DCD eBook: Workforce

> eBook >>

Developing the mission critical workforce

Inspiring, training and retaining the next generation of tech talent

Introduction:

It’s no secret the data center and wider tech spaces are experiencing a palpable shortage of skills. As the existing workforce reaches retirement, taking their experience with them, and the demand for roles in tech continues to soar, we are left with a major skills gap that desperately needs plugging.

We not only need to ensure these holes in our workforce are filled today, but more importantly, that they remain filled tomorrow, too. The longevity and progress of our industry hinges on inspiring the next generation of tech talent early on and providing them exciting opportunities to engage with the industry and really showcase their skills.

In this eBook we examine how we have gotten to where we are today, what we can do to future-proof our industry, offering practical tools and resources to help demystify the data center industry and why it may be a more viable career choice than many people think. We also delve into data center diversity and why an inclusive and varied workforce is the key to propelling our industry forward.

Chapter one: The skills challenge

Although a background in STEM can be a valuable component of the data center skill set, it is not the only factor, far from it.

In this chapter, we look at the skills shortage from the perspective of a recruiter, the importance of transferable skills, and the kind of technical progression making new hires imperative – after all who else is going to build the metaverse?

The skills shortage: Looking from the inside out

What a data center recruiter sees as the solution to the skills gap

If there is one thing that DCPro is acutely aware of, it’s the skills shortage in the data center industry.

In the last couple of years, we have discussed the skill gap with different experts, attempting to understand its cause and identify potential solutions.

Recently the expert in question was Andy Davis, the director for DataX Connect and Highfield Professional Solutions, providing an angle on recruitment from the inside out.

“I think the skill shortage is a massive challenge with a lot of different facets within it. It's something that people look at with quite a holistic view, and actually, there's a lot of individual differentiators within the challenge. I always try and break it down into a few different elements.

“You've got the entry-level, whether that's a graduate, trainee, or apprentice. You've got that level, where we need more new people coming into the industry.

Georgia Butler DCD

“You've then got attracting people from other sectors. So how can we, as an industry, become more attractive than other industries to ensure that we're getting the best talent?

“Then you've also got the challenge of retention. How do we keep the best people in the sector? There are a number of different facets that create the skills challenge. I think from a trainee and entry-level perspective, a lot of the conversations I have would boil down to getting your message to these people at the right time, which is at a school level. Going into schools, educating them about the industry, and telling them what data centers are.

“I think a lot of focus historically has been on graduates or 18 to 21-year-olds, but a lot of those have already made a decision on their career. They didn't know what a data center was, so they were never going to choose data centers. The key is getting out to the schools.

> Andy Davis DataX Connect

Let's start educating people at a young age and telling them what a great industry it is, and the careers available.”

This idea of expanding awareness of data centers, while indisputably important to focus on during student years, also applies to other industries. It isn’t possible to only recruit internally, and as a result, steps must be taken to create a wide-spread knowledge base of data centers across compatible industries.

“Obviously, anyone that's worked within the forces or leaves the forces and moves into engineering, they're critical thinkers and they're able to operate under pressure. But again, that's another group of people that the manufacturing sector is chasing, the oil and gas sectors are chasing. You've got to have a reason for them to come to the data center sector.

“I don't think it's about there being a particular sector that we should get people from, which is probably where a lot of companies

do it wrong. It's about looking at the person. What are the attributes of the individual that you're trying to recruit?”

Taking this approach of evaluating people holistically, rather than demanding data center experience, can also help with the unavoidable fact of a devastating lack of diversity across the industry.

“The majority of people are around my age, and in that white male demographic. That's the reality of it. We've worked this year on diversity, and how can we increase that diverse portfolio of candidates. We don't just want three people of the same, we want a diverse shortlist.

“The key to increasing your diversity is to look outside of the data center talent pool. Because if you go to an event in data centers, and you look at that as your broadbrush demographic of the sector, and you want to increase minorities, they're not there. They're not in the sector. The whole point around diversity is we need to bring them into the sector.

“I worked with a client this year on diversity, and our mission was to find more females to bring into their organization because they wanted female critical thinking, they wanted different ideas. So we didn't look in the data center sector. We went to other sectors. We identified people that match the attributes and the DNA of that business, and they are now working within that business.

“But we wouldn't have been able to do that if they said to us, ‘we want people with five years data center experience’ or work on hyperscale projects based in this country, it would have been impossible.

“Look outside of your industry and make yourself attractive to that minority, whatever it is you're looking to attract, whatever demographic it is you want, make your business attractive to them, make it work, make it welcoming, and then people will come to you.”

Look outside of your industry and make yourself attractive to that minority, whatever it is you're looking to attract, whatever demographic it is you want, make your business attractive to them, make it work, make it welcoming, and then people will come to you

> Andy Davis DataX Connect

I don't think it's about there being a particular sector that we should get people from, which is probably where a lot of companies do it wrong. It's about looking at the person. What are the attributes of the individual that you're trying to recruit?

