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Blockchain is one of the hottest skills right now

11 Jul 2018

According to Upwork, blockchain was the fastest-growing skill at the beginning of this year. So, what does that mean for jobseekers?

Demystifying blockchain is no easy feat sometimes. For those unsure, it is a massive ledger of cryptocurrency transactions, and the amount of possible applications could potentially be endless, from insurance to healthcare.

Slowly but surely, the whole world is catching on to what a hot topic this is. It seems that everywhere you turn, there’s a new idea that brings blockchain into the fray (many of which aren’t entirely necessary). But that doesn’t mean it is a mere fad – far from it.

Put simply, when it comes to the tech world, blockchain is like the new cloud, and it has become the fastest-growing skill in the freelance market.

That’s according to Upwork’s Skills Index for Q1 of this year, meaning that as a skill, it has grown more than 6,000pc since the same time last year.

If you are a blockchain developer or blockchain engineer, it’s safe to say you’re in high demand. In fact, at the end of 2017, the number of blockchain jobs had increased by more than 200pc from the previous year.

We even had a look at a selection of companies that are hiring in blockchain right now earlier this week.

What skills do I need?

If you’re not quite ready to apply for one of the many blockchain jobs just yet but are wondering how to upskill, we’ve got you covered.

Firstly, working in this area doesn’t mean a technical background is essential, but it will help as a lot of the roles are in the technology space.

Because it’s such an emerging sector, the ability to continuously learn and adapt will be essential.

Additionally, while there are technical skills to learn, you should also be familiar with opportunity costs, economics and other concepts surrounding blockchain.

In terms of transferable skills, data analytics, traditional software development and system architecture will all serve a blockchain developer or engineer very well.

Upwork also published the top 50 blockchain-related skills, which included cryptography, content writing, python and web design. You should become familiar with standards as well as the various blockchain platforms including Ethereum, Ripple and R3 Corda.

The technology is still so new that becoming acquainted with what’s happening in the space right now and continuously learning about it will help you go far.

Jenny Darmody
By Jenny Darmody

Jenny Darmody became the editor of Silicon Republic in 2023, having worked as the deputy editor since February 2020. When she’s not writing about the science and tech industry, she’s writing short stories and attempting novels. She continuously buys more books than she can read in a lifetime and pretty stationery is her kryptonite. She also believes seagulls to be the root of all evil and her baking is the stuff of legends.

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