Maybe Blockchain Engineering Is Not a Golden Ticket after All

Are international companies slowing down their once-relentless spate of blockchain hires?

A recent report from jobsearch website Hired suggests that new augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) engineering jobs are coming up faster than blockchain engineering posts. The firm claims the demand for AR and VR jobs skyrocketed by a staggering 1,400% in 2019, with blockchain engineering jobs growth slowing to 9% from a whopping 571% in 2018.

The report’s authors stated that their findings were based on “hundreds of thousands of interview requests [that] came through Hired’s marketplace.”

They wrote,

“We see the growth in AR/VR demand as a direct reflection of the technology itself coming of age for a broader swathe of business outside of gaming. From beauty companies like Sephora to furniture retailers like Wayfair, many different types of companies are embracing the capabilities of these world-building and -enhancing technologies.”

In fact, a whole slew of engineering posts experienced much higher growth than blockchain last year, with gaming engineer roles shooting up by 146%.

Computer vision engineering positions also rose by 146%, and search engineer jobs also experienced triple-figure growth.

AI skills are highly prized, too: Machine learning engineer positions rose by 89%.

Some 46% of software engineers said they would like to learn AR and VR skills in 2020.

AV/VR jobs are also looking at higher salaries in 2020 – but those equipped with blockchain skills may have the last laugh.

“If you work in AR/VR, you may want to move to San Francisco,” the report’s authors advise.

Data from the site shows that AV/VR engineers earn an average of USD 156,371 per year in the San Francisco Bay area, followed by New York, with USD 152,584.

Outside the United States, average salaries are significantly lower, however, a London-based AV/VR engineer expected to earn around USD 83,878 a year.

Meanwhile, blockchain engineers, per Hired data, can expect to earn more, especially if they are based in the San Francisco Bay area, where blockchain engineers earn an average of USD 166,157 per year, while New York-based blockchain pros can expect to earn around USD 156,978 per annum.

And if you are a blockchain engineer thinking of switching allegiances, it might pay to remember that less than a month ago, LinkedIn released data showing that blockchain was 2020’s most in-demand skill. And AR/VR skills? They didn’t even make the top 10.