Getting ahead of the IoT skills gap before it’s too late
The Internet of Things is coming fast, and it will drive demand for some IT skills like never before, warns David Foote, partner and chief analyst at the research and analysis firm Foote Partners. In part one of our three-part interview, Foote explained how a lack of IT skills holds most organizations back, and how they need to develop the skills they need from within. In part two, he explains what IT leaders must do now to make sure they have the skills they need to take advantage of IoT.
The Enterprisers Project (TEP): What is the relationship between big data and the Internet of Things?
Foote: IoT is big data on steroids. Everything you touch now records something to reflect how you use that device or that piece of clothing. Everything is now monitoring everything else, which means that we have a huge amount of unstructured data.
IoT is all about transforming business and business processes, but we have a little bit of time to prepare. It’s like this tidal wave coming at us. When you see a tidal wave, you’re pretty much dead because you’re probably not on high ground. But if someone says that five days from now there’s going to be a tidal wave, that’s more useful.
TEP: So what should IT organizations be doing now to get ready for that tidal wave?
Foote: Assuming there’s a skills gap for IoT, let’s identify which skills we’re talking about. The device or “Things” side of IoT is about circuit design and circuit controllers. It’s data scientists, they’re at the middle of all big data and data management. It’s also network engineers, electrical engineers, AI, and cybersecurity people. Read more…