Building the metaverse

One of the biggest challenges for the data center industry is staffing. Jobs in the industry require a specific set of skills, and as the need for more facilities continues to grow at an exponential rate, bolstered by the rise of new developments such as the much hyped Metaverse, the need for more skilled staff to design, build and run them grows too, and that creates significant challenges.

With a recent report showing an acceleration in the long-term decline in students studying STEM subjects, that challenge isn’t getting any easier. DCD spoke to Pankaj Sharma, global executive vice president of Schneider Electric’s Secure Power Division about how the data center industry can address the skills shortage.

To start, let’s break the problem down. Sharma explains exactly why we are in a data center skills shortage that will only continue to grow if the industry doesn’t do its part to encourage uptake:

“Let’s take as a baseline that it requires around 300 people to build and operate a data center. It needs people to design and build those data centers, write the software that runs them, and operate them day-to-day. The reason that’s an important conversation today is because the rate at which the growth of data centers is going to happen, or is already happening is very different from what it has been in the last few years. From a staffing point of view, that’s 300x an exponentially growing number of facilities.”

Sharma goes on to explain the types of skills that are needed. It’s

important to recognize that there’s an overlap in transferable skills between different aspects of data center build and operation.

“When you think of data centers, you have three parts – you have the compute part, you have the networking part, and you have the physical infrastructure. The skills needed in all these three areas stem from physical infrastructure, so power and electronics as a base. Then there’s digital, which is a lot around software development. When you think about compute, again, it's a mix of power, electronics, AI, software development, and so on.”

And although software development is a crucial piece of the metaverse puzzle, this is where the emphasis in schools tends to lie. As such, there’s a steady stream of budding software developers, but the

How a change in mindset could help change the industry and open up a whole new world

Chris Merriman DCD

hardware side, despite being critical, tends to get overlooked.

“It’s important we remind our students that you could do the best software development, AI, and all of those other pieces which are required today, but all that has to sit on a physical infrastructure, so you need to be able to design the physical infrastructure first. Hence the need for power electronics, and hence the need for ideas on the hardware.”

But that’s not to devalue the importance of the software side –this is where there’s not only a wide variety of skill sets required, but skills that are transferable between aspects of the data center process:

“If you're a software developer, you could do the compute software development, plus you could also do software development for the hardware. That's where transferability comes into play. Similarly, when you're thinking of AI as an example, from the perspective of the number of instances you're looking at and how that turns into a certain predictability or a messaging, that can be both on hardware and software.”

We’ve talked about that hardware/ software divide, but is there an

inherent problem with the way STEM subjects are taught? And if so, does that present a huge roadblock in the recruitment process? In short, can companies looking to recruit extend their search outside STEM programs to bolster their talent pool, with self-taught or hobbyist electricians and coders?

“STEM programs are a very important foundation for AI, software development, hardware, power, electronics, electrical engineering, etc. I think those skills and that time spent in an undergraduate program are absolutely crucial. Now, could somebody do an AR type of work without going to an undergrad institute? I don't know, it's very hard for me to say, I think those programs or those education programs are

absolutely crucial to build the base on which then you can actually do more work.”

Another consideration is that, however crucial data centers are in terms of running the services, streaming the videos and facilitating the chats we have every day, they’re not the glamorous front-end. That’s why it’s important for large companies to offer students and anyone interested in a career in IT the chance to make the connection between the “cool stuff” they consume, and the infrastructure they could be a part of to make it all happen.

With the Metaverse being a favorite subject, which itself could have such an impact on data center usage, it’s a great way to forge that connection. Along the way, hotbutton issues for young people, such as sustainability can be brought in to show how a career in data centers can be just as cool.

“Because of the direct linkage between the potential impact of Metaverse to the planet – that’s to say you need to build more data centers, it's not good for the planet, so how you can build better data centers, more efficient data centers, and the direct link between what we

Young people have expectations around flexible working and freelance or “gig” opportunities that give them better quality of life balance

talk about as sustainability and the planet.”

For Sharma, it comes down to changing the way businesses mentor potential employees, going beyond explaining what the job entails, to looking at what that person wants to achieve from a holistic standpoint.

“Mentorship has to go beyond just things like leadership, to thinking about the purpose, your personal purpose, your career, and so on. Once you're able to make that connection, then people, especially the younger generation think ‘Yeah, this makes sense. If I am an NBA fan, and I love to watch games on the metaverse, and all that compute happens in a data center, if I get an opportunity to go build that data center, or contribute to the building of that data center, I'd love to do a job like that.’ It’s an important aspect for all of us as leaders to start to apply beyond the basics of mentorship around leadership, people management and so on.”

And people respond to that?

“You'll be surprised at the level of response you get from the students who are either in STEM or are thinking about STEM. The amount of feedback you get from these students, it's just amazing. I think if we were to consistently do that, as leaders in the industry, I think it's an easy connection to make.”

Another challenge facing recruiters is the changing face of work in the post Covid-19 world. Gone are the days of 40 hours, Monday to Friday in an office or on a site. Young people have expectations around flexible working and freelance or “gig” opportunities that give them better quality of life balance.

Sharma explains that one of the best ways to deal with that change in mindset is to embrace it.

