Nectec academy formed to help train IoT skill set
AN Internet of Things (IoT) Academic Network is being set up through a collaboration involving the National Electronic and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec) and 23 educational institutes and schools to develop human resources in the country.
The move is aimed at helping the country cope with the high demand for human resources in the coming years.
Nectec deputy director Panita Pongpaiboon said that IoT skills set required both hardware and software knowledge. Currently, university courses produce computer engineers who are skilled in software development but not hardware, while electronics engineers have skills in hardware development but not in software. “There is a gap that needs to be filled. We need human resources skilful in hardware, software, and networks in order to address the needs of the IoT market,” he said.
Many manufacturers now need to move to smart factories, which require IoT systems. They say there is a lack of skilled personnel for design, development and implementation.
The IoT Academic Network will try to fill this need by training its students in IoT knowledge and skill set.
The role of Nectec is to offer IoT content, which is available on the NETPIE and NETPIE platforms for students to learn IoT.
NETPIE is a cloud-based platform-as-a-service that facilitates interconnecting IoT devices together in a seamless and transparent manner by pushing the complexity of connecting IoT devices from the hands of application developers or device manufacturers to the cloud.
“Nectec will train the trainers, teachers and lecturers, to teach and train students about IoT,” said Panita.
The aim is to ensure wide use of NETPIE. Since launching NETPIE three years ago, there are now 19,070 accounts, 18,846 applications, and 47,746 (47,560 devices, 186 sessions) connected things on the platform.
Panita said the IoT Academic Network has signed a memorandum of understanding with 23 educational institutes. In the next three years, the project aims to have 100 educational institutes joining in the network; to produce over 500 IoT trainers; to train 10,000 students.
“IoT is expected to be a fundamental skill in the future. Therefore, we need to prepare the capacity to train IoT human resources, to serve the high demands of IoT in the future,” said Panita.
The move marks an initial stage in IoT human resource development. It is also a jigsaw to help drive Thailand 4.0 and to address the country’s new S curve industries.
