"We’re hiring, just like everyone, hiring aggressively for the right people."
According to PwC FinTech director Jeremy Drane , the number one issue facing the blockchain industry today is a lack of talent, a declaration backed up by statements from the firm’s peers.
A blockchain hiring crunch is now hitting the major professional services firms as they seek to satisfy the growing demand for products and services from global financial institutions and businesses. In interviews, global consulting firms Deloitte , KPMG and PwC indicated that they’re currently seeking to hire or train employees for this area of expertise.
"Deloitte is planning to hire more than 25,000 people in 2016, and that includes hiring across all the areas where we innovate with our clients," Eric Piscini, the leader of the Deloitte global cryptocurrency center, said.
Drane likened the environment to the days of the early Internet, where companies sought to train new employees on what was then an emerging technology.
He told CoinDesk: "[We ask] who are the youngsters, the people coming out of college, that show a tremendous interest, and what is the training program that we need to put in place so you can bring them to the client? You have to grow your own." Eamonn Maguire , managing director of financial management at KPMG, echoed this view, stating that KPMG is using internal development to grow its teams, but also looking for outside expertise to improve its offerings.
"We want to develop people internally around what blockchain is, but we’re also hiring outside of the firm," Maguire said. "There aren’t tons of people out there who have this kind of expertise." Cross-domain talent
Drane went on to suggest that a big issue facing his firm and others is that professionals who are qualified for roles are sometimes too specialized.PwC, he said, is looking […]