“I think the starting point is acceptance of new ways of working. A lot of us are starting to think about

the general purpose of what we are trying to achieve as a human being. Do we really want to just spend all our time just working like crazy or do we want to work at our own pace?

“People are now thinking, ‘if I can work at my own pace, and still do what I want from a career, passion and purpose point of view, that's the best situation’. What it means then is even in skills like AI or power electronics, if we, as large companies, are able to accept as people who will work for us for maybe a day a week or three days a week or a couple of hours a day, then it's easier for us to attract more and more talent."

However, while that can help relieve some aspects of the shortfall, it’s not the solution, because the needs of the business can’t always live up to the new paradigms of work.

“You have to break out your kind of work into a gig, in a non-gig type of format. If you're designing a complete ecosystem of products, you can take pieces of those designs and have contributions towards them from skilled workers in a gig mode, but you cannot have the whole ecosystem design built like that. That means, if you're building the whole ecosystem design, only small pieces can be outsourced

into the gig economy. For large companies, we have to accept that gigs are the new way of work, but it's not the only new way of work.”

The underlying secret then, is that to change mindsets towards channeling their skills into data centers, companies have to change their mindset too, and look at what people want from a career, and how the industry can change to accommodate those ambitions –be they “cool” stuff like streaming content and video games, or “hot button issues” like the environment.

“As an industry we need to be explain to these students how they can contribute to creating something which will be very linked to renewable energy, and how they can help sustain the planet better.

“I feel that the data center industry is probably going to be one of the most important pieces of the overall digital economy puzzle, because this whole digitization, whether it's e-commerce, whether it's the metaverse or the NBA example, or fashion shows in metaverse, medical sciences – all of that is possible only if you're able to build more and more data centers, so the data center industry is one of the most important pieces of this whole digital economy enablement.” 

It’s important for large companies to offer students and anyone interested in a career in IT the chance to make the connection between the “cool stuff” they consume, and the infrastructure they could be a part of to make it all happen

Getty Images

Chapter two:

Future-proofing the workforce

Is the key to future-proofing the data center workforce to make it more appealing to the younger generation? And once we secure the new staff we need, how do we retain them?

In this chapter we look at breaking into the data center industry, those who have left it, and the different career paths that can be taken. We also provide helpful resources from the Uptime Institute and DCD>Academy that help demystify an industry that for the most part, has eluded the talent we need the most.

Breaking into the data center industry

A warm welcome awaits newcomers

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) recently called for industry insights to help boost the security and resilience of the data center industry, which serves to highlight the essential and growing role that data centers play in the UK economy.

Underpinning the digital presence of a multitude of UK organizations requires state-of-the-art solutions and innovative thinking to counteract cyber security threats and supply chain issues. But most importantly, it also requires people.

Data centers are comparatively low staffed organizations in general, with the largest line item on the balance sheet being energy costs. In contrast, employee wages often tend to be the biggest expense for other businesses.

However, data centers still require talented and experienced individuals to be successful.

Breaking in from the outside

For those looking to change careers from a non-technological

background, those who have embarked on alternative career routes without a degree, or entry level candidates starting out, there has never been a better time to break into the data center industry. The current talent shortage, coupled with the growing demand for digital

> Adam Bradshaw ServerChoice

Adam Bradshaw ServerChoice

transformation and sovereign data center services, means many providers are reassessing their traditional recruitment methods and requirements.

Any career switch is a daunting prospect, but even more so when it involves the perceived impenetrability of the technology sector. However, there is a high demand from tech businesses for talent in a variety of positions, from accountancy to HR to marketing, which can get an individual’s foot in the door and lead to a more technologically focused role.

Having only studied IT or a STEM subject at school should be no limitation to hiring people. I started my professional career working in sales but pivoted early on to become a data center engineer at a leading international provider. While I now work in the more commercial aspect of the business, gaining the hands-on experience of an engineer has only catalysed my expertise and propelled me forward.

Data centers, as well as the wider tech industry, have begun

Having only studied IT or a STEM subject at school should be no limitation to hiring people. I started my professional career working in sales but pivoted early on to become a data center engineer at a leading international provider

highly valuing individuals with the dual experience of having worked in a technological role as well as a wider business role, due to digital transformation journeys becoming synonymous with the business landscape. The additional insights of other professional fields are needed to help bridge the current skills gap, as non-technical organizations increasingly look to capitalize on the efficiencies and value that IT infrastructure offers, which in turn presents copious opportunities for candidates with alternative backgrounds outside of technology.

Alternative career pathways

Across all sectors, many job applications necessitate an oftenunneeded requirement for a university degree. However, the data center sector is open to applicants from all fields. While there are plenty of rewarding positions available to those who possess a technical degree, many data center operators have forged a successful career working in the sector without having even gone to university.

There are a variety of far more important capabilities that are needed to be a successful data center professional than a first-class degree. Given that data centers are tasked with underpinning organizations' digital presence 24x7, professionals need to demonstrate adaptability in case of urgent call-ups for disaster recovery, or shifts involving working nights. Project management ability is also highly sought after, in order to adhere to uptime standards and requirements without impacting the customer's experience.

