A Career In Blockchain

Cryptocurrencies
1

Maybe a slightly off topic but, have you ever considered taking a job as a Blockchain engineer?

Not interested? Well what if I said that the average salary for a Blockchain engineer is around $180,000 and that in 2018 we have seen the demand in this field rise by 400% - still not interested?

Or maybe you are, so let’s take a quick peek at exactly what on earth a Blockchain engineer is and what skills you need to become one.

Blockchain was originally developed for tracking bitcoins, despite that the technology has potential to be used across many different industries, a fact endorsed by us seeing the likes of Microsoft, Facebook and IBM seeking out engineers in this specialism.

As for qualifications an understanding and proficiency in C++ and JavaScript are a good starting point as, in case we forget and before the ‘experts’ start criticising, the source code for Bitcoin was written by Satoshi Nakamoto in C++.

More than just a software developer with embedded programming skills though, you really need to have a hybrid skill set backed by experience which also contains a keen interest in economics, data analytics and auditing with all their related concepts and, of course, the ability to adapt fast to change.

If you want to dig into this there are numerous online courses to satisfy the beginner through to expert, just Google “Blockchain development course”.

Is all this worth it? Well, again just a quick search within one major UK employment agency reveals 789 Blockchain engineer jobs available.

I also happen to know of one engineer who diverted down this track just three years ago and now has well over a six figure annual income.

https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/10/22/demand-for-blockchain-engineers-soars.html

1 Like
2

Actually, that is not such a crazy suggestion Trudy.

Blockchain has been the underpinning technology for Bitcoin and many other cryptocurrencies for over ten years now. However, it didn’t take long for further thinking individuals to recognise a value in other markets.

blockchain-3206918_1920
blockchain-3206918_19201920×1440 170 KB

Week in week out we read of, largely unsubstantiated, claims that it will turn the business world on end with a variety of applications from the sublime to the ridiculous.

When you see it in the rawest form, as a modern-age ledger of transactions, but stored across a computer network, the inherent power within such a relatively straightforward concept becomes more apparent.

Aside from the more obvious hype surrounding Blockchain, hailed by many as an electronic get-rich-quick methodology, another perhaps less obvious business application is that of self-executing smart contracts for two parties to interact without an intermediary.

As you mentioned, it is well-publicised that Walmart has contracted IBM to develop a Blockchain-based system to track food through its global supply chain. Maersk the international shipping giant is developing their own in-house platform for container movement and transactions.

So, even if the cryptocurrency bubble were to burst there would is still a wide enough emerging demand for Blockchain development in other industries.

Maybe if I have the time, energy and motivation I will look into adding Blockchain engineering to my skill set :wink:

1 Like