Webinar Recap | Data Center Education: What's Available to You?

Summary

After “The Great Resignation,” after rounds of layoffs in Big Tech, after the recent publication of AFCOM’s “5 Bold Predictions” whitepaper, one thing has become remarkably clear—a noticeable skills shortage has affected the entire data center industry, leaving many managers and operators left with only a skeleton crew and a flurry of job openings that seldom get filled.

While it can be easy to blame this “talent gap” issue on (for example) the growing friction between employers who want their workers back in the office 24/7, and employees who’d vastly prefer a WFH or hybrid workplace, it’s become clear that another major obstacle exists: for many students and young professionals interested in the industry, it can be difficult to find pathways—such as training, internships, and degree programs—that will allow them to learn more about what it’s like to have a career in data centers.

That’s precisely why Dennis Cronin, Board Member at Mission Critical Global Alliance, decided to speak at this month’s webinar. Cronin presented the audience with a vast array of educational tools and professional opportunities for those interested in a data center career, so that anyone, regardless of region or past experience, would be able to find a pathway that works best for them.

“We need help to reach the next generation,” Cronin emphasized at the start of his webinar. “We need to tell young adults just how dynamic and just how many opportunities exist in this industry.”

Back to School

Up until the past few years, Cronin said, education for data centers and digital infrastructure was only limited to commercial training programs—it was close to impossible to find a degree program for data centers within a brick-and-mortar college.

However, as the need for data, and therefore the need for data centers, has exponentially grown, more and more universities are starting to offer PhD, MS, and BS degrees in subjects such as Data Center Engineering or Data Center Management.

Cronin presented a healthy diversity of global options for interested students: there are universities in Belgium, Ireland, Canada, and Singapore, for example, that offer both data center degrees and certifications, while a few U.S. colleges also provide research-intensive programs for those eager to gain first-hand knowledge, and Master’s degrees with lighter coursework for “non-traditional” students who are looking for a career shift and can only attend evening classes.

While there’s progress that still needs to be made, Cronin argued, the apparent need for younger generations to get involved with data centers has motivated universities and other educational institutions to get creative and find ways to maximize engagement and attendance for students from all walks of life.

Earning Cred

“‘Credentialing’ is becoming increasingly in demand for the IT world,” Cronin declared. “It’s rare that you’ll see someone working in IT that doesn’t have a list of credentials behind their name.”

Indeed, there’s apparently a whole host of advantages to earning credentials whenever you can. While the top motivation, according to Cronin, is the lifelong pursuit to “continuously upskill” and gain more and more knowledge about your chosen industry, there can also be immediate financial benefits—most certifications, for example, can generate significant ROI for the earner and their employers.

In fact, it’s the mutual benefits that both employers and employees can gain from credentials that serve as the strongest argument towards getting one. For the individual earning the credential, it can increase their confidence, autonomy, and respect from their peers; for the individual’s employer, it can increase the quality (and therefore value) of the employee’s contributions, as well as strengthen the workforce and fill in skills gaps that would’ve otherwise existed in perpetuity.

While dozens of credentials exist—some for a specific facet of data center daily operations, while others are more generalized—Cronin singled out the Certified Mission Critical Operator (CMCO) as the best (and only) multi-disciplinary credential for data center operations, and recommended its college-level online courses for younger professionals looking to work towards adding that credential behind their own name.

Education: It's Not Just for Kids

At the start of this month’s webinar, Cronin took a quick poll to gauge the average years of experience and types of occupations of those who attended. It became quite clear that a majority of the webinar audience were data center veterans, with an average of 10 or more years of experience under their belts.

As such, Cronin strongly encouraged these data center leaders to go out and spread the word. “Visit your local high schools, visit your local colleges, and promote our industry for us,” Cronin said. “It’s now your duty to be a mentor for the next generation.”

And who knows—perhaps, in the pursuit of inspiring the next generations of data center leaders, you may also learn a new thing or two about the industry and its future.

For a full list of the degree programs, training modules, and credentials that Dennis Cronin recommended in his presentation, as well as a full recording of the webinar itself, check out this link available exclusively to AFCOM members.

AFCOM has made a full recording of this webinar available to AFCOM members. To view it, simply click here.