Reaching out

For those seeking entry-level positions or apprenticeships in the industry, reaching out to providers and data center figures can be the greatest weapon in your arsenal. Individuals from the head of finance to the chief engineer will be delighted to talk about their departments or refer people on to the right individual. Many data center operators are more than used to watching their friends and family glaze over when talking about the industry, so they

> Adam Bradshaw ServerChoice

will undoubtedly be thrilled when an enthusiastic individual is looking for their insights.

Ask to come and explore the data center. Lifting floor panels or witnessing basic reconfigurations are valuable experiences that the majority of individuals do not possess. Much of society is unaware of the infrastructure that underpins the nation's digital presence and gaining even a preliminary first-hand insight into how the hardware works will make candidates shine.

Furthermore, those seeking entry level positions will be expanding their network when making visits onsite. Connections are one of the greatest assets for an individual, but a data center professional handling recruitment is far more likely to employ someone they have spent time with, or who comes with a trusted recommendation, no matter if they have minimal experience or not.

Meeting the need

As automation and digital transformation grow ever present in the professional landscape, the demand for more talent working in data centers is only growing to increase. Those tasked with meeting these demands are looking for new capabilities and expanding their search criteria like never before. For those who may have traditionally struggled to broach the sector in the past, such as entry level candidates, individuals without degrees or those switching career paths, the time to apply for that coveted data center job is now. 

Find your path to a career in the data center industry

The Uptime Institute has launched the Data Center Career Pathfinder, a free online tool that lists career opportunities within the digital infrastructure industry.

The service lists more than 230 different types of job roles that span the design, build, and operation of data centers, ranging from sustainability strategy to construction. Each role includes minimum education requirements and key competencies, such as communication, problemsolving or critical thinking.

Rhonda Ascierto, vice president of research at Uptime Institute said, “The data center industry is one of the fastest-growing markets on the planet and offers a wide variety of job roles, yet far too many people are unaware of the career opportunities within it.”

The tool has been made with support from Google, Meta, and Microsoft. The Career Pathfinder aims to increase the transparency of the data center industry and reach out to people from all kinds of backgrounds.

The resource covers the spectrum of roles needed in data centers, and will provide information for students and job seekers about the data center industry.

Demand in the data center industry is growing, and with this comes the need for a growing workforce. Research conducted by the Uptime Institute found in the 2021 Global Data Center Survey of IT and data center managers, that 47 percent of respondents reported having difficulty finding qualified candidates for jobs, an increase from 38 percent in 2018.

To take your first step toward a career in the data center industry, check out the Data Center Career Pathfinder

There are a variety of far more important capabilities that are needed to be a successful data center professional than a firstclass degree

Steve Hayward CyrusOne

The Big Quit: Futureproofing the data center workforce

The Big Quit – also known as the Great Resignation –describes the phenomenon of workers exiting their jobs post-pandemic in search of greater satisfaction. PwC investigated just how big an impact this is having on around the world – it discovered one in five workers said they are very or extremely likely to switch jobs in the next year. The problem is especially stark in the technology industry. In July 2022, the UK tech network organization TechNation called the talent shortage a “real issue” that could “stifle growth”. Indeed, according to the KPMG and REC UK Report on Jobs, IT & computing posted the strongest increase in demand for permanent staff in May, even more than in the hotel & catering, a sector widely reported to struggle filling vacancies postpandemic.

If data center companies aren’t addressing the tech talent shortage by starting with ways to retain their existing workforce, they are missing a huge trick

> Steve Hayward CyrusOne

Face with the current wave of resignations, the industry should get to grips with the problems underlying the talent shortage

And in trosierenter industry specifically, the picture is no more rosy – the Uptime Institute revealed 325,000 net new full-time employee positions will be needed in the six years to 2025.

Not enough STEM students

The general perception has been that there hasn’t been enough students taking STEM courses and with lack of uptake, we should expect to see shortfalls.

It is also clear the industry needs to think about its approaches to hiring and retaining tech workers sooner than later, or they could see even more workers quitting, putting even greater workload onto other employees, which could see their own performance decline under the pressure.

The data center industry is fortunate in how the pandemic shone a light on the important essential work of engineers. Yes, the buildings and infrastructure are important, but it’s the people that keep them running and that was made especially evident during the lockdowns. We therefore have a unique opportunity to educate new talent and build on that interest to help futureproof the workforce. But how?

Prioritize people and their needs

If data center companies aren’t addressing the tech talent shortage by starting with ways to retain their existing workforce, they are missing a huge trick. Organizations should analyse what is driving staff to leave, identify what is important to them, and give them the tools, training and opportunities they need to succeed in their roles.

For every 18-year-old hired, it’s a minimum five to six years of time investment training them to be fully qualified, confident engineers, so it’s vital to keep them engaged on an ongoing basis. Keep exposing them to new skills and challenges to develop them so they don’t feel the need to move, is crucial.

One key need for workers will always be having the right resources around them in terms of colleague support. Understaffing can put pressure on teams, causing stressrelated health issues that can impact on individuals’ professional and personal life, such as headaches, difficulty concentrating and being more prone to frustration. But being empathetic to people’s needs and ensuring they have time off for health appointments, that tasks are being split fairly and evenly and that they are using their annual leave allowance can help alleviate worker stress, making them feel looked after and positive about work each day.

