Industry 4.0 isn't the future: it’s already the present. A very real present offering a wide range of work opportunities to engineers. By way of example, a figure. A report for the European Parliament notes that, by 2020, the labour market in the EU will struggle to fill no less than 825,000 positions in the ICT sector, especially those linked to areas such as cybersecurity and big data.
The fact of the matter is that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is hungry for trained workers, with solid technical knowledge, who are used to working with agile methodologies in collaborative settings, and who are willing to go the extra mile that separates the good from the great.
Sound familiar? Of course, it does. This is the best possible outlook for an engineer like you.
If you’ve already gone as far as you can in your current company why don’t you think about changing within engineering to a new and more stimulating position in industry 4.0? A very bright future awaits!
What technologies are used in industry 4.0?
The implementation of industry 4.0 is based on the Internet of Things (IoT) and on various technologies that will make it possible to gradually digitise processes. The key lies in managing to make various devices interconnected so that production flows can be automated.
In this setting, engineers are taking the reins by creating, running, maintaining, and updating technologies that can make the spread of industry 4.0 possible. To mention just a few:
- Sensors: in other words, monitoring devices that are able to collect all types of data and send them in real time to processing centres.
- IoT: taken to mean a network of interconnected physical objects that exchange information through sensors and API.
- Big data: the processing of a huge amount of highly varied data gathered by the sensors.
- Augmented reality: this enriches visual experiences by adding layers of virtual information to real-life settings.
- Simulators: which recreate set conditions to carry out activities for educational or experimental purposes.
- Machine learning: aimed at teaching computers to learn by iteration, undertake increasingly precise and accurate predictive analysis, and be able to act on the results.
Engineering profiles with good prospects in industry 4.0
Creativity, decision-making, and a solid technical base are the skills that will allow you to succeed in industry 4.0, according to the Digitalisation for productivity and growth study by the European Parliament . Member states are increasingly aware of the need to prepare their citizens for the implementation of this paradigm: in Spain for example, the Connected Industry 4.0 report from the Ministry of Industry, Energy, and Tourism highlights the growth of training options for mechatronics, ICT, programming, and robotics in schools and universities.
¿What can you specialise in now to embark on a promising career in industry 4.0?You have a number of options here!
- Data analysis. The market needs data scientists who can take advantage of the huge amount of data gathered by sensor networks. The aim is to establish data analysis and interpretation models and promote their application to improve sales activity in companies.
- The automation of industrial processes will require robots and equipment which will need to be designed, programmed, and maintained.
- 5G Technology. Data transmission will increase exponentially with the latest generation of wireless internet connection, which will make the spread of the Internet of Things possible. Therefore, there will be a need for expert profiles in the implementation of this technology and in sensor systems who can create networks of interconnected objects.
- Web application development. There is great demand for experts in this area to work on both sales targets and the optimisation of internal processes in companies.
- Full stack development. Industry 4.0 will value developers who are skilled in all layers of software architecture, both front and back-end..
- Preventing cyber attacks and the theft of sensitive data is the challenge for cybersecurity specialists, a crucial role in an increasingly digitised system.
- Blockchain.Similarly, industrial sectors such as energy are turning to blockchain experts. This technology allows for encrypted data to be transferred highly securely as it is based on decentralised nodes.
- Digital transformation. Leading the digitisation of a company and its entry into industry 4.0 will be one of the most exciting challenges in the coming years in the engineering world.
- Virtual and augmented reality. Sectors such as science, education, and entertainment are making the most of this technology to facilitate exploration, learning, and the gamification of activities. These are highly stimulating projects that will welcome engineers like you with open arms.
At BETWEEN we have dozens of job offers that can push forward your engineering career. If your dream is working in industry 4.0, then make it come true at BETWEEN!
