Ready your quantum workforce

There is growing appreciation that quantum computers could threaten national security and economic stability if they become capable of cracking standard forms of encryption. More widely, quantum computing could, in time, fundamentally disrupt existing business models across large swathes of the economy. Therefore, although the computational advantage afforded by quantum computers may be several years away, policymakers recognise that embedding skills throughout the economy demands early attention.⁵

Meeting this emerging demand for new skills requires coordinated policy action. Education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) continues to need strong incentives and a commitment from industry to boost student numbers. For example, the UK government has already initiated a programme to provide 2000 students with scholarships of £10,000 each to fund conversion-courses, providing opportunities across 28 universities in England for graduates in non-technical disciplines to achieve a Masters-level certification in AI and data science.⁶ This programme could be readily extended to include quantum technology topics if sufficient demand existed from early adopters in the private sector. Further gains could be made by expanding the number of universities offering such conversion courses, so that it becomes easier for organisations to recruit new people.

In parallel, as all organisations focus on their environmental and social governance (ESG) commitments and more sustainable business transformation, significant benefits could also be achieved by embedding quantum into a wider range of disciplines. Recruiting from cross-disciplinary backgrounds (such as business and economics, environmental science, as well as from the social sciences and the humanities), will foster greater understanding of the various applications and manifestations of quantum technologies in wider societal and environmental contexts.

If quantum computing continues to advance at its current pace, finding and creating new pools of talent from within the existing workforce will be a key part of the solution. There’s a role for organisations in developing their people, too. For example, in partnership with the University of Bristol, the NQCC have launched two online courses in quantum information and quantum computing to upskill professionals in industry. And, to target students and early career professionals who are non-expert, the NQCC has also commissioned an online quantum skills course, which will be available to UK residents in early 2023.⁷ This course will allow everyone to gain skills in quantum computing, from the basics to more advanced topics, such as circuit design and programming of quantum machines.

Business education providers and technology firms are also stepping in to fill the gap. Online training courses and tutorials, such as the Qiskit Textbook, provide carefully curated chapters, tutorials and summer schools covering all aspects of quantum computing.⁸ The trend amongst these online training platforms is towards greater accessibility and abstraction (generalising more complex technical concepts), as well as professional certification, which makes them attractive not only to people with a STEM background, but also to those with dissimilar domain knowledge and qualifications. These new courses increase engagement between the quantum community and industry, promote stronger technical career pathways, and can also be used to attract, recruit and retain quantum savvy people – all without requiring a PhD.  

The ‘last-mile’ problem in technology refers to the challenge of commercialisation, which requires sales and other business-operations teams to be aware of possible use cases and engage with their organisation’s technology offerings. The EY Quantum Readiness Survey 2022 found that 55% of UK executives believe the biggest skills challenge is not just finding people to develop the technology, but finding business leaders who know how to take advantage of it.

It’s important not to focus too narrowly on quantum technologies, though, since most organisations are likely to access quantum computing capabilities in the future via the cloud, alongside conventional cloud-computing services. Therefore, these roles do not require deep technical knowledge – just a broad, functional understanding of the new technology as it relates to creating opportunities and managing risks for the business. Courses like Quantum Training for Enterprise, which are accredited for continuous professional development (CPD), are aimed at businesspeople, to help them discuss quantum computing concepts within their organisation, and with industry peers, suppliers and customers.¹³

John Barnes, founder and chief executive officer of Entangled Positions, a specialist recruitment company, acknowledges that future quantum-enabled businesses will require expertise across a multitude of disciplines. He says, “what constitutes quantum readiness is therefore vastly different to different people and businesses. With such a range of expertise required, a workforce with diverse skills, background, thought and much more is paramount. There are growing numbers of energetic, intelligent, motivated, and talented people working in or – and this is crucial – wanting to work in quantum. The ability to understand and integrate the myriad people and skills offers incredible opportunities to organisations even if, for many, it means thinking in a different way.”

Successful quantum-enabled businesses of the future will recognise when it is beneficial to use quantum technologies and when it is not; and they will know when to call upon deeper technical expertise within their organisation to support their commercial objectives, thus closing the last mile.