During the pandemic there were great examples of leaders dedicating their extra time to asking after people and their family, so it is important not to lose that now the UK has opened up again.

Companies should also empower their workers to maximize their potential, working with them to decide stretch goals they can use to progress and see their position as not just a job, but a career. That requires respectful mentors and managers who have enough time to give to listening and training staff, as well as developing a strong culture that unifies and bonds teams together.

Source talent from new places Another approach organizations

should take is to think outside the box when it comes to recruiting new staff. They shouldn’t just look in the usual places but be open to candidates from unusual backgrounds with transferable skills, even those who may not have previously considered a career in the data center industry.

For example, the role of a data center engineer requires the ability to solve problems strategically and work well independently as well as in a team – skills that can be found in a variety of other sectors including energy and aviation. Since the start of The Big Quit, we have seen great CVs from a variety of sectors including pharmaceutical, petrochemical and the military. After all, electrical skills for example are good skills wherever you were trained.

Interviewers also need to be mindful of the terminology they are using so as not to unnecessarily alienate candidates who just aren’t familiar with industry jargon. If you can relate questions to something interviewees easily understand, you’ll get the answers you’re looking for. Managers can give them the product training but it’s harder for them to teach the core qualities they’ll need to be successful.

Organizations could tap highly performing colleagues in data center engineering and other teams to share stories about their passion – what they love about their job – to inspire others to learn more. For instance, they could share a day in the life of their role to break down myths and misconceptions and give examples of work that challenged and engaged them. This way, others can envision themselves in a role more easily and what they could bring to the table, which could also improve the quality of candidates applying for roles due to them being more informed about what a position entails before they’ve even sent in their CV for consideration.

Invest in the next generation

Furthermore, data center operators cannot just assume that what staff

Thinking about my own route, my role models had a big impact on my decision to enter and stay in the data center industry

> Steve Hayward CyrusOne

want in a role now, will be what employees want in five years’ time. There is a new generation ready for work, and it is vital companies adapt and evolve work to attract and secure new graduates and fresh minds, as these people represent the future of the industry.

As a father to teenage daughters, I want the world to be a place where they feel they have the same opportunities that I do. With the technology industry being so male-dominated, it is imperative that leaders look for diverse talent that bring a range of perspectives to teams, and not just for the reasons you might expect.

According to McKinsey & Company, the relationship between diversity on executive teams and the likelihood of financial outperformance has strengthened over time. Indeed, every time we don’t have enough diversity in teams is an opportunity missed to have a new perspective or skill set. The industry is missing huge waves of talent because it is not making itself approachable enough. We cannot continue to grow as an industry with the limited talent pool we have currently – it won’t fulfill the demand from one demographic segment of the population.

Thinking about my own route, my role models had a big impact

on my decision to enter and stay in the data center industry. A lot of my family members, who I looked up to, were engineers, so that field always appealed to me. Aged 19, I applied to – and was fortunate enough to be offered – an aeronautical apprenticeship with BAE Systems. That in-depth detailed technical apprenticeship gave me a hugely strong knowledge foundation, but also the motivation to forge the career I am still passionate about today.

If the industry drove more interest in how exciting the industry and technical qualifications can be, we can excite more young people and improve diversity in the industry. For example, we can touch on how they can potentially give candidates a route to faster earnings versus other qualifications –especially during the current cost of living crisis. We know this has been a major reason for the uptick in candidates applying to University Technical College Heathrow, which has one of the UK’s first data centerfocused curriculums.

Data center companies could work with industry organizations such as the Data center Coalition or Data center Alliance (DCA Global), the trade association for the data center industry, and local institutions such as schools and

universities to encourage young people to study STEM subjects and consider a career in data centers.

Leadership could also work to understand how they can do better as a company to retain diverse talent, speaking to employees about their experiences and investing in DEI and unconscious bias training to make workers more aware of their own role in creating an inclusive work culture. That way, they can build an environment that allows everyone to feel able to bring their whole selves to work, thrive and be offered exciting opportunities for development.

Addressing the skills gap is a necessity

If companies do not act now, the tech skills gap will only worsen, impacting on employee performance, client service, and ultimately companies’ bottom lines. Conversely, if organizations put people at the heart of their businesses, spread your search wider and consider candidates from untypical backgrounds and inspire the next generation, they give themselves the best chance of being an employer of choice and enjoying sustained growth, which will pay off in both the short and long term. 

Q&A

Q&A Patty Anderson, BGIS

DCD talks all things workforce with Patty Anderson, vice president of Business Development at BGIS

At BGIS, how do you go about inspiring the next generation of tech talent?

At BGIS we focus on four approaches to inspire the next generation of talent with BGIS’ Data Center services:

Mentorship: BGIS offers mentorship programs that connect young people with experienced professionals in the technology industry. Mentors offer guidance, support, and advice on pursuing a career in technology, as well as offer exposure to the latest trends, technologies, innovations, and techniques.

