The Most In-Demand Metaverse Skills Every Company Will Be Looking For

THE MOST IN-DEMAND METAVERSE
SKILLS EVERY COMPANY WILL BE
LOOKING FOR

© 2021 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
When it comes to building what will become the metaverse, a wide range of
skills – some technical, some soft skills – are essential. Here’s a look at some of
those that are most likely to be helpful in unlocking the trillions of dollars’
worth of value that the metaverse is said to hold for business across the globe.
THE MOST IN-DEMAND METAVERSE SKILLS EVERY
COMPANY WILL BE LOOKING FOR

The metaverse is here – and if we are to believe a recent Citi report, it could generate up to $13
trillion in value for businesses around the world by 2030.
This astronomical valuation is predicated on the idea that the metaverse is the name we are
currently using for what will eventually become the “next level” of the internet. Today, we might
log into Amazon, Facebook, or Slack for shopping, socializing, or working online. Tomorrow we
will instead head for one of a new generation of metaverse services where we can do all of those
things in a way that's far more immersive, interactive, and experiential.
In fact, that may only be the beginning – some more “far out” theories suggest that one day we
may essentially live in the metaverse – our brains hooked into digital worlds that are simply
imperceptibly different from reality. Sounds ridiculous? Quite a few people think we might be
there already!

But staying in the here-and-now for a moment (or at least, what we think is the here
and now), there’s that $13 trillion to think of. And anyone interested in taking a cut of
that could do worse than to start thinking about the skills and experience that will be
needed in this brave new digital world. As well as architects, engineers, and builders to
put it together, we’ll also need teachers to show us how to use it, artists to fill it with
beautiful things, and probably even police to keep us safe while we’re in it.
It’s a very new field, and the truth is, no one is exactly sure what it will look like when it
gets big enough to start playing a role in mainstream society. But one thing that seems
certain is that the metaverse is coming – and if you want to be a part of it, these could
be some of the useful skillsets that will secure your place:

Metaverse worlds will be immersive and three-dimensional – we can see this already
in the worlds developed by everyone from Meta to Roblox and Decentraland.
Creating these environments so that they are functional, appealing to spend time in
and immersive requires specific design sensitivities that are practiced by the likes of
video game designers and animators working on 3D movies. Designers will have the
task of conceptualizing, prototyping, and building the environments that metaverse
users will explore as well as the objects and avatars they interact with.
3D MODELLING AND DESIGN

Many metaverse experiences will be created by designers using low-code or no-code
worldbuilding solutions, such as Roblox or Somnium Space, as well as tools like Unity
which require some understanding of coding to get the most out of. However, those tools
need to be created in the first place – and as the metaverse and its user base matures, new
tools will be needed to provide newer and more immersive experiences. For this reason,
those with solid coding skills are always likely to be required by companies and
organizations that want to be on the cutting-edge of metaverse development.
COMPUTER PROGRAMMING

Metaverse doesn’t have to involve virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) – many
popular platforms considered to offer metaverse experiences today – Roblox or
Decentraland, for example – are perfectly usable on normal, 2D screens. But many predict
that virtual reality will play a big role as metaverse creators look to build the most
immersive environments and interfaces that they can. AR has a role to play in bridging the
gap between the real and virtual worlds – an essential element of the metaverse
experience. Expertise in development using both of these technologies will undoubtedly be
in high demand.
VR/AR DEVELOPMENT

Many visions of how the metaverse will evolve include concepts like decentralization and
uniqueness of digital assets. In order to make this possible, the underlying technology
layer will include blockchain. This will enable the creation of distributed, decentralized
infrastructure that can be used to build worlds that are ultimately under the control of
their owners rather than whoever happens to own the servers or data centers where they
are stored. NFT technology means we can create one-of-a-kind or limited-edition assets
and prove who owns them or has the right to use or sell them. People with the ability to
create this web3 infrastructure and assets will play an important role in the metaverse
development and administration.
BLOCKCHAIN/NFT ENGINEERING

The digital world is built on data and information. Information on user behavior in the
metaverse will be collected and analyzed to understand how people are using the
environments and to create experiences that better meet their needs and desires.
Information captured from sources in the real world will be used to build environments
that more accurately resemble our own reality and are therefore more interesting and
immersive to us. Just as we generate and consume data in the real world in order to use
services that make our lives easier, we will do the same in virtual domains, and data
specialists will be needed to analyze and draw insights from it.
DATA SKILLS

User interfaces (UIs) are the connecting points between ourselves in the real world and the
virtual environments of the metaverse. And whether we are using touchscreen interfaces
on our mobile phones or full body-tracking capabilities of immersive VR, we will need UI
skills to ensure that interface is as natural and friction-free as possible. This contributes to
the wider field of user experience (UX) – the art and science of ensuring the time we spend
using software (in this case, metaverse software) is as intuitive, enjoyable, and rewarding
as possible. Becoming skilled in either or both of these disciplines would be a great start
for anyone looking toward beginning a career in metaverse development.
UI/UX DESIGN

Metaverse product managers will own the way that metaverse experiences are delivered
to customers – the end-users of metaverse platforms and the citizens of virtual worlds.
Developing metaverse experiences involves a whole range of skills and disciplines, and
people with project management experience will be essential in order to tie it all together
into a cohesive whole. These skills are needed to ensure that all of the elements are
executed to a high standard and in a way that contributes to the overall quality of the
experience.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Security is just as important in the virtual world as it is in the cyber world, and this will only
become more true as we spend more and more of our time online and in connected
environments. As the metaverse will be the venue for everything from shopping to
healthcare, great care will need to be taken to ensure that all of the channels through
which we share valuable data -from credit card details to conversations about our health –
are fully secure and not open to exploitation by malicious actors wanting to do us harm.
CYBER SECURITY

The metaverse – just like the internet before it – clearly represents an enormous
advertising and marketing opportunity. Finding new and engaging ways to promote
products and services, as well as build brand awareness, within virtual spaces, will become
an essential skill for marketers and anyone working in the advertising industry. With
companies from Nike to MacDonalds, Coca-Cola, Goldman Sachs, and Gucci already
spending big on metaverse marketing initiatives, it represents an exciting opportunity for
any marketer who wants to be working on the new frontier.
MARKETING

Last but by no means least, anyone creating metaverse experiences and environments has
a responsibility to ensure that it’s done in a way that minimizes the risk of harm or
negative consequences, either to individuals using it, to wider society, and to the
environment. People with these skills will have roles ranging from ensuring we don’t make
these worlds too addictive to ensuring our virtual worlds promote equality, inclusiveness,
and essential freedoms.
ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

To stay on top of the latest on the metaverse and wider business and tech trends, make
sure to subscribe to my newsletter and have a look at my new book, Extended Reality in
Practice: 100+ Amazing Ways Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality Are Changing Business
and Society (which just won Business Book of the Year 2022 in the Specialist Book category).
And of course, you can follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube and explore
my website for more content.

© 2021 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker,
futurist, and a strategic business & technology advisor to governments and
companies. He helps organisations improve their business performance, use data
more intelligently, and understand the implications of new technologies such as
artificial intelligence, big data, blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is
a frequent contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for
Forbes. Every day Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers
and shares content that reaches millions of readers.

hello@bernardmarr.com
www.bernardmarr.com

The Most In-Demand Metaverse Skills Every Company Will Be Looking For

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