Jeffrey Scholz, the founder of RareSkills, recently shared his journey and insights into the current state and future of blockchain education with BeInCrypto.

RareSkills, founded in September 2022, focuses on providing advanced blockchain training, filling the gap in high-quality, in-depth educational resources in the complex field.

The Genesis and Mission of RareSkills

Scholz’s transition into the blockchain space began in 2021 after leading a machine learning group at Yahoo. His decision to move to Asia and subsequently work for himself opened up numerous opportunities in Web3. “What really convinced me to get into education was my work and research on Medium, which performed exceptionally well, and the success of my Solidity courses on Udemy,” he explained. 

This success stressed out a demand for high-quality blockchain education, prompting Scholz to establish RareSkills. The platform aims to provide in-depth training, particularly in advanced and less documented areas of blockchain technology.

“If you’re just trying to learn how to make a smart contract, there’s an abundance of material to work from. But for more sophisticated or recently developed topics, the resources are still lacking. RareSkills addresses this gap by focusing on advanced topics where existing materials are scarce or inadequate. Our work on Zero-knowledge proofs has been crucial. We wrote what is probably the most popular resource on the subject, filling a significant knowledge gap,” he observed. 

RareSkills addresses this gap by focusing on advanced topics where existing materials are scarce or inadequate. This commitment to high-level education helps students move beyond the basics and develop a deeper understanding of blockchain technology. RareSkills aims to equip learners with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.

“We want to ensure that our students are not only able to perform basic tasks but also understand the underlying principles and complexities of the technology,” Scholz added.

Challenges in Blockchain Development

Scholz highlighted several challenges developers face when transitioning into Web3. One of the main issues is that there aren’t many resources that really push people to deeply understand blockchain. For web programming or app development, there are plenty of resources. If your non-critical app crashes, it’s not a big deal. You can restart the system if needed. Even if users leave bad reviews, you can fix the problem by finding and deactivating the faulty code.

“When dealing with other people’s crypto, you can’t be cavalier. You have to know all the situations where a transaction might fail. You need to know all the possible ways a transaction might fail. Most educators don’t cover this comprehensively, explaining how to fully understand the system and where it could go wrong. Documenting this is tough because every system is different,” Shholz commented. 

RareSkills focuses on thorough education, making sure developers understand the details of blockchain systems. This is different from many other resources that only give a basic understanding, which can be risky in the important field of blockchain development. “Many resources don’t stress the need to understand every detail. We make sure our students are ready to foresee and handle any possible issues,” Scholz added.

BeInCrypto could not ignore the role of AI technology in education. Discussing this, Scholz acknowledged that AI is useful for answering basic questions but warned against depending on it too much. “For basic questions, AI is a good tool. But for more advanced topics, it often provides hand-wavy answers and lacks the depth needed,” he noted. While AI, like ChatGPT, can help with simple queries, it struggles with more complex and specialized subjects, highlighting the need for detailed, human-led instruction.

Market Dynamics and Demand for Devs

Scholz explains the demand for Web3 developers to fluctuate with venture capital funding cycles. “The demand for developers follows VC funding in the space. During bear markets, layoffs are common, but in bullish periods, the demand for skilled developers increases,” he explained. This cyclical nature of demand means that developers must be adaptable and continuously update their skills.

He advised aspiring blockchain developers to specialize in niche areas to stand out in the job market. Developers should build a personal brand around their expertise, participate in hackathons, and publish their work to increase visibility and credibility.

“The core principles of blockchain don’t change much, but new tools and techniques are constantly being developed. If you’re able to become really knowledgeable about a niche subject, you become part of a very small group of people, and that differentiates you,” Scholz advised,” he noted. 

Speaking of specific trends, Scholz highlighted a growing demand for developers with expertise in Zero-knowledge proofs. This is an area where RareSkills offers specialized training. He noted that this is a challenging field because it is relatively new and has few experts. Employers often seek candidates with near-PhD level expertise, making these positions difficult to fill regardless of the market phase.

He also pointed out a noticeable increase in demand for Rust developers, particularly those with real-world experience. Employers are looking for developers who have used Rust in a production environment, not just those who have taken a course.

RareSkills plans to expand its offerings with new bootcamps focusing on concentrated liquidity and advanced Zero-knowledge proof applications. Whatever the market requests, RareSkills strives to stay ahead of the curve by continuously updating its curriculum to reflect the latest developments in blockchain technology, helping developers build the specialized knowledge needed to stand out in.

RareSkills Partnerships and Future Plans

RareSkills collaborates with leading companies in the blockchain space to strengthen its educational offerings. These partnerships not only provide students with access to their resources but also help them build valuable connections in the industry, offering the students insights and opportunities that would be difficult to achieve independently. 

“Our most prominent partnership is the one with OpenZeppelin. They maintain the largest and most widely used smart contract library in the Ethereum ecosystem. OpenZeppelin is primarily an audit company; they review smart contracts for security vulnerabilities. Another significant partnership is with Matter Labs, the company behind ZK Sync. Additionally, we have a content partnership with Solana. They sponsored our Solana course, allowing us to invest time in it and offer it for free. You can access the course on our website without even providing an email,” Scholz said.

RareSkills has seen numerous success stories from its graduates. One notable example is a student who, with no prior Web3 experience, secured a position at Coinbase through connections made during the program. Another graduate became a security engineer at Matter Labs, a leading company in the Zero-knowledge proof space. The platform’s success stories demonstrate the real-world impact of its educational programs. Graduates have gone on to secure positions at leading companies, leveraging the skills and knowledge gained through RareSkills to advance their careers. “We are proud of the achievements of our graduates and are committed to continuing to provide the best possible education to help more students succeed,” Scholz remarked.

RareSkills aims to develop more free resources to support a wider range of learners. “We believe in making education accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial situation,” Scholz said. This commitment to accessibility ensures that RareSkills can reach a broader audience and have a greater impact on blockchain education.

Jeffrey Scholz’s RareSkills is making great progress in blockchain education, filling gaps in advanced training and preparing developers for the future of Web3. With its focus on high-quality, detailed education, RareSkills is set to play an important role in the ongoing growth of blockchain technology. The need for skilled blockchain developers increases, so platforms like RareSkills will be key in training the next generation of Web3 professionals.