Professional development: Utilizing training and professional development programs allows us to enhance technical skills, communication, and teamwork within our team members. These BGIS programs help students and young professionals build the skills and knowledge necessary for a successful career in the data center industry and the services we provide our clients.

Diversity and inclusion: Fostering an environment of diversity and

inclusion in the workplace, which helps attract and retain the next generation of tech talent within BGIS. Embracing diversity helps to bring in different perspectives and ideas, making for a more vibrant and innovative workplace.

Social responsibility: BGIS engages in social responsibility initiatives and promotes technology for social good. This helps inspire the next generation of tech talent, who are looking for opportunities to make a positive impact on society through their work.

Has BGIS been impacted by the skills shortage?

> Don Anderson BGIS

I think we can say every industry and company has been impacted by the skills shortage, but yes, BGIS has been as well. The most challenging part is the data center industry has traditionally been challenged in bringing in skilled team members into the industry even before Covid.

Now as the economy is returning, we have seen the evolution of resources moving from their past careers into new industry sectors to ensure they have a place in the workforce, which has been challenging for BGIS, however close teaming with our Recruiting and People and Culture teams have allowed us to create programs and opportunities that are focused on retaining, growing, and attracting talent.

How important do you think internships are in terms of young people successfully entering the industry? Is this something BGIS offers?

We believe internship positions are an excellent way for young people to gain experience, build a network of professional contacts and mentors, and an approach that allows the interns to gain knowledge

Patty Anderson BGIS

BGIS offers mentorship programs that connect young people with experienced professionals in the technology industry

that complements their academic training and studies. BGIS offers internship positions in various departments across our business lines, enabling young people to get exposure to real-world learning experiences.

Of course, no one wants to be an intern forever. How does BGIS help foster a roadmap to career progression/help shape the leaders of tomorrow?

BGIS has a Future Leaders Program for employees to allow individuals to expand their presence within the company by networking and collaborating with senior leaders and other future leaders. Program activities include opportunities for participants to learn about different perspectives relative to workstreams and career progressions.

For example, BGIS offers a "leadership talk" series in an interactive fireside chat format (in person and virtual) to hear first-hand from senior leaders in the organization. Also, future leaders can get access to subject matter experts in the organization to ask questions and learn about career development and opportunities.

How does BGIS create and maintain an environment where their staff feel valued, productive, and cared for?

BGIS conducts annual employee engagement surveys to get feedback from team members. The survey results and the company’s action plan based on the survey feedback are communicated across the organization and followed up to communicate the results of the actions taken to close the loop with our employees survey input. BGIS also has employee programs to recognize team members' accomplishments.

How does BGIS go about ensuring a healthy work/life balance for its employees?

Every organization is challenged with creating a healthy work life balance for their team members. At BGIS, while we work hard, we focus

on providing cultural that is first focused on our employees and safety within the workplace. Team members have access to employee and family assistance programs, competitive health and benefits programs, ongoing webinars on topics related to health and fitness, flexible work arrangements and more.

How big of an impact do you think an employer can actually have on the happiness and success of its employees?

An employer can have an enormous impact on the happiness and success of their team members. It’s a combination of listening to employee feedback and taking action, putting programs in place that employees will find valuable and want to participate in and, most importantly, providing support and guidance to team members and treating them as valued people.

BGIS focuses on creating a culture to provide a great workplace for all of our team members to come to work every day, whether they are working within one of our offices, our clients’ data centers, facilities, or working remotely.

What about retaining staff you already have? How does BGIS look after its people?

BGIS has competitive compensation and benefits; we offer training programs, tuition/professional dues reimbursement for team members, and many opportunities to learn and grow in a supportive and professional environment.

Team members have many opportunities to work on various projects and workstreams within their business lines, and if they are interested in gaining additional skills and experience, we discuss their career paths to enable them to continue their journey across our organization.

As our company has grown, many opportunities have existed to advance many of our team members careers within BGIS. And interestingly, we have many employees come back to us after they departed BGIS for an external position at a different company, we consider them boomerang employees, and we are also excited to welcome past team members back to BGIS.

Where does BGIS stand on diversity in the workplace?

We believe that success is founded on a diverse workplace with different strengths, skills, cultural backgrounds, and ideas. Encompassing diversity within our teams allows us to embrace a wide range of perspectives, enable innovation and change, leading us to excel in our industry. At BGIS, we celebrate an atmosphere where individuals are valued, recognized and able to live out their full potential.

Could you tell us more about the ‘Women of BGIS’ initiative?

Our Women of BGIS initiative strives to support increasing women's representation, inclusion and development in leadership and nontraditional roles. The goals of the initiative include:

• Advancing the conversation of gender inclusion and equality in the workplace and fostering networks for women at all levels to build and grow alliances.

• Creating experiences, mentorships, knowledge, and programs to provide effective leadership.

• Broadening our efforts to attract, develop, retain, and elevate more women at all levels of the organization.

• Recognizing the benefit of service and responsibility and giving back, at professional forums, through multiple channels, promoting our commitment. 

To find out more about a career with BGIS, please visit www.bgis.com/careers/

Panel: How can skills & development training enable the data center workforce of the future?

