IoT on the Rise

October 5, 2016

News about connected tech continues to dominate headlines, so it’s no surprise that demand for talent with technical IoT expertise is also on the rise. According to the “Deployment and Usage Trends Survey” from global research and consulting firm Strategy Analytics, nearly 30% of businesses around the world have begun limited IoT deployments. Despite the convenience of connectivity with IoT solutions, there’s pressure on the enterprise to perfect integration and interoperability, which only adds to the thirst for top tech talent.

While in many ways the IoT is an industry of its own, it’s also contributing to real growth across technology categories as it extends to things like processors and sensors, to security and analytics.

Cybersecurity is an area of particular growth with respect to the IoT. Christian Byrnes, managing vice president at Gartner Inc. explained, “The convergence of the Internet of people, computers, and things is transforming most enterprises into digital businesses and reshaping cybersecurity. Requirements for large-scale, real-time adaptive protection, safety and privacy at the digital and physical levels will drive new cybersecurity skills, practices, and technologies.”

Tech giants like IBM, GE, Cisco and Google and more have all been on the hunt for IoT talent. IBM is planning to invest US$3 billion in the space, and is hoping to hire 2,000 people to its IoT team.

To ensure that graduates are equipped with ample IoT-centric skills, several industry leaders are showing their support by investing in university courses on the subject. Cisco Systems has pledged US$150 million to UK-based IoT startups with its Cisco Networking Academy. In the US, companies like AT&T, Samsung and Wipro Limited have followed suit by partnering with Georgia Tech and its Center for the Development and Application of the Internet of Things. These sorts of collaborations are key in churning out qualified graduates, and as an added bonus in the case of Georgia Tech, companies receive access to the center’s data and research.

Check out our IoT technology predictions in the VR Home of the Future.