The rapid expansion of datacentres is colliding head-on with a significant worker shortage. As datacentre space surged across Europe—reporting a rise from slightly over six million square feet in 2015 to projections of more than ten million in 2023—the industry’s demand for skilled labor has become a pressing issue. This trend has drawn attention to the workforce realities within the datacentre space, emphasizing the struggle of firms to find enough skilled professionals to meet their growing needs.
Billy Keeper, a 24-year-old electrical supervisor at Datalec Precision Installations, offers a personal perspective on this issue. When he first joined the company, he had no knowledge of what a datacentre was. Today, he coordinates teams as large as 40 people, overseeing the installation of electrical systems in these expansive facilities that serve as the backbone for cloud services provided by tech giants such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook. Datacentres not only support these major corporations but also cater to many other enterprises that depend on either dedicated facilities or co-location services to run their operations.
The increasing reliance on artificial intelligence has exacerbated the demand for datacentre capacity, necessitating more efficient computing power and significant energy resources. Dame Dawn Childs, chief executive of Pure Data Centres Group, acknowledges that although demand is surging, satisfying that demand proves to be a challenge. Land acquisition and power sourcing are particularly problematic, leading to calls, such as from political parties, for streamlined planning processes to facilitate further infrastructure development.
Yet the labor shortage remains the most critical hurdle facing this sector. Childs emphasizes that the construction industry is experiencing a significant shortage of skilled workers, a sentiment echoed across various organizations involved in the datacentre ecosystem. Corporations, including Datalec, face a unique challenge as the workforce must possess specialized knowledge tailored for high-speed engineering and meticulous operations that characterize the datacentre environment.
Matt Perrier-Flint, the operations director for Datalec in the UK and Ireland, highlights the structured nature of work in datacentres compared to traditional construction roles. He explains that commissioning and installing equipment involves a series of tests and validations to ensure operational integrity. The industry’s strict timeframes and sensitivity to business cycles—such as e-commerce freezes leading up to the holiday season—further complicate the labor dynamics, often resulting in extended work hours or overnight shifts for technicians.
Despite these challenges, the financial rewards for skilled roles in datacentres can be substantial, with trained electrical installers earning six-figure salaries. However, the persistent struggle to secure adequately qualified personnel underlines the need for industry-wide initiatives to remedy the shortfall. The Construction Industry Training Board predicts the UK will require an additional 50,300 recruits annually for the next five years, prompting concern over an aging workforce in the construction industry.
Societal trends over recent decades have shifted focus towards university education, sidelining technical and vocational training avenues. This has dissuaded many from entering traditional trades, leading to a decrease in interest from younger generations. As Perrier-Flint notes, there are now more viable tech career options like software development or digital influencing, which have become attractive to youth, thereby deflecting them from construction careers.
Despite these closing options, companies like Schneider Electric are innovating to attract new talents by increasing their intake of apprentices, recognizing the need to adapt training strategies to maintain a steady influx of skilled workers. Emphasizing sustainability and societal impact has also become critical in highlighting the purpose of roles within datacentres and related fields, aligning with youths’ desire for meaningful work.
As the industry grapples with these multifaceted challenges, from recruitment difficulties to societal shifts in employment preferences, effective communication about the significance of datacentres in contemporary life remains a fundamental hurdle. Keeper articulates this by mentioning the confusion many face when trying to comprehend the concept of the “cloud” and its underlying infrastructure.
In summary, the burgeoning datacentre market presents lucrative opportunities yet is significantly hindered by a scarcity of qualified personnel. The collective efforts led by industry leaders to reframe career pathways, highlight societal contributions, and strategize recruitment will be pivotal in overcoming these present challenges.