Expert panellists discuss what steps they are taking in terms of learning and development to ensure that they are meeting their organization’s skills requirements, and how data center operators can make sure that they are prepared to meet the demands of the future.

Chapter three: Data center diversity

No one is under any illusion that the data center industry is largely male dominated, and that is something we are actively looking to change.

In this chapter we dive into why addressing the gender imbalance is not only important, but crucial to the longevity and progress of our industry. We also examine what the industry is currently doing to meet the workforce challenges not only of today, but tomorrow and beyond.

Why we must address the gender imbalance in the data center industry

Lorraine Wilkinson Equinix

It's been said before. Let's say it again

Despite the industry’s best intentions, technology continues to be a male dominated environment. Today, less than a quarter of IT and tech roles are filled by women with any meaningful progress to address the imbalance being frustratingly slow.

There are a number of excuses for the lack of representation. One being that there are very few female role models within the sector to encourage younger women to study STEM subjects. Academia is now doing much more to highlight the opportunities to female students, helping them to make early choices that prepare them for a role in technology. However, the outdated stereotype that men are naturally better at mathematics and technology can be difficult to shake off, which may be one reason why women continue to be underrepresented in STEM courses.

Certain areas of the industry also often demand long hours and commitment, particularly in more senior positions. Added to this, many women put undue pressure on themselves to outperform their male counterparts to validate their position. This pattern can be counterproductive and result in early burn out or mental health issues. Instead, employers must support their female staff and give them the tools and confidence to feel respected and equal to their colleagues.

Beneficial traits

But evidence suggests that businesses thrive when they implement a more inclusive policy and actively promote equal representation in the workplace. Women add a different perspective to men and can possess a number of beneficial traits such as being empathetic and effective readers of people’s emotions. These skills are very much sought after when managing teams, suppliers, and customers. Many women are also used to managing multiple

domestic and work responsibilities simultaneously, so they can be exceptionally skilled at multitasking under immense pressure.

At Equinix, we recognize the value that women bring to our workplace and are working hard to address our own gender imbalance. Currently just 22 percent of our staff are women, with that figure falling to 19 percent in operations. We now have an initiative called ‘I Am Remarkable’ helping women, without a technical background, join our industry after a career break. Many candidates can be put off applying because they believe they don’t have the right skillset. This initiative helps them recognize that, although they may not have the technical training, they hold several extremely valuable and transferable skills that make them ideal employees.

Bringing more women into the industry is critical as demand will soon outpace talent acquisition and training. The industry could find itself

year on year. For Equinix’s customers, a shortage of data center operations workers would slow the progress of their digital transformation and the development of digital services that millions rely on to manage nearly every aspect of their lives.

Technology is now the fastest growing sector in the UK in terms of investment, which means a host of new opportunities opening up. In 2021 there was a 50 percent rise in overall UK tech job vacancies advertised compared to 2020, according to Government figures. This will only continue to grow and if we fail to encourage more women into the industry, we may find ourselves unable to fill these new positions.

Companies must work to develop new approaches to finding and training women to fuel this future growth. Non-traditional talent pipelines and recruitment programmes will encourage women to apply from more varied backgrounds. On joining the business, they will need training programs and mentoring to grow their skillset and confidence.

By encouraging a more diverse profile of workers, we will eventually see a tipping point where the tech industry better reflects society. This is not only good for women, but time will show us that it will be far better for

Bringing more women into the industry is critical as demand will soon outpace talent acquisition and training

> Lorraine Wilkinson Equinix

By encouraging a more diverse profile of workers, we will eventually see a tipping point where the tech industry better reflects society

> Lorraine Wilkinson Equinix

The importance of female representation in the data center industry

Gail Stapleford CyrusOne

The data center industry is experiencing a critical skills shortage and if it doesn’t evolve in time, it is only set to get worse. Recent stats suggest that half of existing engineering staff will retire by 2025, yet the number of staff needed to run the world's data centers will grow from around two million to nearly 2.3 million by 2025, according to the Uptime Institute.

The sector has a severe skills shortage, and only ten percent of staff are women. The answer is obvious

As the sector works to identify ways to both maintain its current workforce and help grow the talent pool for the future through targeted recruitment efforts, one glaring opportunity for the industry is to increase representation of women working in data centers.

The Uptime Institute reported last year that, despite progress, the proportion of women in the data center industry remains low. More than three-quarters of data center operators surveyed report that their workforce is around 10 percent women or less. What’s more, almost one in four have no women as part of their design, build and operations staff.

It goes without saying that this is a massive limitation on the potential scale of who could be qualified to work in the sector.

Women in STEM

While the sector has indicated its intentions to diversify, progress has been slow to date with no single, easy way to achieve this. According to WES, only 46 percent of girls 11-14 would consider a career in engineering, compared to 70 percent of boys, however this drops even further in years 16-18 with just 25 percent of girls considering a career in engineering compared to 52 percent of boys.

This goes to highlight the

importance of teaching at grassroots level, ensuring that STEM subjects capture the interest of girls early in their education and cultivated all the way through their high school education. Furthermore, according to a study by CrowdStrike, the lack of women teaching and studying STEM subjects has had an impact on the gender and skills gap in related sectors.

