awareness among corporate and individuals.

Potential career prospect
Technical Writers, Editors, Reviewers, Visualizes, English Leads, Documentation Leads, Web Content Leads, Copy writing.

Roles - Different hats
Documentation specialist.
Instructional Designer
Proposal Writer
Resume Writer
Copy Writer
Marcom specialist
Technology Journalist

Software Teams Scenario
Estimate – One technical Writer for 30 programmers.
US industry has about 1-lakh tech-writers.

Industry Scenario
Increasing use of IT in Engineering, Automotives, Aeronautics, Military, Bio-informatics, Medicine, and Mechanics.

Newspapers, Tech-magazines, e-Zines, Dot-coms, Advertising agencies, Technology based companies, Software and Hardware companies.

BPO, ITES segments.

Estimated Growth
Year - 2010
Number of writers – 5000
Average yearly package – Rs.4,00,000/-
Contribution – Rs.4,000,000,000/- ( US $ 80,000,000 at Rs.50 per US$) (Catalysts – Computer & Web based Training & Development, Content Development, Instructional design)

Export Estimate:
End of 2010 – Exports of 1000 crores.