Want a career in blockchain? Here are the 4 skills you’ll need

22 May 2019

More businesses plan to use blockchain in future. A survey by Big Four auditing firm KPMG found that 48 percent of C-level executives believe blockchain is likely to change the way they do business in the next three years, while 41 percent of respondents said they are likely to use the technology in their companies.

For fresh graduates planning to venture into this hot sub-industry, the following information will come in useful. KPMG has recently released what it deems to be the top four skill sets for those planning a career in blockchain.

Blockchain refers to the secure and transparent ledger behind technologies such as cryptocurrency. A vague term just a few years ago, the technology and its capabilities are now more understood by businesses. It’s expanding business models, piloting projects and presenting new solutions to many companies. But to succeed, they require graduate talent.

“Like any emerging technology, having the right talent is paramount to driving results,” the report states. “Blockchain projects will not succeed or scale without a multifaceted team that goes beyond technologists. We expect more universities to integrate blockchain into future coursework, which will help prepare both end users as well as those who will be responsible for building, deploying and managing blockchain.”

https://venturebeat.com/2019/05/16/kpmg-the-top-4-skills-to-launch-a-career-in-blockchain/

And these talented individuals should possess these following skills:

1. Business acumen

From IT to finance, procurement to mailroom, blockchain will have an impact on every organisational role. A person working in blockchain needs to understand a business deeply as the technology works in such a way that each entity has a unique view and access. Failing to do this will result in a blockchain project without a compelling use case.

2. Tech literacy

Knowing the cloud, protocols, consensus, ERPs and networks aren’t enough. Future blockchain employees should also know when to use different tools and platforms, as well as how blockchain interacts within an existing technology ecosystem and vice versa. Some knowledge of coding like JavaScript, HTML and Solidity will be important for those planning to work on the development side of blockchain, too.

3. Data analysis

One of blockchain’s greatest benefits is data. The report says the key to success lies in those who can understand and make use of this to be presented to a variety of people across the business.

4. Hacker mentality

A blockchain worker must be open to explore and experiment by “hacking the problem” from a business and technology perspective. This means working collaboratively in a workshop-type setting to think through the business objectives, implications and value story for each of the participants and then define the architecture and overall solution flow.