centre of attention
Skills for success
It goes without saying that increased
demand for data centres is good
news, but at the moment the
industry’s ability to cope with and
capitalise on it is questionable.
Although our skills base is
established, if the industry is going
to experience growth over the next
five years we will need additional
manpower to cope with it – something
that is lacking at present.
Part of the problem is the fact
that we don’t actively promote the
industry as a career option – and,
as a result, are missing out on the
thousands of young people who are
technologically aware. But there is
reason – the industry doesn’t have a
recognised training pathway for new
entrants, and we can’t develop any
qualifications until we understand
and agree the competencies that
need to underpin them. At present
there is no one organisation that
could legitimately claim to have
the authority to determine these,
although there are plenty that could
support this work.
Perhaps that’s the solution.
Instead of trying to find one
organisation to carry this out, a better
approach would be to collaborate
– to bring employers and industry
stakeholders together to identify
what’s needed and then develop
something based on the myriad of
standards that currently exist that
might, in time, form the basis for
a data centre standard and a best
practice guidance document. That
document could then be used to
identify what competencies are
needed within the industry and,
therefore, what the industry needs
from any qualifications that are
developed for it – crucial at a time
when additional skilled labour will
be needed to cope with increased
demand for data centres.
ECA recently held a round table
event involving a range of figures
from the data centre industry, and this
was the conclusion that came out of
it. We’ll be looking to bring those that
attended together again to identify
who else can help us review the
range of standards that are currently
out there for this industry and seeing
how we can develop them into
something that can be adopted by the
industry in the future.
Despite the growth
and growing
confidence in the UK’s
data centre market,
clients’ understanding
of the industry – and
the technology it
designs and develops
– is still relatively low.
This is the first step towards
helping this industry develop the
position and the profile the expertise
of its people deserve and to ensure
data centres are recognised as
the mission critical technology that
they are by those who commission,
purchase and use them. If you’re
interested in joining the group, please
get in touch with me by emailing
[email protected]. We need
as much support as possible to help
this industry solve the challenges it
faces, and ensure it’s ready to survive
and thrive in the future – a