Welcome To The Future – Is Blockchain A Good Career?

Thinking about a career in Blockchain? It’s touted as being as revolutionary (if not more) than the internet. From transforming the very core of how businesses and governments operate… Blockchain has a truly revolutionary potential.

You can hear more about the MSc in Blockchain at a free webinar on 22nd July at 2pm where you will hear from industry, academics and a current participant on the programme. See more details about the webinar here.

Often associated with crypto currencies like Bitcoin… Blockchain possibilities go way beyond this.

So what exactly is Blockchain?

At its most basic level, Blockchain is literally just a chain of blocks, but not in the traditional sense of those words. It’s digital information (the block) stored in a public database (the chain).

Blockchain technology provides the form of a distributed non-repudiable ledger. It works on decentralised platforms and offers major advantages for business operations  such as….transparency, elimination of third parties, cost reduction, micropayments, cryptographic security, and permanent transactions.

The Rise of Blockchain

Although Blockchain is still in its infancy with many tech challenges to overcome in order to scale for wide spread use – it’s not going anywhere…The adoption of blockchain  in companies across key industries including manufacturing, supply-chain, health, food, finance and the public sector is growing.

A Gartner study estimates Blockchain will add $3.1 trillion in business value by 2030!

So if this is the general trend, a question you might be considering is… Does Blockchain mean jobs? What are the Career opportunities?

Blockchain Skills Shortage

Due to the many applications of Blockchain, as a skillset it’s becoming highly coveted.  However, as the industry is evolving so quickly… there is no typical entry path into blockchain that we can recommend. It wasn’t something that you covered in school.

But there’s no doubt that the demand for Blockchain skills – on a national & global level – has outstretched the supply of talent. Some reports demonstrate a 500% increase in the demand for blockchain skills in recent years. That’s not so surprising given its prevalence across industries now.

The world is coming to realise the power of Blockchain and thus the scramble to find the talent to stay ahead of the game is well underway.

Blockchain in the Irish Context

The screenshot above is based on a quick search on LinkedIn only on job opportunities with Blockchain in Ireland – it highlights a lot of vacant positions and this trend will only continue to grow.

At a national-political level, there is a growing overall awareness of this trend.

IDA Ireland’s Blockchain strategy aims to promote Ireland as a European location for Blockchain developments. With Fintech and Blockchain being an obvious strategic alliance in the Irish context.

Furthermore in 2018, the Minister for Finance published a discussion paper examining the potential of virtual currencies and Blockchain technology.

So what are the Career Opportunities?

With it’s wide spread applications, there are many areas that will require the use of blockchain. The key employer types are

• Start-ups. Generally this has been in a wide range of companies particularly since crypto-currencies started booming in recent years.
• Legacies. These are the big institutions that may directly affected by the distributed ledger technology such as banks.
• Tech Firms– Think Facebook, Google, Microsoft all which can stand to use Blockchain.
• Governments – with many potential cost-cutting benefits, many states can use blockchain to its advantage.

In terms of the typical roles being hired in blockchain, it’s mostly tech professionals like software developers and engineers. However, beyond this there are indirect roles for people in marketing, accounting, law etc.

How to get started with a career in Blockchain?

Get up to speed! As mentioned, the rise of blockchain is undeniable. However the conventional educational entry points have been lacking. Fortunately ICT Skillnet has teamed up with The School of Computing at Dublin City University to deliver an MSC in Blockchain – Distributed Ledger Technologies.

Introducing the MSc in Blockchain

Course Benefits

• Online delivery. This course is primarily online so you can take it from the comfort of your own home while maintaining social distancing protocols.
• Grounded in Practicality. Blockchain is an ever-evolving and ever-changing industry – The course is practical in nature.
• Super-Charge Your CV. Blockchain is one of the most lucrative skills to have in the world today. Your CV (and bank balance) will thank you.
• Networking opportunity. Connect with like-minded and ambitious peers in the same area of computing and tech.
• Led by experienced pro’s. Learn from the best at the esteemed DCU School of Computing.
• Competitive edge. While opportunities are abundant, the climb to the top is a steep one. Having Blockchain is one skill that can separate you from the rest.

***Please Note***

The programme is open to those working in private and commercial semi-state organisations.

Final Words on Blockchain and Ireland’s Career Opportunities

Blockchain is a revolutionary development with the potential to change so many areas of working life as we know it. Getting up to speed in this area for tech professional’s represent a truly unique opportunity.

Will you make the jump forward in this era of change?

If you have any questions about the Msc in Blockchain, please contact  here.

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