What does the government's new IoT alliance mean for you?
The government is giving New Zealand's digital industry a supportive push to develop alongside new technology. At the end of March, Communications Minister Simon Bridges announced an alliance between the government and several organisations in the tech sector focusing on New Zealand's use of Internet of Things (IoT) technology. What does the alliance plan to do, and what effect will it have on professionals in the IT sector?
"IoT promises to boost productivity across all major sectors of the economy."
A government-led technology alliance
Bridges announced the alliance as part of his Building a Digital Nation report, which sets out how the government wants to partner with New Zealand's digital community to work towards becoming a leading digital nation. IoT has the potential to be an integral part of this, due to its wide range of valuable applications.
"IoT is a transformative technology, one that promises to boost productivity across all major sectors of the economy, assist in monitoring our health, make transport and logistics more efficient, help reduce energy consumption and tackle environmental issues," Bridges said as part of the announcement.
As Computerworld New Zealand reports, the alliance will include the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), the New Zealand Technology Industry Association (NZTech), Telecommunications Users Association of New Zealand (TUANZ) and InternetNZ. It will research IoT and build a knowledge base for industry leaders to work from, with the aim of increasing the adoption of IoT in New Zealand.
This idea is not a new one. The IoT Alliance Australia (IoTAA) was formed in May 2015 by the Australian IT industry to push IoT adoption and innovation in their country. Like its New Zealand equivalent, the IoTAA is made up of a combination of government departments and business groups working together towards this common aim.
New Zealand's adoption of IoT
New Zealand hasn't yet taken to IoT as much as it has to cloud-based technology, but we're on our way to more widespread use. The 2016 Global IoT Decision Maker Survey by international market intelligence firm IDC found that of the 160 New Zealand organisations surveyed, half saw IoT as a way to compete more effectively. National uptake is increasing, with 66 per cent of the respondents saying they had either already launched IoT solutions or were planning to within the next year.
The ability to gather massive amounts of data that IoT gives us has potential benefits for many sectors in New Zealand. The MBIE predicts that over the next five years, business and government stand to gain $4.5 billion through better data use, and IoT could be an integral part of that growth.
IoT provides an additional selling point that you can use to get ahead of your competitors.
Developing opportunities in the IT industry
So what does the new alliance and its push towards more widespread IoT innovation mean for New Zealand's IT professionals? For some, it will be an opportunity to be directly involved in research and policy development that shapes the future of the country's technology sector. For the rest of us, the continuing push towards IoT means that the technology and its resulting data will increasingly be part of day-to-day activities, and will need to be taken into account in IT decision making.
For those looking to change positions or take the next step in their IT career, IoT provides an additional selling point that you can use to get ahead of your competitors. You may find that recruiters are increasingly looking for candidates with experience and understanding of IoT, who can help their company move in the direction that Bridges' report describes. Being an early adopter or leader in IoT application in your industry will make you an appealing proposition to companies who want to take advantage of the technology.
As IoT becomes more commonplace and central to business, IT skills and jobs will develop alongside the new technology. For more IoT and IT industry insights, contact your local 920 office.
