Call for student and graduate participation in IOT

As far as buzzwords go, the Internet of Things (IOT) is breaking all records. Topping the Gartner Hype Curve for the last two years running, it has been described as THE defining technological trend of the next decade. The hype is around the projections that IOT technology will impact the vast majority of business processes in virtually every industry, effectively transforming the Internet and our economy as we know it.

The message is clear for engineers starting their career – you need to know about this important technology if you want to have a full spectrum of skills that are attractive to employers of the future.

IOT refers to the integration of physical objects with a range of communication technologies, enabling them to be monitored and/or controlled remotely over the internet. You can learn more about the technology in our Introduction to IOT, but a key message is that the opportunity is greatest for those prepared to understand how IOT can deliver innovation and provide leadership in building the business case for change in their field and in their organisations.

To support our members, Engineers Australia is launching an online Community of Practice on 5 July 2016, called the Applied IOT Engineering Community. It’s a new and completely free service to student and graduate members, championed by the Information Technology and Electronics College of Engineers Australia.

A key point of difference is that the community will primarily be online, allowing you to participate from your own desk or mobile device. This means regional members and those too busy to make face to face meetings can participate fully.

Over the course of the next year we will have 48 webinars on the subject of IOT. If you participate in all of these and other community activities, it’s like getting a new qualification completely free. The first four webinars complement each other to provide a comprehensive overview, so we encourage you to sign up for those as a minimum.

In addition, the community is supported by an online community platform with a calendar of events, discussion forum, member blogs, social media functions, a wiki and document library. The more ambitious young engineers will be actively participating in online discussion and using the social media function of the platform to blog their ideas about how to apply IOT in their field. This will help you build your thought leadership reputation and enhance career opportunities through building a following.

A specific opportunity for recent graduates is to take up an official volunteer role to help run the community and manage the website. This is a great option for graduates seeking to network for job opportunities and add a current role to their resume. For further information, contact the community facilitator Tim Kannegieter, on <iotengineering@engineersaustralia.org.au>.