Insights
Analysts
Coverage Areas
Dan Twing
President and COO
Dan Twing
Chris Steffen
Vice President of Research
Chris Steffen
Shamus McGillicuddy
Vice President of Research
Shamus McGillicuddy
Ken Buckler
Research Director
Ken Buckler
Parker Hathcock
Research Director
Parker Hathcock
Herb Blecher
Research Director
Herb Blecher
Cloud Development
Methodologies to create, deploy, and manage apps in the cloud
Cloud Development
Cloud Management
Strategies to manage cloud computing resources and services
Cloud Management
Data & Analytics
Turning data into decisions through architecture, governance, analytics, and AI
Data Analytics
IT Service/Operations (ServiceOps)
Tech-driven unification of IT service and ops management
IT Service/Operations
Information Security, Risk, Compliance Management
Managing risk within business-defined boundaries
Information Security, Risk, Compliance Management
Intelligent Automation
A holistic solution for digital transformation
Intelligent Automation
Network Infrastructure/Operations
The process by which orgs design, build, and manage networks
Network Infrastructure/Operations
Services
IT Vendors Services
IT Buyers Services
Blog
Insights and trends across IT and security
Blog
Case Studies
Elevate case studies with expert research insights
Case Studies
Custom Research
Expert-led custom research projects
Custom Research
E-books
Engage buyers with research-backed eBook content
E-books
Infographics
Visualize IT insights with research-backed infographics
EMA Infographics
Podcasts
Engage audiences with expert-led podcasts
EMA Podcasts
Products to Watch
Helps IT pros identify the most valuable tools in their respective fields
EMA Products to Watch
Speaking Engagements
Enhance events with expert industry analysts
Speaking Engagement
Sponsored Research
Sponsor research to gain insights and drive ROI
Sponsored Research
Vendors to Watch
Discover innovative vendors with Vendors to Watch
EMA Vendors to Watch
Videos
Create impactful, research-backed videos
EMA Videos
Webinars
Expert-led, turnkey events with lead generation
EMA Webinars
White Papers
Boost white paper credibility with trusted insights
EMA White Papers
Advisory Services
Resource library access with customizable analyst hours
Advisory Services
Consulting
Proven research methodologies plus industry expertise
EMA Consulting Services
Premium Research Subscription
Full access to all end-user content in the resource library
Premium Research Subscription
Newsroom
Resource Library
About EMA
Contact Us

mean time to insight podcast, small

Mean Time To Insight – Episode 23: NetOps Labor Shortage

05/01/2026

Categories: Featured Podcast

Are we heading toward a network engineering talent crisis? New data from EMA suggests the answer may be yes.

In the latest episode of the Meantime to Insight podcast, EMA’s Shamus McGillicuddy highlights a sharp shift: the percentage of organizations struggling to hire network engineers has double, from 26% in 2022 to 52% in 2026.

That’s not just a hiring challenge. It’s a pipeline problem. AI is often positioned as the fix, but the reality is more nuanced. It can accelerate productivity and reduce toil, but it can also shrink training grounds and weaken long-term skill development if misapplied.

Listen to the full episode to explore what’s driving the talent gap, and what to do about it.

Dimensions: 672384147 cm

Analyst

Shamus McGillicuddy

Vice President of Research