5G Brings New Business Opportunities and Needs for New Job Skills

Article contributed by:

Mr Chia Wai Kong
Executive Education Fellow
Advanced Computing for Executives NUS School of Computing

Article Contribution by Mr Chia Wai Kong

5G is not just a faster 4G. It is transformative mobile technology set to disrupt current ways that businesses are run today. Communities, businesses and industries are expected to benefit from the transformative impact that 5G enables such as the development of new business models and advanced applications, thus fostering business innovation and spurring economic growth. 5G will bring about more immersive experiences, Smart Cities and Connected Everything.

5G does this by being the communication glue layer, offering low latency and guaranteed reliability which are critical for applications such as self-driving cars, robotic surgery, delivery drones and autonomous mobile robots.

To offer the features of low latency and high availability of connectivity, the traditional infrastructure is not sufficient. To make 5G more reliable, more secure and yet lower cost, technologies such as Cloud, Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics are needed. 5G is a powerful innovation platform that has the potential to accelerate the digital transformation of every sector of industry and society. To increase trust in such an infrastructure and protect the information, cybersecurity will be integral.

One may also notice that 5G mobile networking has transformed from proprietary, dedicated hardware to software running on commercial and Cloud servers in a huge way. As 5G has many applications across diverse vertical domains, here are some of the non-traditional industries which require 5G skills. These are based on job descriptions from Singapore and the region over the last 2 years:

· New equipment vendors: Mavenir, Altiostar, Dell
· Infrastructure players, hyperscalers: AWS, Microsoft, Google
· Application and solution providers: Meta, Continental Automotive
· Industrial applications users: Smart factories (Hyundai), ports (PSA), Smart building developers (JLL), maritime sector (Keppel), Smart hospitals (NUHS)
· Government and statutory boards: Building Control Authority, Singapore Police Force
· System integrators: Accenture, Tata Consulting
· Consultants and Advisories: Deloitte, Cap Gemini, Informa, Gartner

So, what skills do the industries need?
· Mix of above skills: 5G, Cloud, AI/ML, Data Analytics, Cybersecurity (to implement and manage infrastructure, applications and integrations of end-to-end systems)
· Domain / industry knowledge + 5G (create new uses/use cases)
· Knowledge of 5G with Business Skills (create new business cases and business models)
· Methodologies like AGILE, DevOps

If you would like to find out more about the commercial applications of 5G, the business and job opportunities, with the necessary background of the above skills to start your innovation journey, please sign up for the Professional Certificate course below:

Professional Certificate in 5G for Corporate, Business and Marketing Professionals (Non-Technical)
https://ace.nus.edu.sg/pc/professional-certificate-in-5g-for-corporate-business-and-marketing-professionals-non-technical/
Lead the new 5G Revolution in your industry

If you would like to dive deeper into 5G and the related technologies, you can sign up for this Professional Certificate course below:

Professional Certificate in 5G for Telecommunication Technical Professionals
https://ace.nus.edu.sg/pc/professional-certificate-in-5g-for-telecommunication-technical-professionals/
Be the Spirit of the 5G Innovation