The talent pool for RFID developers is extremely shallow

Deployment of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology continues to be hampered by a shortage of individuals skilled in the technology, according to a survey by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA).

In the survey, 75% of respondents, made up of technology companies, say they do not believe there is a sufficient “pool of talent” in RFID technology to hire from. That figure is down slightly from a similar survey conducted in 2005, when 80% of respondents said there was a shortage of RFID talent.

Among companies that believe there is a talent shortage, 80% say the lack of individuals skilled in RFID will impact adoption of the technology. The figure is significantly higher than a year ago, when 53% of responding companies said the shortage of talent would have a negative impact on RFID adoption.

“RFID is a complex and still evolving technology, and expertise is absolutely required for its usage to be a success,” says David Sommer, vice president, electronic commerce, CompTIA. “The skill sets and ‘need-to-knows’ related to RFID are many and varied. Clearly there is work to be done in our industry in terms of RFID education, training and professional certification.”

CompTIA is working with more than 20 major players in the RFID market, including product manufacturers, distributors, system integrators, education and training providers, and end-user customers, to develop a professional certification of RFID skills for individuals working with the technology.