For instance, on computerscience courses, women only account for 13 percent of undergraduates. The low numbers of women in these courses mean fewer land jobs in the design, build and operations departments of the data center industry.

Overall, positive steps have been made to address the overall data center skills shortage in the UK. For instance, in the past year, University Technical College Heathrow (UTC Heathrow) and techUK announced the creation of the first Data center UTC in the UK, as part of the Digital Futures Program – a first for the industry. UTC Heathrow has redesigned its existing curriculum to allow students to gain the essential knowledge and skills needed to thrive in technical careers within the data center sector and add it as a new career path option.

However, as part of the next phase to addressing this shortage, it’s imperative that the sector supports efforts that encourage females

to participate in these curricula. To welcome and retain the next generation of skilled professionals, the industry must do more to inspire young talent, especially gender and race diversity, to take up STEM subjects from an early age.

The industry has a vital role to play from engaging students and raising awareness of all the exciting career paths in STEM, to supporting existing initiatives such as Girls in Data and Woman in Data, to creating mentorship programmes that support women in a maledominated industry.

Securing the future of sustainable data centers

Diversity, equity and inclusion is a business imperative which helps build and empower future workforces, while also addressing societal challenges. Creating green, sustainable, carbon neutral data centers is undoubtedly the number one priority for the industry. Achieving this will depend, in part, on the development of a pipeline of available, diverse talent, including a prominent female representation. A diverse workforce is more creative and innovative, both central components to achieving the sector’s sustainability goals.

The data center industry will always be challenged with keeping pace with digitalization, but the one constant to ground all of this inevitable change should be ensuring that the workforce is skilled for the problems of today and for tomorrow and this cannot be achieved without diverse talent.

The industry has acknowledged this diversity gap and lack of female representation, which is an important step. Now, we must come together to address it. 

To welcome and retain the next generation of skilled professionals, the industry must do more to inspire young talent, especially gender and race diversity, to take up STEM subjects from an early age

> Gail Stapleford CyrusOne

Bridging the gender gap

Breaking down a generational construct

It hasn’t gone unnoticed by anyone working in data centers that there is a significant disproportion when it comes to the gender divide in employees (and employers). This isn’t isolated to our industry, however. It is a STEM-wide issue with origins in centuries of gender-based inequality.

Marynet Bassily, director of supply chain and procurement for Vantage Data Centers has seen this female ‘drought’ across several industries.

“When I joined the railways, it was very much like this, and by the

time I left the railways, it was near enough the opposite. I remember sitting in a meeting room with seven out of eight people being female, project managers, engineers, even the construction manager, and it was great to see that transformation. Unfortunately, it is taking quite a long time for us to get there, but I believe we will.”

But how can we start to break down a several-generations deep construct? In truth, there is no one simple answer. It needs to be a multi-approached attack, one that

leaves patriarchal values trapped and powerless.

“I'm a member of what we call the JEDI, which is justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. The other forum that I'm a member of within Vantage is the Women Leadership Forum. Within those two events, we're trying to promote more diversity into the business, especially women in STEM and upper-level roles, because it tends to be that the female representation within construction sits within the softer aspects, like the legal and

Georgia Butler DCD

Marynet

HR, rather than in engineering or construction.

“We need to ask ourselves questions like, how do we promote? How do we get more young ladies into the engineering world, the STEM world? Is it going into schools and trying to promote ourselves?

I'm a mother of three girls, so I know what it can be like – there's a bit of a glass ceiling.”

The glass ceiling is a concept that, if you are a professional woman, you are well familiar with. But it can be pushed through. As Bassily said, she saw it happen in the railway industry, and we can follow suit.

“I hate to use the word positive discrimination, but there was a little bit of that within recruitment. But there were also targeted recruitment campaigns, going into universities and schools, and promoting the industry a bit more.

“That's from a business perspective, but I also think that young females need to be able to take that in and actually pursue careers in STEM industries. There's a

not a lot of women in engineering, because of the idea that we need to have a family, that's what's more important. But why can’t you do both?

“If you look at some of the posters from TfL and the license network, you see that there are more females with hard hats on. It starts with your marketing and advertising, and it starts with women like myself and others who go down to primary schools and start talking to them and getting girls interested in STEM.”

Ultimately, it is not just within the data center industry that attitudes need to change. It is all very well to argue that women can do ‘both’, but expectations for women to raise a family and maintain a household also need to change, to allow them the bandwidth to take on these roles. Women can do both, but they cannot and should not be expected to do everything.

The data center industry has so many opportunities to pave the way. Be it in industrial environmental sustainability, or bridging the gender gap. There is a responsibility to do better than those who went

From my background, there's not a lot of women in engineering, because of the idea that we need to have a family, that's what's more important. But why can’t you do both?

>

Bassily Vantage Data Centers

>Skills & workforce

How the digital infrastructure industry is meeting the workforce challenges of tomorrow

Fireside chat: What can the data center industry do to attract talent and make the sector a rewarding and inclusive place to work?

Panel: Can the digital infrastructure industry realistically address its inherent diversity issue?