How Can We Prepare a Future Metaverse Workforce?
The metaverse age is upon us. How to stay relevant in the next generation internet? #avatar #metaverse #web3 #robotics #AI #vr #virtualreality #nextgen #internet
Despite the bad rep of the metaverse recently, the metaverse industry itself is still on an aggressive rise, with increased recruitment rates for roles in game and metaverse internet companies.
Credit : IOT Analytics
As with any emerging new industry, there has been a lot of worry that we do not have enough talented workforce to fill in the need gap in the creation of metaverse technology.
I think that claims of a scarcity of talent are often exaggerated and misplaced. First thing first, we need to be very clear on what the “metaverse workforce” means and what does it mean to be a “metaverse talent”.
If you look at it from the number of skilled workers required to work for metaverse companies, I would say that we are not experiencing any shortage of skills. A lot of Web2 engineers, builders and designers would be able to easily upskill for the Web3 and metaverse internet.
For example, it is true that the demand for algorithm engineers and 3D digital model sculptors is getting higher these days, while there is a limited supply of these professionals in the short term, leading to very high salaries. Nevertheless, the actual skills required for these roles can actually be learned quickly through short-term training and learning, making it easy to upskill talent and train new employees. Once the metaverse has become more ubiquitous, more and more people would go through courses and trainings to fill in these roles.
Credit : Beeple, the most famous 3D artist today
On the other hand, the metaverse industry will give rise to new types of “metaverse” professions such as virtual performers and content creators, who require a fresh input of new creative ideas constantly. These roles will require a very unique and specific skill set, making them more challenging to fulfill, as each content creator will be creating content that attracts their own unique audience.
For instance, our iMetaStar virtual streamer Xu Anyi gained 430,000 fans in 100 days, and his unique growth process cannot be easily replicated. Xu Anyi possessed a unique charm and magnetism that made him an instant hit as a virtual idol.
Virtual idols. Credit : Yicai Global
If you look at talent from the content creation perspective, then yes we are facing a level of scarcity, we can’t guarantee that each creator can become a financially sustainable and successful one.
And yet the last definition of a metaverse workforce means that in the era of the next generation internet, we will have to adapt to a gamified hybrid online and offline workforce.
The future of hybrid work is changing, and adding virtual reality into the mix of remote and in-office collaboration can create a new, dynamic workspace that requires different tools, skills and systems.
Immersive platforms are pushing the traditional work setting into mixed-merged worlds with teams onboarding, virtual showrooms, virtual test labs, gamified gatherings, company celebrations, and more, all accessible from almost any device via laptop, mobile, or VR headset.
The application of the metaverse industry will also lead to an increase in robotics, with more people spending time at home and relying on door-to-door services like food delivery. Robots that can assist with household chores and cooking will become popular, while self-driving and driverless technologies will improve transportation efficiency. Our household appliances will also become more intelligent, human-like and helpful.
Our upcoming metaverse PC, Gates 01 Home. Credit : STEPVR
With the metaverse industry allowing people to work and communicate virtually, remote work will become the norm. Business models that do not require a physical office space with low overhead cost will become prevalent.
Hence being “metaverse-ready” as an employee might mean that you would need to learn all the softwares and the skills needed to facilitate a hybrid workplace. We would need to learn how to work alongside AI, robots, omnidirectional VR treadmill, and many more new devices. We would need to learn how to put on the headset, gears and gadgets required to step into a virtual, immersive, gamified reality.
Our iMetaStar MoCap suit to create human-driven avatars. Credit : STEPVR
The metaverse industry is an evolving sector with a lot of room for growth and the creation of new professions. While there is a demand for new specific skills in the short term, the fundamental skills required for these roles can be learned quickly by anyone talented.
The scarcity of talent is a false proposition. Throughout the history of our economy, talented humans across all backgrounds and industries have evolved alongside our technological advancement. Just barely a decade ago we did not walk around carrying a smartphone, now we can’t imagine how to live and work without it.
Th metaverse shift does not indicate a scarcity of talent, but rather a need for the future workforce to adapt to new working environments and technologies.