One technology area that has been booming lately is VR or Virtual reality. A recent report from SuperData Research says that virtual reality technical, engineering, scientific, IT, Research and Development (R&D) and manufacturing innovation and technology investments will top $4 billion this year! This is confirmed by regular media mentions of virtual reality like Samsung Gear VR for a wide range of new applications.
These include: a) Vive and the Oculus Rift, specifically to train nurses and anesthesiologists, b) architectural virtual reality solutions for the Vive, Cardboard, Gear VR and Daydream c) photogrammetry and light-field data apps within the context of game engines using Unity 3D and UDK and d) mobile VR games using Daydream and GearVR platforms. Most of these apps are developed and 3D printed using VR and AR headsets.
This Contrasts With Today’s Meager Labor Department Job Numbers
The Labor Department reported this morning that the unemployment rate fell to the lowest level in 16 years at 4.3%. However, the overall pace of recruiting slowed in May with only 138,000 new hires and wages lagged behind!
Additionally, the overall labor force shrank last month. The labor-force participation rate fell to 62.7% in May from 62.9% in April. The rate is near the lowest level in since the 1970s, a time when women were entering the labor force in larger numbers.
VR Technology And Engineering Rapidly Moving Past Game Applications!
As I shared in my four-part series on artificial intelligence, AI and its related cousin virtual reality are omnipresent and growing quickly including more and more revolutionary technical, engineering and scientific innovations that are impacting us all.
In fact, a recent global report from Worldpay entitled, “The 360 consumer: how VR is reshaping the buying experience” confirmed that 65% of consumers believe that Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technical, engineering and scientific innovation and technology will move beyond already popular video games. The study found that despite only 24 percent of American consumers surveyed having used VR technology at some point; 37 percent of those believe everyone, particularly for retail, will regularly use it in the future. Additionally, 65 percent believe the technology could change the way people shop.
Employers Have More Open VR Jobs Than Qualified Talent!
Because the applications for virtual reality are rapidly accelerating, technology recruiters are having a tough time recruiting the talent to fill those jobs. For example, 5 industries are ripe for virtual reality apps. This has led to a major shortage of VR developers including those with Unity 3D, C#, C++, OOP, OpenGL, 3D Modeling using Blender and 3D Graphics APIs (especially with OpenGL, Metal, Vulkan) experience.
For example, our recruitment firm has so many requests for virtual reality recruiting assignments that we have had to turn down almost 50% of those staffing needs. Even older, traditional industries like automobiles are rapidly adopting AI and VR for the autos of the future.
