Data center industry growth drives need for education and continued focus on sustainability
Industry professionals convene at the Data Centers Denmark event in Copenhagen on May 15th. "We see a growing need for people with data center specific skills," says Tina Schou, Deputy Chairman of the Danish Data Center Industry association and Country Sales Director, Schneider Electric IT Division
Danish Data Center Industry.
Denmark has become the cleantech hub for data centers in the Nordic Region. While the industry continues to design and build sustainable data centers in close partnership with utilities and local, regional and national authorities, it also faces a new challenge in the years to come: The need for more industry specific competences.
On May 15th 2019, the association Danish Data Center Industry (DDI) hosts its first event since the association was formed two years ago. Today, DDI has more than 80 members and expects up to 250 data center industry professionals to participate in the event that has sustainability as its main focus.
However, DDI's Deputy Chairman Tina Schou who is also Country Sales Director at Schneider Electric's IT Division, calls for the industry to address a growing need for people with the skills needed to build, operate and maintain data centers:
A distinct discipline
"We see an increasing demand for people with the right skills and certifications to serve the growing data center business. To work with data centers has become a rather distinct discipline that calls for more specific education and certification," says Tina Schou.
She continues: "Our industry as a whole will benefit if we join forces with the educational system and discuss how to educate tomorrow's data center professionals. And I think we already have a sound starting point with some of the major players taking their own measures to train and certify employees."
As an example, Schneider Electric's IT technology center in Kolding, which employs 200 data specialists in data center infrastructure and management solutions, also serves as an European education hub for all service technicians working with critical power and infrastructure in data centers.
Unwavering focus on sustainability
"Attracting future employees with the right skill set will be a common challenge for our industry and therefore we need to take on that responsibility together," Tina Schou suggests while emphasizing that the industry focus on sustainability is unwavering:
"Sustainability will continue to be at the top of our agenda. Energy consumption from data centers is predicted to continue its growth, accounting for as much as 20 per cent of Denmark's overall energy consumption just a few years from now. It goes without saying that our industry has an obligation to continue to act responsibly to help protect the environment."
