How to close the IoT skills gap and revolutionize business productivity

The world of digital transformation has advanced rapidly in recent times: cutting-edge technologies like Big data, Cloud computing, Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) have revolutionized the business landscape. 

IoT in particular is one of the driving forces of Industry 4.0 solutions. Thanks to the intelligence enabled by IoT, devices can be programmed to work in unison to produce output on an assembly line. It can collect data on the status of the environment and equipment, allowing businesses to deploy predictive maintenance and automated recovery after failures.

A fascinating aspect of IoT is its ability to exchange data with analytics programs that can improve and iterate workflows and processes on the fly. The idea of a “smart factory is a reality today: According to statistics cited by The Atlantic, 67% of industrial manufacturing companies have an active smart factory initiativeâ€.

Manufacturing is not the only industry, which is harnessing the potential of IoT and IoT app development companies to improve business processes. Internet-connected sensors and smart technologies will enable farmers and agriculture workers to better track crops and livestock, measure data on farm resources, and allow drones to help survey land. These are just some aspects of what is known as precision farming.

Smart meters enable a more granular recording of energy consumption and allow utility companies to more accurately bill consumers for consumption. Additionally, smart meters can help track the amount of energy, which users of green technology send back to the grid, allowing them to be credited.

In the supply chain industry, RFID (Radio-frequency identification) scanning technology is being integrated with IoT to achieve a wide range of benefits including, combating counterfeit goods, allowing near real-time updates to inventory and asset tracking systems, and detecting environmental conditions (humidity, temperature, etc.) that could compromise deliveries. 

Clearly, IoT is for everyone: no matter which industry your business operates in, IoT can improve visibility and productivity for your business. That being said, embracing automation requires a shift in strategy. It’s imperative to train employees on IoT to achieve a successful transition. 

According to NASSCOM’s recent ‘State of IoT: The Post Pandemic Resurgence’ report, with IoT investments, predicted to go up to $15 billion in 2021, building IoT technologic skills at scale will be required in the next 4 to 5 years. Thus, workforce upskilling in IoT has become the need of the hour for organizations. Here are a few good reasons why you should prioritize IoT training:

Why you should upskill your employees in IoT

By adopting IoT solutions in organizational operations, repetitive jobs can be automated, freeing employees’ time for more vital tasks that call for personal skills and the ability to think beyond the box. 

Additionally, IoT app solutions help improve safety by reducing the probability of human error at various stages of corporate operations. Safe working conditions and workplace efficiency increase the company’s appeal to investors, stakeholders, and employees, enhancing reputation and trust in the brand.

Five ways to close the IoT skill gap: A blueprint to guide your business

Upskilling: 

Upskilling is a fantastic way to address the IoT skills gap. You can train trusted employees to take on senior roles in the firm that demand better technical skills. With the surge of online courses, businesses have a wide variety of options to train high-performing employees and close the IoT skill gap. To develop end-to-end IoT expertise within your company, incorporate the following core competencies:

• Programming skills
• Hardware engineering
• Data analytics
• Front end development
• Mobile app development
• Cloud computing
• Networking

Network with industry professionals and educators: 

Creating relationships with institutions that teach IoT-related skill sets means recruitment opportunities on campus. Staying in touch with educators at universities with strong STEM programs and even guest lecturing forges strong relationships. 

While this may not be a way to find seasoned IoT developers, it can help find junior candidates that can continually improve in-house. Furthermore, staying in contact with industry professionals can help spread the word when it’s time to recruit. 

Outsource: 

Some companies choose to completely outsource their IoT work instead of searching for candidates to come on full time to address IoT skills gap. Although this option is cheap, it offers less control. 

Outsourcing is a good option for companies that may not need IoT work done on a continual basis or for businesses that don’t have a robust HR team that can recruit for technical positions.

Hire part-time or contract employees:

Businesses needing to fill IoT positions can also hire part-time or contract workers. More and more employees want flexible work schedules with remote possibilities. 

Companies can hire part-time employees that only need to be in the office on certain days or during specific parts of a project to address IoT skills gap. Offering more flexibility with the position may be a way to gain access to talented IoT professionals that do not want a traditional full-time job.

Revisit your recruitment plan

Refresh your recruitment plan to address IoT skills gap. Take a look at the types of people you are hiring. Are they the kind of people who get the big picture? Are they the kind of people who can see the value hiding in data segments? Who understands the why behind the how? 

You need to recruit employees who have the ability to learn, grow and embrace a changing technology landscape to deal with IoT. To attract the right candidates, make sure your HR team asks the right questions, explains the responsibilities associated with the role clearly, and offers attractive incentives.

   To read more: IoT for enterprise – A roadmap to guide your scaling strategy

Summing it up

This isn’t a one-time deal. Demand for IoT jobs rose from 3,338 in Q4 2018 to 4,968 in Q1 2019, and it won’t stop anytime soon. Focus on creating a solid, consistent, and undisrupted IoT pipeline that your company and customers can depend on. 

Your company can easily overcome the IoT skills gap problem by focusing on upskilling, recruiting, incentivizing and intelligently growing a pipeline of talent. The power of IoT is still very much in your hands.