Data Centre Magazine October 2023 | Page 18

INTERVIEW WITH ...
The supply chain is also struggling with recruitment . It ’ s a vicious circle that ’ s going to take several years to settle down . The growth is still exponential – how are we going to fill that ?
The problem is exacerbated by HR and recruitment who put on job adverts that DC Technicians need a BSc – we don ’ t need that . It would be better if operators took time to highlight what knowledge , skills and behaviours they ’ re looking for in that individual , because they ’ re putting people off by requesting qualifications that aren ’ t right for the role .
Q . HOW CAN EDUCATION RESOLVE THE CURRENT SKILLS GAP CRISIS ?

» There are a lot of organisations who are talking about education but are trying to tackle it as an individual entity , rather than an industry conversation . We ’ ve got to look outside of the current training providers , ourselves included , and at what other education streams are available . The solutions differ in every country but , essentially , it ’ s about education partnering with industry and collaborating properly . Education is there to provide whatever industry it serves with talented , motivated , educated and well-rounded individuals . But if industry doesn ’ t show education what it ’ s looking for , what chance has education got ? We must look at initiatives like University Technical College ( UTC ) Heathrow and see how successful it ’ s already been . That ’ s a true collaboration between education and industry , and it ’ s been so successful that we have three more UTCs in the pipeline . Those four

Four UTCs will bring 600

students each year into the industry having been around , aware of and working on data centre projects for four years
UTCs will bring 600 students each year into the industry having been around , aware of and working on data centre projects for four years . Six hundred people aren ’ t going to fix the skills gap but it ’ s a lot of people that will come into careers and start a ripple effect .
We need to work together to raise awareness of the industry as a whole . The majority of people who work in a data centre today have ended up there by chance . There ’ s a need to spread the word to schools , colleges , careers advisors – with the right buzz that
18 October 2023