There is a rising demand for blockchain technology, signalling there will be a demand for talent with the relevant skill sets and expertise. Universities worldwide have just begun to offer blockchain and cryptocurrency courses to serve this growing need. It might seem like blockchain is an infantile technology, less than a decade old. However, to learn blockchain we must appreciate that its underlying technology has been studied independently for much longer. Satoshi Nakamoto brought together cryptography, distributed computing, and mechanism design, to create the blockchain revolution.
If you’re not sure what blockchain is, don’t worry, you’re not alone.
Blockchain technology was developed in the wake of 2008’s Global Financial Crisis, as the nerve-system of Bitcoin. When Nakamoto developed Bitcoin as a Peer-to-Peer currency, he created blockchain as it’s ‘nerve-system’. A decentralised network of self-compliance and regulation. There is a lot of confusion and speculation surrounding the value of blockchain and Bitcoin. While there can be no doubt that within Bitcoin’s origins their lies a defiant contempt of central authoritative control, there’s plenty of smart reasons to study the technology itself.
If you’re currently considering a career path in the blockchain industry, studying one of the three previously mentioned computer science fields will broaden your options and lessen your risks. These topics have been around for decades, and aren’t subject to whether the Bitcoin bubble bursts, compared to fields like crypto-investment. A robust knowledge base in some of the fundamental fields is a highly sought-after skill in the blockchain space, and it’s becoming increasingly more valuable in other industries. Companies like BMW and Carrefour looking for ways to implement it.
Currently, money is continuing to flow into the blockchain industry, and there’s only a small segment of IT professionals available to serve its needs. The number of candidates with 3 years of experience in this space is exceedingly rare. Learning blockchain and Studying the underlying fields that gave birth to blockchain technology will definitely be worth your time.
Recent computer science graduates and other professionals with a keen interest can also profit from a good understanding of blockchain technology, and there are ways to study it without going back to school at all. Right now, there’s such a dearth in people with the expertise, that 6 months of hard work and research can put you in a position to contribute heavily to the space
Blockchain is a niche subject with a lot of jargon surrounding it, if you don’t have the time to take a university course, there are other ways to increase your knowledge and expertise. If money is a constraining factor, you can read plenty of white papers for free, and there are also free courses available through places like Coursera.
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