Global skills shortage puts IoT development at risk, says Inmarsat

60% IoT skills deficit in cybersecurity

46% IoT skills deficit in analytics and data science

The latest research from global satellite communications provider Inmarsat (LSE: ISAT.L), has identified that a significant proportion of global enterprises lack IoT skills at different levels in their organisations, as well as in key technical disciplines, which risks jeopardising the success of their IoT deployments and the security of their data.

As part of Inmarsat’s ‘The Future of IoT in Enterprise – 2017’ report, market research specialist Vanson Bourne interviewed 500 senior IT decision makers from major organisations across the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions. 76 per cent of those surveyed reported that they needed additional staff at a senior, strategic level with the skills to set the objectives and priorities for IoT deployments. Additionally, 72 per cent of respondents identified a shortage of staff with management-level experience of IoT deployments, and 80 per cent lacked skills in the hands-on delivery of IoT solutions, to ensure that the solutions work as intended.

The shortage of staff with IoT-focused skills extends to specific technical disciplines. 60 per cent of respondents reported that they required additional staff experienced in cybersecurity to handle the vast quantities of data that IoT solutions generate; 46 per cent identified a deficit of staff with experience in analytics and data science; and around half (48 per cent) lacked the technical support skills needed to make their IoT projects successful.

Commenting on the findings, Paul Gudonis, President of the Inmarsat Enterprise Business Unit, said: “There is a clear recognition by organisations from all industries that IoT will play a fundamental role in their digital transformation and in their ability to achieve competitive advantage. But for that to happen businesses need to have the correct skill sets in place, and, as our research demonstrates, many currently find themselves without the skilled staff required for this transformation, and unable to take advantage of the potential that IoT solutions offer. Unless this skills deficit is properly addressed, there’s a risk that IoT projects will fail and that businesses will open themselves up to new security threats, putting an unwelcome brake on innovation.”

Identifying how enterprises can prepare themselves for the IoT revolution, Gudonis concluded. “As the potential value of IoT solutions becomes more apparent, deployment rates are expected to surge, placing yet further pressure on the pool of staff with the skills needed to make IoT projects successful. Enterprises must therefore move quickly to upskill their existing staff and fill the gaps in their internal skillsets with new hires. But longer term, the focus needs to be on establishing strategic partnerships with IoT specialists. With economies of scale on their side, specialist partners can help businesses overcome their skills bottlenecks and make their IoT deployments successful.”

IoT is changing the way that businesses operate, but it is dependent upon reliable connectivity. Many of the locations that would benefit most from IoT technologies are remote and are situated where terrestrial networks do not reach, or do not work well, all of the time. Inmarsat provides global satellite connectivity with up to 99.99% uptime, allowing IoT projects to thrive, even in the most remote and hostile environments.