Demand for blockchain skills in the US has outstripped all others in Q2 of 2018

Blockchain has undoubtedly revolutionised the world we live in, sparking changes, interest and hype around the world.

However, that’s not all. It has also caused a rapid evolution of skills as the demand in the United States for the top 10 skills, including blockchain, has grown more than 500% in the second quarter (Q2) of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017.

READ MORE: Blockchain jobs in Berlin and Melbourne

Perhaps more indicative of the tremendous growth is that fact that “blockchain topped the list as the fastest-growing skill in Q2 of 2018 out of more than 5,000 on Upwork.com for the second consecutive quarter” the recruitment firm from California says on its website. “Its year-over-year growth has exceeded 2,000% for the past four quarters, and it experienced more than 3,500% year-over-year growth in Q2.”

70% of fastest-growing skills are new to index

Upwork, which claims to be the largest global freelancing website, notes that “70% of the fastest-growing skills are new to the index underscoring rapid evolution of skills”.

READ MORE: Eight top interviewer tips for a blockchain technology job

According to Upwork’s index, the top 20 fastest-growing skills of the second quarter of this year are:

1. Blockchain
2. Google Cloud Platform
3. Volusion
4. Risk management
5. Product photography
6. Rapid prototyping
7. Google App Engine API
8. SCORM
9. GitLab
10. Go development
11. Apple UIKit
12. Enterprise architecture
13. Tensorflow
14. Atlassian Confluence
15. Apple Xcode
16. eLearning
17. Customer retention
18. Articulate Storyline
19. Node.js
20. Scala development

More than half of HRs prefer freelance talent

The freelance recruitment platform also notes that “because freelancers are often equipped with the specific skill sets teams require and are well-suited for the increasing volume of project work”, 59% of human resources managers have opted to seek out freelance talent in 2017. Fifty-seven per cent expect to hire even more freelancers in the next 10 years.

READ MORE: Seven top firms seek blockchain experts

“As technological change and the knowledge economy continue advancing, so will work requiring more skills,” said Upwork CEO Stephane Kasriel, who is also co-chair of the World Economic Forum’s Council on the Future of Gender, Education and Work.

“Many of today’s jobs will change as the world’s needs change, and automation progresses, but shortages in local talent pools and the skills businesses need can be overcome with freelance talent, who are nearly twice as likely as traditional employees to proactively upgrade their skills,” he said.

READ MORE: Hong Kong strives to make immigration easier for blockchain and FinTech experts

Even progress, though, has a downside and as skills evolve and the demand for new expertise shifts, 54% of the US “workforce are not very confident that the work they do will exist in 20 years”.