The Ultimate Guide to Building a High-Performance Data Center in the Next Decade

The data center industry is confronting a significant talent gap, with projections indicating nearly six out of 10 operators having trouble finding qualified candidates for open jobs, while more than half find it difficult to retain people.

This shortage poses a substantial challenge to the sector's growth and efficiency in the coming decade, when demand for output is at an all-time high.

To bridge this gap and build a high-performance data center that can withstand the volatility of the next 10 years, data center operators are tasked to implement comprehensive strategies for workforce development.

The four strategies below outline an innovative playbook that can empower data centers to approach workforce development at scale, no matter what the future holds.

Building Early Talent Pipelines

One of the biggest barriers to solving the data center talent crisis is simply the lack of awareness among students and job seekers.

Many students graduate high school or college without even considering a career in data center operations, not because they lack interest, but because they don’t know it exists. Unlike more mainstream tech careers like software development or cybersecurity, data center roles are rarely discussed in classrooms or career counseling sessions.

A study from the Uptime Institute found that only 16% of surveyed young professionals were aware of career opportunities in the data center industry. This lack of awareness has led to an overreliance on hiring experienced professionals rather than developing new talent.

Without proactive efforts to educate students about data center careers, the industry will continue to struggle with workforce shortages.

By collaborating with universities, technical colleges, and even high schools, data centers can introduce students to potential career paths within the industry.

For instance, University Technical College Heathrow has partnered with leading data center organizations to design curricula that prepare students for careers in digital infrastructure.

If students don’t know about data center careers, they won’t pursue them. Addressing the skills gap starts with ensuring young people are aware of the opportunities available in this critical industry.

Industry leaders, educators, and policymakers must collaborate to integrate data center operations into career conversations, provide hands-on learning experiences, and create accessible pathways into the field. A more informed workforce is a stronger workforce, and the long-term success of the data center industry depends on it.

Embracing Non-Traditional Hiring Models

The traditional recruiting model isn’t designed to meet the scale of the data center industry's workforce demands.

Standard hiring processes rely heavily on experience-based screening, requiring candidates to have years of prior data center experience. This approach drastically limits the talent pool and excludes capable individuals who could excel in the field with proper training.

Many companies also face long hiring cycles, where vacancies remain unfilled for months due to the difficulty of finding pre-qualified candidates. This gap leads to staffing shortages, operational inefficiencies, and increased costs associated with overtime and overburdened existing staff. The industry needs a more proactive and scalable talent acquisition approach.

The Hire-Train-Deploy (HTD) model is built to solve these inefficiencies by flipping the script on how companies hire. Instead of searching for the perfect pre-trained candidate, HTD programs identify high-aptitude individuals—many from non-traditional backgrounds—train them in the specific skills needed for data center operations and then deploy them into roles where they can contribute at an accelerated pace.

Unlike traditional hiring, HTD shifts the burden of training from the employer to the HTD proprietor, reducing risk for the employer and creating a net-new talent pipeline that is trained precisely for the job at hand.

Programs like Smoothstack’s HTD approach take care of recruitment, skills development, and workforce deployment, covering upfront hiring costs to ensure a seamless transition from training to employment. The result is a highly skilled workforce ready to meet the growing demand for data center talent without the lengthy and uncertain hiring cycles of traditional recruitment.

By embracing HTD, data centers can:

·???????? Significantly shorten time-to-productivity for new hires

·???????? Eliminate the inefficiencies of experience-based hiring filters

·???????? Reduce long-term hiring costs by training professionals from the ground up

·???????? Create a consistent pipeline of skilled talent to meet demand

Leveraging Transferable Skills from Adjacent Industries

Expanding recruitment efforts to include individuals from adjacent industries can also help mitigate the skills gap. Professionals with backgrounds in electrical engineering, HVAC systems, or network management possess transferable skills applicable to data center operations.

By lowering barriers to employment and focusing on these transferable skills, data centers can tap into a broader talent pool. Organizations willing to make concessions on specific experience and instead focus on repurposing candidates' transferable but relevant skills are in a better position to fill jobs.

The concept of "new-collar" workers—individuals who develop technical and soft skills through nontraditional education paths—aligns with this approach. These workers often come from blue-collar backgrounds and have acquired valuable skills that are transferable to technology-driven industries. Embracing new-collar workers allows data centers to benefit from a diverse range of experiences and perspectives.

For example, a professional with experience in HVAC systems brings an understanding of climate control and mechanical systems, which are crucial for maintaining optimal conditions in data centers. Similarly, individuals with a background in electrical engineering possess knowledge of power systems and circuitry, essential for data center operations.

By recognizing and leveraging these transferable skills, data centers can build a workforce capable of meeting the industry's evolving demands. This approach not only addresses the skills gap but also promotes diversity and inclusion within the industry.

Investing in Continuous Learning and Development

To assist with retention, data centers should focus on upskilling their current workforce and providing opportunities for continuous learning. Partnering with educational institutions to create specialized programs and certifications can also help bridge the skills gap.

This commitment to professional growth not only enhances operational efficiency but also improves employee retention by fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Despite the clear benefits, many organizations face challenges in implementing effective upskilling programs. A report by DataCamp highlights several obstacles:

·???????? Lack of budget: 40% of organizations cite insufficient funding as a barrier to upskilling initiatives.

·???????? Inadequate training resources: 36% report a shortage of appropriate training materials.

·???????? Lack of executive support: 29% find it challenging to secure leadership backing for upskilling efforts.

·???????? Lack of ownership of the training program: 29% indicate unclear responsibility for training within the organization.

·???????? Employee resistance: 27% encounter reluctance from staff to engage in upskilling.

Overcoming these challenges requires a strategic approach, including securing adequate funding, developing relevant training materials, gaining executive support, clearly defining program ownership, and fostering a culture that values continuous learning.

Moreover, data centers operate under rigorous safety requirements, making ongoing training essential. Regular safety training ensures that employees are aware of potential hazards and are equipped to handle them appropriately. For instance, the 2012 edition of NFPA 70E mandates that workers be re-trained at least every three years, with additional training required when new technologies or equipment are introduced, or when procedures change.

By investing in continuous learning and development, data centers can maintain high safety standards, keep pace with technological advancements, and address the? talent gap effectively.

The Path Forward

The data center industry is at a crossroads. Demand for infrastructure is skyrocketing, but the workforce needed to support it is shrinking. The companies that will succeed in the next decade are those that stop relying on outdated hiring models and start investing in scalable workforce solutions.

That means embracing Hire-Train-Deploy to create net-new talent, forging partnerships with educational institutions, expanding recruitment efforts beyond traditional sources, and committing to continuous training. Data center operators who take these steps won’t just fill jobs—they’ll build resilient, high-performance teams capable of supporting the next wave of digital transformation.

The talent gap is real, but it doesn’t have to be a crisis. The right approach to workforce development will determine which data centers thrive in the coming decade, and which struggle to keep the lights on.