The Digital Age has driven us to live more of our lives online, with both organisations and individuals increasingly relying on emerging technologies in day-to-day life. As a result, 2.5 Quintillion bytes of data were created every day in 2016.
As a response to this high volume world of video and high frequency world of social media, the concept of Big Data emerged, enabling organisations to make more informed, strategic decisions. It has become one of the most powerful tools in an organisation’s arsenal and, if used correctly, it will be a key component of business success.
Many organisations have recognised the opportunities and values Big Data can offer their businesses and are looking to make long-term investments in this area as a result. This is reflected in our latest Tech Cities Job Watch report. Both hiring demand and average salaries for permanent Big Data professionals have risen by 4% and more than 50% respectively over the past year, with businesses on the hunt for top talent to ensure the skills are embedded into their organisation for the foreseeable future.
Investing in the right talent
Organisations with the greatest understanding of what’s happening both internally and externally, will be best placed to adapt to the constant changing environment and stay ahead of their competitors. But in order to successfully implement Big Data techniques, the best people need to be involved and an array of both old and new skills is required.
Investing in permanent professionals will help strengthen an organisation’s core tech capabilities for the long-term. However, providing the workforce with regular development opportunities is essential to ensure they continue to be equipped with the necessary tools and skills to support the shifting business requirements in the long-term. Additionally, hiring contractors could be beneficial in supporting the development and upskilling of the existing workforce.
Getting the right blend of skills and technology
Whilst Big Data presents a major opportunity to raise an organisation’s performance, businesses must keep in mind that collecting vast amounts of data for the sake of it doesn’t translate into improved performance. It needs to be translated into insights and ultimately wisdom. It’s important to have the right talent, tools and processes in place to manage the information properly, to avoid any IT Security challenges as well as ensuring they remain compliant in relation to the emerging General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) due to come into effect in 2018.
As a result, getting the right workforce blend is key when managing Big Data. Traditional database development and administration skills will be needed to help with integrating legacy datasets. In addition, analytics tools will be essential for generating the reports that are needed for both day to day insights as well as regulatory compliance. The better the tools and the talent, the better and more accurate the insights generated to help organisations make the right business decisions.
Download the latest Tech Cities Job Watch report to find out more.
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