6 Hot IT Skills You Should Gain to Discover the Internet of Things

No doubt, the Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the top technologies that continue to evolve and change the trends in the IT world. The interesting thing is that it’s just the beginning. It is still going to take our world by storm. Therefore, possessing skill sets in this realm is very important to your career in IT. If you are looking to increase your earning potential and marketability in IoT, you might want to consider developing your skills in this area. Before we explore the hot skills, it’s crucial to dwell a bit on what the Internet of Things is all about.

Overview of IoT

The Internet of Things is the fusion of the digital and physical world. With IoT, everyday objects are incorporated into technology (for example, sensors and Wi-Fi). The goal is to obtain a UID (unique ID) and the ability to relate with the external environment. These unlimited network devices offer a wide range of advantages to the individuals, the businesses, and the world. It minimizes waste, increases convenience and safety, and enhances the quality of life. These network devices are referred to as ‘smart objects’ and they cover a wide range of gadgets, including home appliances, wearables, and connected businesses and cities. All of them converge online on a daily basis, interacting with each other.

The most interesting thing is that this is just the beginning. As hardware and broadband costs reduce, there will be unlimited innovations in the Cloud and mobile sectors, and there will be an increase in the acceptance of connected culture in the society. Ultimately, IoT will continue to explode in potential. According to Gartner, there will be about 26 billion devices on IoT by 2020 while the IoT products & services will generate about $300 billion per annum. Now, this is huge, don’t you think? As a forward-thinking professional, you should begin to develop a competence to help you play effectively in this terrain.

6 Hot Skills in IoT

So if you are considering upping your game and developing skills in IoT, below are some skill sets that will be sought after in the industry.

1. UI/UX Design

Tablets, PCs, and smartphone screens have access to various shapes and designs of images and objects. And the individuals want optimized screens and objects in different sizes and shapes. There will be some with small screens while others won’t have a visual display. The ability to work with the user interface and experience will place you on a high pedestrian that will make you a highly sought after specialist. Some of the skills you need to develop as a UI/UX designer in IoT include Service Design (it is human-centered design approach to instinctively guide the users through complex services) and Response Web Design (where visual effects are animated depending on the platform, orientation, and screen size).

2. Business Intelligence

Giving cognizance to the numerous devices that are sending and consuming exabytes of raw data on a regular basis, there is enormous potential in the field of big data. The enterprises regularly collect, analyze, and store data from smart device streams. You may wonder, why do they need such huge raw data? Well, for the same reason everyone wants to be served optimally as a consumer. The organizations gather and analyze such data for actionable intelligence. This is where business intelligence skills come in. The professionals with experience in data center management, Platform as a Service (PaaS), sensor data analysis, and predictive analytics will be perfect for job roles requiring business intelligence skills in IoT.

3. Mobile Development

Over time, a lot of smart objects will be managed with smartphones, wearables, tablets, and mobile devices in general. This will automatically increase the demand for mobile application development skills. When it comes to platforms, the Android and Apple IOS application developers will be in high demand as these platforms make up more than 90% of the mobile devices used in the United States and across the world. The expertise in these areas will definitely earn you a job role in IoT.

4. Information Security

The professionals with skills in cybersecurity have remained highly sought after for a long time. The Internet of Things only brings another dimension to the scheme of demand. With the growth in the complexity of IP-enabled devices, impending exploits, and various privacy concerns, these specialists will be in high demand. To take advantage of this excessive windfall, you should develop skills in Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), vulnerability assessment, wireless network security, security, and ethical hacking. The understanding and expertise in privacy policy and data ethics will also help you grow your career in information security and IoT.

5. Networking

There are numerous applications and sensors that can be accessed through smart devices. The process of enabling them to effectively interact with the apps and sensors requires a variety of networking techniques and tools. The network professionals will require top skills in designing, optimizing, and maintaining large scale traffic over reliable, redundant, and secure platforms. In addition to this, the specialists also need the working knowledge of Wi-Fi as well as other wireless connection techniques to position themselves for limitless opportunities.

6. Hardware Engineering

At the heart of the IoT movement are computer hardware engineering design and actual building of electronics. The professional engineers who have the skills to develop and install Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and some other connectivity solutions are going to be in high demand. Some other important hardware skills that you might want to develop in relation to IoT include Microsoft electromechanical systems engineering, AutoCAD drafting, wireless sensor design, and quality assurance. For the hardware technicians, soft skills (such as conflict resolution, effective written, and verbal communication) will be of immense help as they are necessary for successful collaboration with teams of developers and manufactures within the IoT workspace.

Conclusion

The skills required to function in IoT will continue to grow thanks to innovations and new challenges, as well as discovered technological breakthroughs. This means that the professionals cannot afford to stop learning and developing their skill set. The above skills are top notch, and you have to develop them if you are interested in taking advantage of the IoT growth.