Sixty-one per cent of 150 IT managers have said the biggest inhibitor to data analytics uptake at their company is a lack of relevant skills in Ireland, a recent survey suggests.
Sponsored by EMC, the survey comes as big data is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of modern IT as the ‘internet of things’ continues to create vast amounts of information from sources as varied as sensors on machinery, social media, and even internet-connected home appliances, according to Jason Ward, director for Ireland, Scotland and UK North at EMC, a US multinational that employs more than 3,000 people in Ireland.
With new advances in technology, organisations can now correlate this information to uncover trends in consumer behaviour which can be used to develop strategic business and public policy insights.
“Big data can bring myriad benefits to companies, but to fully assess the impact of it on a company’s operations, a business needs to have a team with the necessary skills to properly correlate and analyse information for business value,” said Ward.
In the Action Plan for Jobs, published last week, the Irish Government has renewed its commitment to make Ireland a leading country for big data and data analytics and pledged to build up the ICT skills supply in the sector.
Ward went on to say Ireland still has high hopes for creating even more tech-related jobs in the future.
“Despite the global recession, Ireland has maintained its position as a leading exporter of IT services while a recent Forfás report indicates that as many as 44,000 tech jobs will be created in Ireland by 2018. In order to support this sector, and to stay in line with the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs, we must promote and encourage skills in emerging technology.”
